Day out from London the British Seaside

Get away from the London metropolis for the day or for a weekend with a visit to that great British institution “The Seaside”. Hiring a coach or minibus to the beach is a hugely popular day out throughout the year as we hardy Brits also enjoy a bracing seaside walk when summer has passed.

There are some truly beautiful spots to visit the beaches of Britain’s coastline and explore the scenic coastal areas, along with some classic seaside towns that are ideal for a traditional seaside day out in the sunshine with beach fun, ice creams, Fish n Chips and promenade strolls.

Many of them are within an hour of London, and some of the best are accessible by London coach hire.

Where to find the Seaside

A visit to the seaside from London is much easier and more cost-effective than you think with coach hire in London and whether you’re a lover of the pebble beaches in Kent or the pristine sands in Sussex or maybe you would like a destination with delicious seafood and an iconic pleasure pier, there are plenty of options.

Hastings

The seaside town of Hastings has historically been a popular holiday destination for beach lovers and ranks among the top seaside day trips from London. This coastal town in East Sussex has its name in every school textbook regarding the famous Battle and is known for its Norman history.

But it is also the area's lovely beaches that draw thousands of seaside lovers every year. There's no shortage of them, either and the famous Rock-A-Nore Beach is known for having stunning cliffs behind it.

While you are enjoying the beach with a cold drink just look up and you cannot miss the ruins of the castle watching over the town as it has done for nearly 1,000 years. If you don't fancy the walk and climb, when you book your coach hire from London, add a visit to the Castle as a part of the day's itinerary and then be dropped off back in town for dinner.

Hastings is a fascinating and quaint town and a stroll along George Street with its wonderful quirky shops, cobbled pavements and lively pubs and cafes, takes you back in time or you can enjoy its three-mile seafront.

A fun fact about Hastings is that the game of crazy golf actually has its own world championships, and every summer since 2003, it's the town of Hastings that plays host to this unique event.

Brighton

Brighton is arguably the most famous beach destination near London and there are a few good reasons for that title.

Brighton nestles on the South Coast in East Sussex and has a marvellous long traditional pebble beach that still boasts its famous striped deck chairs which have been much loved by families over the decades, as well as its famous pleasure pier with restaurants and rides.

Brighton is also known for the architecturally flamboyant Royal Pavilion which has been a part of the town as the seaside pleasure palace of King George IV since its construction started in 1815. Brighton is seen as one of Britain’s cooler, seaside towns and was famous as the home of the Mods in the 1960s.

The town still has great pubs, music venues, clubs, restaurants and fantastic shopping in its maze-like cluster of narrow streets filled with a range of interesting independent outlets where you can find curios, vintage items and random art decor works.

Don't worry if you get carried away, there is plenty of room on your hire coach for the shopping bags.

However, a quick word of warning for unsuspecting tourists. The Brighton seagulls are massive and have become notorious for swooping down to steal chips from unsuspecting diners. If you're going to eat outside on the promenade, keep an eye on your Fish & Chips!

Camber Sands

Now to a more sedate destination that is one of the most popular stretches of shoreline on the south coast, with its rolling sand dunes and pretty pebbles, Camber Sands is high on many people's list of idyllic seaside day trips on a hired coach from London. This is one of the best Blue Flag award-winning beaches in East Sussex, and one of the most family-friendly beaches around.

The shallow waters are perfect for young children to play, take a splash and paddle.

Make sure you pack the buckets and spades and have a ton of fun creating some giant sandcastles beside the sea or waiting until the outgoing tide reveals shells and small creatures to introduce the kids to the bounty of the seas

Add to that wonderful beach the great local seafood shops and the nearby town of Rye being only 4 miles away it all makes for a fantastic day out at one of the Uk’s most popular seaside coach trip destinations.

Margate

As the Chas and Dave song goes “down to Margate” has been the cry at the start of many wonderful seaside days out for families, groups of friends or organisations. Situated in beautiful Kent, Margate is still highly rated as one of the best seaside coach hire day trips from London you can organise.

The 18th century brought a passion for sea bathing, sparking the growth of Margate as a fashionable resort. The Royal Sea Bathing Hospital, located at the west end of the harbour was a testimony to the health benefits to be gained by inhaling the ozone and a dip in the sea.

Margate still boasts many other historic and architectural gems including a 16th-century Tudor House and street, although it is now more of a trendy hipster town which is famous for both its stunning waterfront and sandy beach as well as its vintage shops.

From its lovely beach, you can still view a lighthouse in the distance, and turn and face the promenade to admire its colourful buildings and the famous Turner Contemporary art gallery. The Margate amusement park is close to the sea and has delighted thousands of seaside day-trippers over the years.

Margate’s vintage clothing shops, cafes, and restaurants round out the scene, but a unique attraction in Margate is the famous Shell Grotto, where over 4 million shells create spectacular murals in a subterranean chamber that makes for fantastic photos to add to the family beachside pics

Margate is a very British seaside experience here and even though the rides have been updated you can still experience dodgems, ferris wheels and teacups before you climb back onto your hire coach back to London after a fantastic day at the seaside making memories.

Broadstairs

Still blessed with 1950s seaside innocence, Broadstairs is a slower-paced seaside resort that still has something for everyone.

The fabulously quaint town is blessed with fishermen’s cottages, cliff-top walks and a plethora of independent shops lining quirky unspoilt streets. Broadstairs became the favourite holiday resort of Britain's most famous author Charles Dickens’ and you can visit the small but interesting Dickens House Museum and explore a wealth of Dickens memorabilia and prints.

For true Charles Dickens fans, you can also visit Bleak House which is the inspirational cliff-top home where Dickens spent his holidays in the early 19th century and created one of his best-loved works, David Copperfield.

Getting back to the wonderful sandy beach and gaily painted huts of Viking Bay with children’s rides that are a delight for families of all ages, Broadstairs has plenty of appeal for everyone. There is even a tiny cinema as well as a romantic clifftop walk to Botany Bay with some magnificent views.

A timeless family-friendly resort packed with beautiful buildings, wonderful British history and a wide range of things to see and do as well as some of the south coast's best eateries which include a mix of chic restaurants, quaint cafés, modern themed family restaurants and 1950s ice cream parlours.

Broadstairs is brim-full of nostalgic, old-world, seaside charm for a truly memorable day or weekend at the great British seaside.

And finally

Summer and spring days at the seaside are magical and autumn can deliver some great days as well. Even winter still sees the great British seaside as a popular attraction for getting together as a group and hiring a coach from London, for some bracing beach and promenade walks. Don't think you have to travel hundreds of miles from London to experience the seaside.

Why not make a weekend of it and visit two resorts so you can celebrate the differences that the wide range of South Coast seaside towns has to offer?

Talk to our booking team today to create your perfect coach or minibus hire seaside trip.