Another sunny weekend, another beach day trip! This time, I took the train to East Sussex to visit the neighbouring seaside towns of Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea. If you like your beach day to come with a side of history, foodie culture, great shopping — and even true crime — this is the day trip for you.
I've been to Hastings a few times, including on a school trip when I also visited the nearby Battle of Hastings site. More recently, I spent a few hours there with my parents on a Sussex Coast road trip. When researching my guide to the best beach day trips from London, I realised that a return was long overdue!
Hastings is still most famous for that 1066 battle, where William, Duke of Normandy (AKA William the Conqueror), defeated King Harold. The battlefield is a few miles away in Battle (what a coincidence 😉) but William's legacy remains in the now-ruined Norman castle perched above the town.
But there's much more to Hastings than history. The town and neighbouring St Leonards-on-Sea both have distinctive architecture, excellent dining and shopping and plenty of unique and quirky seaside attractions. Plus, of course, the glorious shingle and sand beaches along the seafront.
Hastings and St Leonards are only 90 minutes or so from London by train and you can easily get a taste — literally — of both towns on a day trip. This is my guide to spending a perfect day in the two towns that will take you from a 1,000-year-old castle to oh-so contemporary beachside dining!
HASTINGS & ST LEONARDS 1-DAY ITINERARY
10:00 — Coffee and castles
90 minutes after boarding a train at London Bridge, I was stepping out at Hastings station. As always, specialty coffee was top of my agenda. A few minutes' walk away is Greyskull, a welcoming cafe tucked away in arty St Andrew's Mews.
My cortado, brewed with Ozone coffee, was very good. I'd already had breakfast but once I smelled the bacon sandwiches, I wished I hadn't!
From there, it's a short but steep walk up the hill to Hastings Castle. The site was settled in the Iron Age, and fortified by William the Conqueror after his famous victory in 1066. Almost 1,000 years later and not much of the castle remains, but you can walk around the ruins and enjoy excellent views of Hastings and the coastline.
After leaving the castle, pay a visit to West Hill, where the views are even better — passing via the Hastings Lookout, where the castle's Ladies' Parlour once stood. You can either walk down or take the West Hill Lift like I did. This funicular railway runs through a tunnel down to Hastings Old Town. Tickets are £5.50 return.
11:00 — Shopping in the Old Town
The West Hill Lift drops you right in the heart of Hastings Old Town. The pedestrianised George Street is a great place for a stroll and to browse the independent stores selling antiques, books, lifestyle goods and more. Boulevard Bookshop & Thai Cafe, Hare & Hawthorn, Warp & Weft, Rye Chocolates and Butlers Emporium caught my eye.
Follow the road onto the High Street, where there are even more antiques and homewares stores, like A.G. Hendy, Shop House, Made in Hastings and Courthouse Cooperative.
I walked as far as The Old Rectory, where I'd love to stay sometime, before turning around and walking back into town along picturesque All Saints Street with its Tudor and other historic buildings.
12:00 — Brush up on art...or true crime
One of Hastings' quirkiest attractions is the True Crime Museum. At £11.50 per adult, I thought it was quite expensive given I only spent about 40 minutes there (and I checked out all the exhibits). But this is a good option if you're a crime buff or looking for something to do on a rainy day.
For a more traditional cultural activity, the Hastings Contemporary gallery on Rock-a-Nore Road has a well-curated selection of modern art, including some temporary exhibitions with a maritime focus.
13:00 — Beach lunch in St Leonards
St Leonards-on-Sea is next to Hastings and it only takes about 20 minutes to walk there from Hastings Old Town. I walked along the seafront, detouring briefly to Hastings Pier, with views of the coastline in both directions and charming striped beach huts.
There are lots of seafront eateries and shacks, including the wonderfully named Starsky & Hatch. But I was on a mission and that mission was to eat the crab-loaded fries at Goat Ledge, a cafe on the Lower Promenade.
You order from the shack and can then grab a seat at one of the colourful tables on the beach. I had to wait 10 minutes to order and then another 20 minutes for my food, but the crab-loaded fries were well worth the wait. I'd planned to order a fishfinger bap too but the fries were more than enough as a main course!
14:00 — Specialty coffee and standout shops
My coffee research directed me to Folks, a small specialty coffee shop and lifestyle store a few minutes' walk from the beach on London Road. I had an excellent cortado brewed with Climpson coffee and also bought some beans from Edinburgh roaster Carter.
I had a lovely chat with the friendly barista and enjoyed browsing the local art and homeware products in the upstairs mezzanine.
There are lots of independent shops nearby, especially on London Road and Norman Road. I loved (and bought several gifts at) the aptly named Dept of Joy, while Zen Minded has a great selection of beautiful Japanese-inspired homewares. It's also a good area to shop for art and antiques.
15:00 — Sun, sea and shingle
I'd been so hot all day, it was such a delight to finally make it to the beach. There's a long stretch of shingle beach in Hastings and St Leonards. I headed to the Marina Beach, which has Blue Flag status (awarded for cleanliness, safety and water quality.
I'd worn my bikini under my clothes so I could run straight into the sea. The water was glorious: warm (23C) and clear, with gentle waves that made for a refreshing dip. I was glad I wore my favourite water shoes (pictured below) for the pebbles, though.
I spent a couple of hours swimming and relaxing and then walked a little further west along the promenade before turning around and heading back to St Leonards.
18:00 — Golden hour cocktails by the sea
Before long, it was time for an aperitif. Luckily, St Leonards has a whole host of fab places for a drink — on the beach and on the promenade. I went to Ritual Bar, just across the road from where I'd been swimming but with excellent views of the beach.
My cocktail was fantastic. I opted for a Pisco Sunset, which was tart, fruity and very well mixed. The daiquiris and Pandan Coladas looked great too!
19:00 — Seafood supper at Bayte
I booked a table at modern European restaurant Bayte and it was lucky I did because they were completely full! The menu features many local and seasonal ingredients, with a focus on seafood and pasta.
My strawberry mezcal cocktail was delicious, and the food was just as good. I started with ricotta and pea agnolotti, followed by beautifully cooked butterflied mackerel. The restaurant is spacious with attractive décor and very friendly staff. They also have a sister restaurant, Coquina, at the Hastings Contemporary.
Bayte was only a couple of minutes' walk from St Leonards Warrior Square station, where I caught the train back to London Bridge — sated and sun-kissed after a glorious day in Hastings and St Leonards.
I also had these eateries on my list: Colombo House (Sri Lankan), Boatyard, Heist Market, St Clement's, No. 40 Bar & Kitchen, Albo, Dora's Bar & Pizza and Half Man! Half Burger! (I was next door at Ritual and the burgers looked great).
GETTING THERE
The fastest trains to Hastings take about 1h30 from London Bridge with Southeastern. You can also travel with Southern from London Victoria; the journey time is about 2 hours. An off-peak same-day return costs about £38, or £26 with a Network Railcard.
Most trains on both lines stop at St Leonards Warrior Square station on the way to Hastings. The train ride between them only takes three minutes and I bought a return to Hastings but got on one stop late in St Leonards on my way back to London.
WHERE TO STAY
I left it too late to find accommodation in Hastings on a summer Saturday but my first choice hotel would have been The Old Rectory. The stylish boutique hotel is a short walk from Hastings Old Town, has 1 Michelin Key and recently featured in The Times's list of the best 50 hotels in the UK.
Their cafe — open to non-residents — is highly rated too, serving breakfast, Southeast Asian-inspired food and Sunday roasts.
Looking for more inspiration for seaside day trips in southern England? My guide lists 8 of the best beaches near London (no car needed).
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