Woolacombe is a seaside resort on the coast of North Devon. The beach is 2.5 miles long, sandy and gently sloping. The beach has Blue Flag and Premier Seaside Beach awards for its cleanliness, water quality and facilities.

It is a popular destination for surfing, and there are many establishments offering tuition and equipment hire. The waves are gentle when the tide is out and are more vigorous when the tide is in.

During the Second World War, the U.S. Army Assault Training Center was based at Woolacombe, where thousands of small boat crews and infantry practiced amphibious landing assaults on the beach in preparation for the Invasion of Normandy. The long flat shape of the beach and the conditions of the hinterland were thought to resemble Normandy sufficiently. There is a memorial to the soldiers, carved on a rock above the northern end of the beach.