Beyond Brighton: A Day Trip to Hastings

If you are looking for a change of scenery from Brighton, Hastings has recently been getting a lot of attention. Time Out just ranked it as the second-best place to visit in Great Britain for 2026, right behind Stirling. It has a reputation for being a bit more rugged and creative than other coastal spots, and with the 960th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings approaching, there is a lot of work going on to polish up its historic landmarks. It is an easy trip along the coast, and the mix of Victorian engineering and a very active independent shop scene makes it a solid choice for a Saturday out.

A good place to start is the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery on Bohemia Road. It is often called a hidden gem because it is free to enter but holds nearly 100,000 objects. If you go today, you can catch a few specific exhibitions. Elaine Edwards: Bulverhythe Variations is running until March 10, featuring images from early-morning runs along the local seafront. There is also Portraits in a Chinese Studio by Grace Lau, which is open until March 29, and JJ Waller: Beside the Sea, which stays open until April 5. The museum is also home to the Durbar Hall, which was part of an Indian Palace built for an exhibition in 1886. It is a pretty unique space, constructed from intricate wood carvings by Punjabi craftsmen, and it now houses the museum’s world cultures collection.

The town is also focusing heavily on Hastings Castle. There has been recent news about a £24.3 million Town Deal project aimed at preserving the ruins and turning the site into a more central attraction. As the first Norman-built castle in the country, it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, but years of coastal erosion have seen parts of it fall into the sea. The current preservation efforts are meant to stabilize the 11th-century walls and improve the storytelling of the 1066 events. To get up there without the steep walk, you can use the West Hill Lift. This funicular railway opened in 1891 and still uses its original wooden Victorian carriages. It is one of the few in the UK that runs through a tunnel, and once you are at the top, the views over the English Channel and the Old Town are very clear.

Speaking of the Old Town, it is worth spending time wandering through the "twittens," which are the narrow, atmospheric alleyways like Sinnock Square. The area is full of independent businesses that have taken over historic buildings. AG Hendy & Co is a popular stop; it is a Georgian townhouse that looks like a Victorian ironmonger, selling everything from vintage kitchenware to furniture. Another one is Butlers Emporium, located in a hardware shop dating back to 1832 that still has its original fittings. If you head toward the seafront at Rock-a-Nore, you will see the East Hill Lift. It is officially the steepest funicular railway in the United Kingdom. It takes you up to the Country Park, but even from the bottom, you get a great view of the Net Shops. These are the tall, narrow black wooden sheds used by the fishing fleet to store nets, and they are unique to this stretch of the coast. Between the history and the current exhibitions, it is a good time to see how the town is evolving.