Escape the city: 10 best day trips from London by the sea
London is an incredible city packed with world-class attractions, fascinating museums and galleries, beautiful parks and gardens, and a thriving theatre and restaurant scene.
After a city break full of sightseeing, you might, however, be looking for places where you can escape the hustle and bustle and get out into the fresh air. Luckily, the English coastline is just a short trip away. It offers charming seaside towns to visit, historic cities with castles and museums to explore, and beaches and dramatic cliffs to wander along.
Read on for 10 of the best day trips from London by the sea.
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10 Top day trips from London by the sea
Brighton, with its beaches, pier, and Royal Pavilion
Brighton is one of the most popular places for those looking for a day out at the seaside. The variety of things to do here, plus the availability of fast trains from London (a journey of just over an hour) make it an ideal choice.
Among the top sights is the Brighton Royal Pavilion. This beautiful building was originally built for George IV as a pleasure palace for when he visited the city. As you’ll see if you visit, it is a striking building, with magnificent domes and minarets.
If you have time, go inside. You’ll get to wander around some grand rooms and galleries and learn more about the history of the place and the different purposes it served over the years.
Afterwards, you can head to the beachfront area, with its promenade and Brighton Palace Pier. This is one of England’s oldest piers. The area also has restaurants, souvenir shops, and amusement arcades to keep you busy. You can also spend time chilling out on the beach.
When you visit the city, it’s also worth strolling around the vibrant Lanes area. There are some small quirky shops here to browse in and other places where you can grab a bite to eat.
Historical Hastings, with the steepest railway in the UK
Hastings in East Sussex is another top day trip from London, especially if you’re looking to spend time on the coast. It’s probably familiar to many of us who were taught about the 1066 Battle of Hastings and invasion by William the Conqueror when we were at school.
So on a day trip to Hastings, you can brush up on your history. You can visit the ruins of Hastings Castle on the clifftop where William the Conqueror lived. You can also walk out to Battle Abbey, which is on the site where King Harold II battled with William. There is a stone that marks the place where Harold was killed.
A fun thing to do on a day out in Hastings is to ride on the small scenic railway, the East Hill Lift. This will take you up to Hastings National Park, which has woodland and coastal paths. The funicular is the steepest railway in the UK and gives you fabulous views out to sea. It also looks down on the town’s seafront and beaches, with its pier, cafes, bars and attractions.
You can also explore Hastings and walk around its charming, narrow streets and alleys. There is the Fishermen’s Museum here: if you’re interested in the history of fishing and seafaring in the area, you’ll enjoy it here.
The Shipwreck Museum will likewise appeal, with its displays and information on local shipwrecks. You can also stop by the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery.
Hastings is around one and a half hours to two hours by train from London.
Camber Sands beach and nearby Rye
Camber Sands is an incredible stretch of sandy beach in East Sussex. It is three miles and a 20-minute bus ride from Rye, which is just over an hour from London. It is apparently the only place with sand dunes in East Sussex.
So this is really a place if you want to get away from it all and spend time on the beach. The sandy beach is ideal for a chill-out day; you can walk for miles, soak up the sun, and breathe in the fresh sea air. You’ll find a good selection of amenities here: cafés, ice cream sellers, toilet facilities, and car parking.
For a bit of history, there is also Camber Castle, built by Henry VIII, which is not far from Rye, a medieval market town.
If you’re travelling to Camber Sands via Rye, it’s worth spending some time here. It has a small quaint centre with pretty cobbled streets. You can learn more about the town’s history in the Rye Castle Museum in Ypres Tower. Climb to the top of the tower for views over the surrounding area.
It’s also worth seeing Lamb House, now a National Trust property. Built in the 18th-century, it was once owned by Henry James, the 19th-century writer.
Portsmouth, with its dockyard housing HMS Victory
Portsmouth sits on the south coast in Hampshire and is a fascinating day trip from London, especially if you enjoy visiting museums. There are lots here!
If you head to the Portsmouth Harbour area, you’ll find many of the main sights.
Aside from the beach and the coastline, one of the top attractions in this area is the Portsmouth Harbour Dockyard. This complex is home to a wealth of museums and attractions showcasing the city’s role in maritime history, both past and present.
This includes being the site of HMS Victory, the flagship of Lord Nelson, the museums that holds the remains of Henry VIII’s Mary Rose ship which was raised from the seabed in 1982, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, and the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower.
You can also hop on a boat and take a boat trip around the harbour. On a fine day, this is a wonderful thing to do.
Nearby in Gunwharf Quays (a spot to head to if you fancy doing some shopping), you’ll find the Spinnaker Tower. Standing at 170 metres high, it has fantastic views out across the area.
Between the harbour area and the South Parade Pier, you can walk along the coastal path up to the D-Day Story museum by Southsea Beach. You can learn more about the WWII invasions here.
And not far away, you’ll find Southsea Castle and the pier, which has a small amusement park and eateries.
Southend-on-Sea, home to the world’s longest pleasure pier
Southend-on-Sea is a place if you’re looking for a day trip from London in a fun and vibrant seaside resort, especially if you’re planning a family day out. It’s situated at the end of the Thames Estuary and on the North Sea. It has lots of great beaches to explore, particularly when the weather is good.
Southend also has the fame of being the home of Southend Pier, the world’s longest pleasure pier. You can walk along it – although, be warned, it stretches for a mile and a third! – or take the Southend Pier train. Once here, you can play crazy golf, take a boat trip, visit the museum, or just enjoy the stunning views.
For more fun, there is a Sealife Centre, ten-pin bowling, escape rooms, and amusement arcades along the seafront. You can also visit Prittlewell Priory and the Clifftown Telephone Museum (believed to be one of the tiniest museums in the world). There are also several art galleries.
And if having the world’s longest pleasure pier isn’t enough, Southend also boasts Britain’s shortest funicular railway, The Cliff Lift. At the top, you get some fantastic views out over the sea.
Broadstairs, where Charles Dickens wrote some of his work
The Kentish town of Broadstairs is around an hour and a half by train from London. Known for its Victorian seafront, this destination has been attracting holiday makers for over 150 years.
If your day trips from London by the sea are more about sea and sand than sights and museums, this might be the place for you. It’s smaller than some of the other destinations in this post and is a great place to spend time relaxing by the sea.
You can do this in Viking Bay. This small bay on the south side of the town is blessed with a beautiful stretch of sand.
Nearby, you’ll also find Botany Bay. This is another picturesque spot, but in a more striking way. The bay’s large, craggy geological structures make it an ideal place for fossil hunting.
Overlooking Viking Bay on the clifftops are Victoria Gardens. These pretty gardens offer panoramic views out across the sea. Also overlooking the bay is the 19th century Bleak House, where Charles Dickens is said to have written some of his works.
If you want to learn more about his life in Broadstairs, visit the Dickens House Museum.
Back in the town, there are shops, cafes, and restaurants. You can stop for a seafood meal or indulge in some traditional British fish and chips. Top this off with an ice cream for a perfect day out at the seaside!
Dover, with the famous white cliffs and an 11th century castle
Dover is another place on the coast in Kent. In contrast to some other places though, it is more famous as a port town than a town where you’d head to the beach. It’s the closest point in England to France, so it’s easy to hop across to Europe.
You can book day trips to Dover here.
The top thing to do on day out in Dover is to visit Dover Castle. This sits on top of the cliffs overlooking the sea. Dating back to the 11th century, it is said to be one of England’s largest castles.
You can explore the castle complex, including the Secret Wartime Tunnels, military tunnels buried into part of the White Cliffs of Dover. You can also go to the top of the Great Tower and see the stunning views across the area.
Being beside the seaside and in Dover, you should see the White Cliffs of Dover. These famous cliffs are one of the most iconic sights in England. You can get some sea air on a walk along the cliffs and see the South Foreland Lighthouse, an attractive white octagonal Victorian structure.
Not far from central Dover is St. Margaret’s Bay. This has a small beach, as well as the nearest pub to France: ‘The Coastguard’. I ate here on my last visit and had a great meal.
There are also some museums in Dover that you can visit. See my post for more details.
Eastbourne, with nearby Beachy Head
Eastbourne provides an opportunity for another great day trip from London by the sea. It’s around 90 minutes by train from London.
One of its main draws is the seafront. Here, you’ll find the Grand Parade along the seafront and the town’s Victorian pier, which features the popular Victorian Tea Room.
Other attractions include Sovereign Harbour Marina, the Towner Art gallery, and the Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway.
Outside of the town, just a short bus ride away (or you could opt to walk) is Beachy Head. This huge chalk cliff is one of the area’s biggest attractions; it overlooks Eastbourne to the west and juts out into the English Channel. On a fine day, a great thing to do is wander around the headland and experience the incredible views.
You can also go on and explore the Birling Gap. This sits between Beachy Head and the fabulous Seven Sisters, a series of chalk cliffs that drop down into the sea.
You can book tours to the Seven Sisters and South Downs National Park here.
Whitstable, one for foodies
Whitstable is in the north-east of Kent, around an hour and 15 minutes from London.
On your seaside day out here, you’ll find a scenic seafront, including a harbour and shingle beach.
It’s an excellent place for a coastal walk. If you have the time, you can walk along the coastal path to Herne Bay, which is 5 miles away. There are colourful beach huts along the route, which give a real sense of the town’s traditional seaside charm.
If you prefer cycling, you can ride along the aptly named Crab and Winkle Way, a 7-mile route along a disused railway line that once ran between Whitstable and Canterbury. Some parts go along the seafront.
If you’re deciding which of the day trips from London by the sea you want to opt for, if you consider yourself a foodie, you should pick Whitstable. You can buy fresh seafood from the stalls in the harbour; there is also a fish market nearby.
It’s particularly famed for its oysters and has an annual oyster festival (or head to the Whitstable Oyster Company if you don’t happen to be in town for the festival).
Away from the seafront, there are quaint independent shops in the town centre to browse in, and some tea rooms.
Margate, a place for a fun family day out
Margate is another place by the sea worth considering if you’re looking for day trips from London. Trains take around 90 to 120 minutes.
The town is situated on the north coast of Kent, with a sandy beach and a promenade stretching alongside the seafront.
Margate is a place to visit if you’re looking for a fun family day out. Kids will love Dreamland, an amusement park with vintage rides. The rides here include a ghost train, the waltzers, and a big wheel. The park also hosts a variety of events and concerts.
There is also the unique Shell Grotto Margate Museum, where millions of seashells decorate 70 feet of an underground grotto. It’s a fascinating sight and really something to see. The museum provides information on its discovery and how the collection is conserved.
On the seafront, you’ll find the Turner Contemporary Gallery. As its name suggests, this is a contemporary art gallery named after JMW Turner, who had close connections with Margate.
Day trips from London by the sea
For more inspiration for days out from London, see my post on 21 top day trips from the capital, and day trips from London by train.
For information on top London attractions to visit, click here.
