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Spending a day at St Leonards on Sea and Hastings is such a fun, perfect way to spend a day during a hot, sunny summer day in the UK. It was around 29-31 degrees (which, let’s be real, is quite rare for us in the UK), it was super hot in London, so I decided to take my annual day trip from London.
Since moving abroad, I have come to appreciate and have a profound love of travelling to the beach or just leaving London for the day. It reminds me so much of my childhood, when my parents used to take me out of London for the day, and we would do trips around the UK.
And because of my appreciation, I have travelled to Maragate, Bath, Lavader Farm, and many more, making it a thing to plan a day trip or two from London when I’m now in town. So this time I decided to head to St Leonards on Sea for the day, and while planning my day trip, I realised that it was easy to add on Hastings as well.
When I was doing my planning for St Leonards on Sea and Hastings, there seemed to be a lot written about Hastings, but not nearly enough about doing a proper Hastings and St Leonards day trip from London, so here’s exactly what I did, ate, and saw across both places, so you can plan yours with confidence.
I will be updating my day trips from London, and adding in my St Leonard’s on sea and Hastings day trip to this post, so have a read of it once you are done – Day Trips from London: 7 BEST Places to Visit in the UK
Related post: You can also do a few day trip from London to European cities. Here are a few I’ve done: 7 Extraordinary European Day Trips from London
About St. Leonards on Sea and Hastings
These two seaside towns sit together as neighbours right on the East Sussex coast, and they both offer something different from your typical British beach town when it’s hot. For me, there were a lot of independent coffee, fish and chip shops, the Regency architecture, fishing huts straight out of a painting, and just a nice unhurried pace that I am not always used to living around the world.
St. Leonards on Sea
St Leonards is the quieter, slightly cooler sibling to Hastings. I didn’t see many food stores or tourist things to do in St Leonards on Sea compared to Hastings. The colourful houses and huts made me think that St Leonards on Sea was more for the artists, writers, and anyone who wants a bit of the seaside without the crowds.
Hastings
Hastings, on the other hands defo had more shops for tourists and way more touristy. I had school cake with custard, sugary doughnuts, and I was reminded of my childhood all over again. It is also famous for having Europe’s largest beach launched fishing fleet with a modern cultural scene.
Getting to St Leonards on Sea From London
Train – I booked a train from Victoria station via Trainline for less than £20 using my Quidco to get a few coins back, which you can too from here. When you are booking, you will be booking from the closest London (main) station to you, like Waterloo, Charing Cross, Victoria or Clapham Junction and then booking it to St. Leonards Warrior Square train station. You can also book a trip to Hastings.
The train from Victoria Station to St. Leonards Warrior Square train station takes just over an hour and is quite a pretty ride.
Car– You can also go by car for the day, as there is plenty of parking. I would recommend parking at St. Margaret’s Road Car Park or Pelham Place Car Park, both of which are very close to St. Leonards on Sea beach, and both are very easy to find using Google Maps. The parking costs around £2.70 an hour, which I think is not that bad. This is pretty good if you are travelling with children.
Tip: Aim for an early train to make the most of the day, especially in summer when the towns get busier after midday. I got there just before noon lunchtime.
Exploring St Leonards on Sea
There are a few things you can explore in St Leonards, and of course. As it was a Sunday, a few shops were closed, but that didn’t spoil the day, and I preferred it because it meant that it wasn’t heaving with lots of people, which I know I wouldn’t have liked. I love it when it’s not too busy, so you can explore with ease.
There are always the St Leonards on Sea restaurants that you have to explore. I would recommend the following:
- Hasting and St Leonards Angling Association or Yates for a Roast Dinner (picture below in food section) with all the trimmings.
- Goat Ledge for local fish baps, crab fries or a simple coffee.
The promenade at St Leonards is lovely for an easy morning stroll. It has lots of beautiful, colourful houses and faces directly out to sea. I loved that I could just walk with no rush, take in the fresh air, and just people watch.
St Leonards also has a genuinely interesting collection of independent shops, so if you’re into vintage homeware, secondhand books, or small batch local goods, then you can make some time.
Walking From St Leonards on Sea to Hastings
One of the best things about a day trip from St Leonard’s on Sea and Hastings is that you can easily do it all on foot. And it’s actually a nice stroll on the promenade, so it doesn’t have to be rushed. I did it twice because I got to St. Leonards Warrior Square train station two hours before my train was going back into London.
It is only one stop if you want to get back on a train or get a taxi to move between the two towns. However, for me, I would say the walk along the seafront from St Leonards on Sea into Hastings was so nostalgic, and it only takes 20 minutes tops.
Things to Do in Hastings Old Town
In my opinion, there is a lot to do in Hastings Old Town, which is really nice after spending the morning and early afternoon at St. Leonards on Sea. For me, I felt like it’s where all the shops, desserts, touristy things were, like arcades, the West Cliff Railway. You can also do the following:
- George Street is the main artery of the Old Town and a great place to start. It’s lined with independent shops, galleries, and the occasional pub.
- The Beach Fishing Huts, which are pretty iconic black painted net shops on the Stade beach, and are one of the most photographed things in all of Hastings.
- The Rock a Nore area, at the eastern end of the beach, is where the working fishing fleet operates and where the huts are clustered thickest.
Food Spots Worth Trying
I have spoken about some of the St Leonards on Sea restaurants, but as I was only there for the day, I would say the main things you will want to have are the fish and chips, school cake and sugary doughnuts. And there are so many restaurants on the coast to choose from.
In Hastings, Old Town, there is a wide selection of independent restaurants and pubs, including Rock a Nore, which is a good bet for fresh fish given it’s right next to a working fishing beach. Book ahead for dinner if you’re staying the night.
St Leonards on Sea Hotels
Now, although I didn’t stay overnight, I imagine there are a lot of hotels and Airbnbs you can choose from. I have placed an interactive map for a selection of different St Leonards on Sea hotels for you to choose from below.
Is St Leonards on Sea Worth Visiting?
I would say soo yes. I mentioned in the intro that there are a lot of people who had something to say about Hastings but not much about St Leonards on Sea, and I think it’s because most people rush straight to Hastings and skip St Leonards on Sea entirely.
I would say that you should always knock two birds with one stone when and where you can.
St Leonards on Sea is the perfect place to start your day at a gentler pace before the busier energy of Hastings Old Town. The café scene, the promenade, the indie shops, it all adds up to somewhere that feels genuinely liveable and worth knowing about. I was even considering moving out there because of how lovely it is.
Together, St Leonards and Hastings make for one of the best day trips from London you can do. It’s easy on the wallet, easy to get to.
Cheers to more day trips from London.
Will you be going or have you been?
Speak soon,
MBV x
