Visit Hastings for charming UK staycation

21.07.2023 - 07:46 / roughguides.com

Visit Hastings for independent shops filled with quirky dungarees and glittering notepads, coffee shops pouring steaming lattes with the smell of cinnamon in the air, and antique shops stuffed with wooden furniture which spills into the streets. Here you’ll find a town packed with attractions for a weekend break, and is simply a place to enjoy a quieter pace and mooch, and where it seems dogs almost outnumber humans. For more information on Hastings and other fabulous English destinations, the Rough Guide to England has got you covered.

The pier is where to find your next pooch friend. Big, small, fluffy and short-haired, these lovely four legged creatures scuttle over the cobbled beach, while owners lick ice creams quickly, in a bid to catch it all before it splats on the ground, or their dog mops it up. This is where to find a cone of chips or a battered fish – after all we are by the sea.

Children come with their plastic collections of buckets and spades and pour stones into containers, the pebbles pouring between their fingertips. Little ones spin on arcade rides with lights flashing through the air, while older teens compete at penny machines to win a stuffed animal figure hanging on the wall.

Looking towards St Leonards from Hastings Pier © Gordon Bell/Shutterstock

A Hastings holiday is to be enjoyed by the seaside, with its sprawling boulevard-style roads and palm trees floating in the afternoon breeze, but it’s also a town coated in history and thrilling hikes. What’s more, which Line of Duty fan could forget Adrien Dunbar’s infamous quote when clarifying his character’s name: ‘The name’s Hastings, like the battle’?

Intrigued? Find out how Hastings became the UK's must-visit seaside town.

Hastings Castle is the ultimate stop for history in the area. Enjoy learning about the history of the Norman castle, which was built by William the Conqueror in 1067. There are a number of information boards on the way to the castle, but step through the entrance and you can see the castle up close, along with tremendous views of the town below.

You can learn more with the ‘1066 Story’ a 20-minute film on the history of the castle, and afterwards enjoy a picnic lunch here. If you’re going to be exploring more of Hastings’ attractions why not opt for a 3-in-1 Combi ticket, which grants you entry to Blue Reef Aquarium and Smugglers Adventure at a discounted price?

Smugglers Adventure tells visitors the history of smuggling through caves on the South Coast of England 200 years ago. If you are more interested in creative pieces, head to the Hastings Contemporary and delve deep into contemporary British art.

The ruins of Hastings Castle © Ron Ellis/Shutterstock

Hastings is home to some wonderful walks. St Leonards Walk is