Take a day-trip (or two) to an English seaside town and explore stunning coasts

by | Feb 24, 2020 | Great Britain

Seven Sisters, Eastbourne, Sussex, England.

If you haven’t visited an English seaside town or seen England’s stunning coastline before, then consider a day-trip to the seaside when you next visit Britain. Even if you’re short on time and only have a day or two to spare, you can easily take a day-trip out of Central London by train, bus or by car to experience a little of what an English seaside town has to offer and to explore England’s stunning coast.

Who wants to be beside the seaside?

Who doesn’t want to visit the seaside when they’re on vacation? From Central London, it is entirely doable in a day as it is only 42 miles to the nearest English seaside town! Of course, it entirely depends on which side of London you’re staying but as I mention in another post, you’re never more than 70 miles from the coast.

If you’re staying at or near Heathrow airport, it’s about a two hour train ride to the nearest English seaside town, so even if you only have a day and you’ve done London’s must see-do sites before, it’s still possible to visit the seaside before your onward flight the next day.

South Coast

Just an hour away from Central London (two from Heathrow, 25 minutes from Gatwick) by train is the south coast where you’ll find the seaside town of Brighton with its vast pebble beach, historic 200-year-old Palace Pier and the best fish and chips you’ll taste (just ask my Mum), and where I dare you to eat an entire Eton Mess on your own!

If you have more than a day, drive or take a bus tour along the south coast in either direction, and you’ll discover stunning white cliffs (such as the Seven Sisters near Eastbourne, pictured above), more beautiful sand or pebble beaches, rolling hills and ancient pastoral landscapes, vibrant coastal towns and historic ports, castles and forts.

East Coast

An hour and a half away to the east of Central London (around two to three hours from Heathrow Airport depending on the time of day), you’ll find the east coast and another English seaside town, Clacton-on-Sea (not the closest but it’s where many of my family live and I’ve visited many times). Here you’ll discover shallow (family friendly) tidal waters, flat sandy beaches, colourful beach huts and a long paved, coastal promenade.

If you have more time to explore, the east coast is home to a number of flat sandy beaches and seaside towns, estuaries and salt marshes, farmland and forest. If you’re a bird lover, you’ll find several bird and animal sanctuaries for bird watching.

West Coast

You’ll need more time if you want to see the stunning west coast, but drive just three to four hours (from Heathrow airport), to Devon or Cornwall, and you’ll discover the most dramatic coasts you’ve ever seen, with high cliffs, rocky shores and stunning white and yellow sand beaches that stretch for miles, as well as lots of English seaside towns.

The journey is longer by train, taking six to eight hours from Central London, but if you have a few days and prefer not to drive, it’s well worth it if you have several days to spare. If you don’t mind driving, you could even take a road trip along the south coast (from Gatwick or Brighton) via Dorset and Somerset and stop along the Jurassic coast to see some of the prehistoric landscapes and visit other English seaside towns en route.

Aside: Cornwall is also accessible by air. A short flight from London (around an hour), will have you in Newquay (area), but you’ll need to rent a car or get a taxi into town as the airport is 15 minutes away by car along the coast road. I often take this flight when I visit my mum, but my preferred airline keeps changing its departure airport between Gatwick and Heathrow…so if you plan on a sidetrip to Cornwall, you would need to check which airport is being used before booking your international flight to London. There are other airport options, such as Exeter and Bristol, but the drive to Newquay is much, much longer..

Related Posts

When is the best time to visit Iceland?

When is the best time to visit Iceland?

Popular all year, the best time to visit Iceland is literally any time. It really depends on your travel goals and what you want to see, do and experience while in the land of fire and ice.

For instance, if your goal is to see the Northern Lights, the best time to visit is during the winter months when the nights are long and, on a clear night, the Aurora Borealis puts on a show. If you want to explore the entire island, then the summer months are the best. But what if you want to avoid crowds? Read on…

read more
Ten things about the Caribbean you may not know

Ten things about the Caribbean you may not know

For anyone planning a trip to the Caribbean, whether that’s a stand-alone vacation, an island-hopping cruise or a mix of both, in this post, I share 10 things you may not already know about this tropical region. Read on to see if you knew them…plus find answers to questions and a couple of extra tidbits at the end.

read more
Why Cruise Alaska in May or October

Why Cruise Alaska in May or October

Cruise Alaska in May or October to avoid crowds, for a chance to see Whales or Northern Lights, & to see beautiful landscapes blooming with spring flowers or stunning fall colours.

read more
Top Destinations & Escorted Tours for Canadians (2023)

Top Destinations & Escorted Tours for Canadians (2023)

If you’re looking for travel inspiration for your next solo female adventure check out these top destinations and escorted tours for Canadians available with low single supplements in 2023 (and 2024). Offered by one of my preferred tour operators, as a solo traveller, the single pricing on most of their escorted tours is low to very low (as low as 20% above the price per person for double occupancy).

read more
Jardin du Luxembourg – a must-see garden in Paris

Jardin du Luxembourg – a must-see garden in Paris

Just about anyone who’s had Paris on their bucket list has heard of the Jardin des Tuilleries, the landmark gardens that run alongside the Seine between Le Musée du Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. A perhaps lesser-known (unless you’re familiar with all things Paris), but equally splendid garden, is the Jardin du Luxembourg. A must-see in Paris, especially for solo female travellers who love visiting gardens, people watching or both.

read more

CATEGORIES

Archives

Loading...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This