Aberdeen and Lumley Beach

Feels:

Breezy, flat and relaxed, with hotels, bars and beach traffic

Suits:

First-time visitors and beach evenings

Best time:

Late afternoon and evening by car

Watch out for:

Walking the beach road after dark.

In short:

Flat, with hotels, restaurants and the beach; a car ride from the centre.

Freetown stretches from the east end, the port and the old college, through the centre with the museum and cathedral, west along the beach road through Aberdeen and Lumley toward the peninsula. The wharf and ferry landing are at the harbour front below the centre.

This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.

How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Freetown districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.

• First visit

  2nd of 2

  A car ride to the museum and the east end.

  Better for this: Central Freetown

• Families

  best of 2

  Beach and pools; watch currents.

• Light sleepers

  best of 2

  Traffic noise on the beach road; quieter inland.

• Night owls

  best of 2

  Beach bars and hotel terraces; go by car after dark.

• On a budget

  2nd of 2

  The best range of hotels but higher prices.

  Better for this: Central Freetown

Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.

• Lumley BeachGo

  The city's main beach: sand, beach bars and grilled fish; go in the late afternoon and swim only where the water is calm.

  Entry:

  Free

What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.

• Lebanese restaurants and shawarma, Aberdeen

  Freetown has a long-established Lebanese community and several Lebanese restaurants near Aberdeen and Lumley: go for a shawarma, grilled meat or a mezze lunch in a cool room, and book through your hotel or ring ahead.

• Beach bars and grills, Lumley Beach at sunset

  Open-air bars and grills along Lumley Beach where locals and visitors gather at sunset for a beer, grilled fish and music: go with a hotel car, leave before it is fully dark, and keep cash and phones out of sight.

• Seafood grill on Lumley Beach

  A beachside grill for fish and lobster: go before dark, ask for the price before you order, and pay in cash or check that cards work.

• Aberdeen and Lumley$$$

  First night: choose a beach-road hotel with a 24h desk, a generator and a car that can meet you — the coast is where most visitors sleep.

  Rooms: SLE 1,800–3,500 (check)

  Skip this if: Traffic to the centre is slow: budget 35–60 minutes each way.

  3–6 min walk to Aberdeen and Lumley Beach · 35–60 min walk to Central Freetown: museum and cathedral

Markets and shopping streets from the Freetown buying guide that name this district.

• Supermarkets and pharmacies · Aberdeen, Lumley and the centre · Daytime; some lateStock varies; bring essentials.

Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.

In the day plans: Day 2 — Lumley Beach and a seafood grill (Freetown in 3 days)

• Sunset on the beach

  Light: 17:30–18:30

  Shoot from the sand toward the sea; ask before photographing people.

Street names that appear in the addresses of this district’s places and eats: useful to type into a map or show a driver.

• Lumley Beach Road

• Aberdeen and Lumleyday: oknight: caution

  Use a hotel car at night; do not walk on the beach or the beach road after dark.

• Quiet nights

  Traffic noise on the beach road; quieter inland.

• Nightlife

  Beach bars and hotel terraces; go by car after dark.

• Late arrival

  Hotels have night desks; confirm arrival time.

• Central FreetownCar east, about 35 min
• Government Wharf and harbour frontAbout 5.5 km away in a straight lineAbout 3.4 mi away in a straight line
• East end and Fourah BayAbout 7.1 km away in a straight lineAbout 4.4 mi away in a straight line