This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
From classic amusement parks, Victorian promenades and medieval harbours to independent shops, Michelin-approved restaurants and stunning wildlife, there’s a seaside activity to suit every taste. Find your perfect day trip here — all within a two-hour train ride from London.
1. Deal, Kent
Forget amusement parks, arcades or bright pier lights, Deal is a quaint, quiet town a 20-minute drive away from Dover’s tourist crowds. A chocolate-box town with an independent high street and a popular Saturday morning market, this is a peaceful seaside getaway for those seeking a tranquil break. Though you can get your seaside fish and chips fix from well-reputed Sea View or The Fryer Tuck, the ingredients for a perfect seafront picnic are on offer at Arno & Co Grocer, which serves homemade sandwiches, salads and cake, plus interesting deli fare. For Michelin-recommended dining, head to Frog and Scot for a French bistro-inspired menu. After lunch, visit Deal Castle, the UK’s only fortification shaped like a Tudor rose.
How to get there: Trains take over 1.5hrs from St Pancras and cost £18-20, one way.
For entertainment and shopping, head to Folkestone Creative Quarter, brimming with galleries and performance spaces, including Quarterhouse, which hosts live music, comedy, plays and film screenings.
Photograph by stockinasia, Getty Images
2. Folkstone, Kent
This Kentish town deserves a visit simply for its sandy beach — which are fairly rare in southeast England. But with a Victorian promenade, gardens and plenty of unique food and entertainment spots, there’s more on offer here. Visit Harbour Arm, a converted railway, which formerly lead to the ferry port to Boulogne in France. Where First World War soldiers left for the Western Front once, locals now flock for independent eateries and live music venues. For more entertainment and shopping, head to Folkestone Creative Quarter, brimming with galleries and performance spaces, including Quarterhouse, which hosts live music, comedy, plays and film screenings. Once you’ve had your fill of the cultural side, walk along the beautiful clifftop promenade, The Leas, for aerial coastal views.
How to get there: Trains from St Pancras take around an hour and cost £15-20, one way.
3. Southend-on-Sea, Essex
For a quintessential seaside day of rides, sand, rock and ice cream, plus the world’s longest pier, this is your destination. As you stroll or take the train down the 1.33-mile pier, resist the soft serves in favour of a towering sundae from Tomassi’s. For elevated cafe food close by, go to Oliver’s on the Beach. And when the sun starts to dip below the horizon, take to the skies for an unconventional view of the sunset, riding one of Adventure Island’s roller coasters. In summer, this park is open until 10.30pm, so you can keep spinning long after sundown.
How to get there: Trains depart from Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street and take just over an hour. Single tickets cost £10.
With plenty of history to discover, Hastings is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to spend all day on the sand.
Photograph by oversnap, Getty Images
4. Hastings, East Sussex
Dripping in history, Hastings is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to spend all day on the sand. Soak up both 1066 history — reliving the Battle of Hastings between the French and the English — and sea views at Hastings’ hilltop castle. If the manual ascent seems over-exerting, the West Hill Lift will carry you up. Be sure to also ride the East Hill Cliff Railway — the UK’s steepest funicular, for sweeping views over the town. Back at sea level, wander through the Old Town exploring its quirky independent shops and ‘twittens’, a labyrinth of narrow passages connecting winding streets. The intrigue continues underground in Smugglers’ Adventure, a museum in the former smugglers’ tunnels dedicated to the forgotten trade. After such a busy day, refuel with tapas at Seed or sample local food producers at Farmyard.
How to get there: Trains take 1.5-2 hours from Charing Cross or St Pancras (with a change at London Bridge or Ashford) for £15-25, one way.
5. Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
One for nature-lovers, this small town doesn’t have innovative restaurants, groundbreaking amusements or historic architecture, but it does offer plenty of local wildlife. As Essex’s most easterly peninsula, this is an important site for migrating birds, with birdwatchers able to observe in The Naze nature reserve. If remnants from ancient times is more your thing, walk past the hundreds of colourful beach huts until you reach the red cliffs: fossil-hunters have long found palaeontological treasures on this sandy shore, so keep your eyes peeled. To get closer still to the briny waters, take a boat trip into the North Sea where seal sightings are the norm.
How to get there: Take the train from Liverpool Street, changing at Thorp-le-Soken, for £15-20. It takes around 95 minutes.
Mermaid Street is the most famous spot for photographs but, if crowds gather, Watchbell Lane or The Mint are equally photogenic.
Photograph by jenifoto, Getty Images
6. Rye, Sussex
Technically, Rye is a former seaside town as the water is in constant retreat. But fear not, the sea is only two miles from the town and reachable on foot and by bus. Unlike most British harbours, Rye’s was fortified during the Napoleonic Wars, and you can discover the town’s long history in Rye Castle Museum. Back in the picturesque town, take time to explore the winding cobbled streets and wonky half-timbered houses. Mermaid Street is the most famous spot for photographs but, if crowds gather, Watchbell Lane or The Mint are equally photogenic. The Fig is a steadfast local favourite for imaginative food, think halloumi and harissa over fish and chips. Though if a hankering for this seaside classic persists, Marino’s is considered the best fish and chip shop in town. Independent shops are everywhere but Ethel Loves Me and Rye Pottery offer local creations.
How to get there: Take the 66-minute train (with one change at Ashford) from St Pancras for £20, one way.
The stunning Indio-Islamic architecture of Brighton’s Royal Pavillion makes you forget you’re in the UK.
Photograph by Allan Baxter, Getty Images
7. Brighton, Sussex
A seaside classic that needs little introduction, Brighton has everything from a traditional pier and pebble beach to bustling nightlife and top-class dining to offer, warranting a longer break. The Lanes is a must-see: North Laine is a hub of unique shops, while The Lanes Food Quarter overflows with food options all in one place, perfect for the indecisive. Alternatively, take a picnic into the Royal Pavillion’s gardens to see the stunning Indo-Islamic architecture which, on a hot day, makes you forget you’re in the UK. Tours of the inside are also available. If you like swimming but don’t fancy the chilly, salty waters, take a dip in the heated Sea Lanes pool before drying off and sampling Brighton’s nightlife. There’s an overwhelming choice, so take a cocktail tour with a local expert to find the best spots.
How to get there: Trains run from Victoria and Blackfriars, taking just over an hour for as little as £8, one way.
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