The British Isle that gets summer weather before the mainland – it’s always warmer and has the country’s best beaches
JERSEY is the stunning Channel Island that some have even compared to the Caribbean and its one of the warmest places in spring.
It even has some of the country’s best beaches – and you can get there in under an hour.
Jersey tends to be warmer than the UK, especially in spring and summer.
The island is just 14 miles off the French coast, but 85 miles from the south of England coastline – meaning it gets better weather and sooner, along with the likes of France and Spain.
In August, Jersey’s average temperature sits between 18 and 23 degrees, but can be as high as 28 degrees.
Whereas mainland UK temperatures in what should be the hottest month of the year, reach an average of 19 degrees with highs of 22 degrees.
The beautiful island is home to hundred-year-old castles, food with French and English influences, coastal walks, and some of the best beaches.
St. Brelade’s Bay Beach, on the south side of the island, received a Travellers’ Choice award from TripAdvisor last year.
One visitor even went so far as to say St. Brelade’s Bay Beach was “better than the Caribbean“.
Another added: “Must be one of the most beautiful beaches on earth. Crystal clear sea. Surrounded by great restaurants and hotels.”
Thanks to the blue waters and sandy shores, Jersey is a great spot for sunbathing but also beach sports.
You can try out paddleboarding, kayaking, surfing, jet skiing and wakeboarding.
To get to the Caribbean-like escape from the mainland, you don’t even need your passport (but it is recommended you take it).
When entering the country you will need some form of recognised photographic identification for Jersey Customs and Immigration Officers to check so they can confirm your identity, nationality and evidence of your immigration permission.
The quickest way to get to the island is on a plane.
You can hop on a flight from most major UK cities, but the quickest journey is from Southampton, which on a plane takes just 50 minutes.
From London, it takes around an hour and flights from Manchester take around an hour and 20 minutes.
We found return flights on Skyscanner from Manchester to Jersey from £47.
Another way onto the island is via the ferry which can take anywhere from four hours 20 minutes up to 10 hours.
The fastest ferry is Condor Voyager which takes around four hours.
The cheapest booking option on a Condor Voyager ferry to Jersey from the UK is a passenger foot ticket from Portsmouth to St Helier, starting at £40 each way.
A car ferry from Poole to Jersey starts from around £98.
We explored Jersey on a summer break where we took a gander around the beaches and found hidden tunnels.
And here are the travel rules for anyone heading over to Jersey.
We Spend A Week On The British Isle
Here's everything we loved during our trip over to Jersey...
My recurring thought throughout my week in Jersey on a recent trip was – why have I never been here before?
Before I’d visited, I’d unfairly assumed that it was a holiday destination for pensioners, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
My partner, 4-year-old son and I spent the best week on the island, exploring stunning beaches that looked like they belonged in the Caribbean or the California coastline, dining in incredible seafront restaurants and pubs, and visiting some really cool (and seriously uncrowded) attractions.
The roads were nearly always empty, the people were super friendly and it felt extremely safe – I spotted more than a few parked cars with their windows down.
Everything was incredibly easy to get to, thanks to the compact nature of the island – you could get from end to end in under an hour – but it’s packed full of historical and natural attractions – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel – Online