St Leonards-on-Sea is a small town described as a ‘jewel’ and was originally laid out to be a seaside resort by architect James Burton in the 19th century.
Despite being in East Sussex, St Leonards is easy to reach from London, with driving time taking just over two hours.
Or you can catch the train, which also takes around two and a half hours.
Why you should visit St Leonards for a beach getaway
Set next to the popular seaside town of Hastings, St Leonards was once a popular destination for the young Princess Victoria and her mother, the Duchess of Kent, who would stay in the town over the winter months.
St Leonards is described by The Modern House as offering a “picture-perfect seaside” view and is packed with great restaurants and boutiques.
Known for its high street packed with independent businesses, the coastal town is the perfect place to visit if you’re after a calm but shopping-filled weekend.
Well-regarded shops along the high street include ladies’ clothes store Boudoir, antique shop Teddy Tinker’s, and clothing business Paisley and Friends.
St Leonards also has plenty of places to eat, both along the promenade and along the high street.
For fans of Seafood, St Clement’s Restaurant is described as “fantastic” by locals, with one happy guest giving it a five-star rating on Google Reviews, sharing: “You’ll be hard pushed to find a better restaurant than St Clement’s. Why? Because consistently they just do food and service very, very well.”
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La Bella Vista is a local Italian restaurant in the town with an impressive 4.7 out of 5 rating, and saw one guest share: “Absolutely incredible experience! Food was out of this world, everything is freshly cooked, and you can taste it.”
St Leonard’s is also home to the Hastings Pier, which sits in the middle of the two regions.
The pier, built in 1872, was burnt down in 2010, but in 2016 it reopened and was rebuilt with a contemporary design that won the prestigious Stirling Prize in 2017.
