If you are one of our many customers from outside the Hastings and St Leonards area who use Offerfair for their self-storage and combine it with a trip to the south coast, here are some of our favourite things to do in Hastings and St Leonards:
- St Clements Caves
Deep in the heart of Hastings’ West Hill lies the Smugglers Adventure, acres of caverns that conceal the history of smuggling, and feature more than seventy life-size characters, interactive displays, eerie lighting, sound effects and dramatic recreations.
- Hastings Pier
Dating back to 1872, Hastings Piers runs for 280 metres into the English Channel. It was damaged by fire in 2010, and the subsequent renovation project won the coveted Stirling Prize for architecture in 2017. The pier houses a state-of-the-art exhibition in ‘the Deck’ visitor centre, a café with scenic view, plus family workshops, live music and street performers in summer.
- Hastings Castle
On the West Hill is the remains of Hastings’ Norman motte-and-bailey castle and which dates from the reign of Henry III in the 13th About a third of the structure is still standing, including a cloistered chapel and dungeon
- Hastings Old Town
This wonderfully quaint old quarter in the east of Hastings follows a Medieval layout and has remnants of a wall raised in the 14th century during the 100 Years’ Way. Alongside the High Street and intersecting alleys are half-timbered houses and Georgian facades that conceal much older buildings. These are home to antique shops, one-off boutiques, galleries, cafés and restaurants.
- Hastings Country Park
Just a short walk out of town to the east, albeit uphill, the Hastings Country Park has 660 acres of ancient woodland, cliffs and heathland and is also home to a Bronze Age fort.
- Alexandra Park
109 acre park in Hastings’ suburbs was designed in 1870s by Robert Marnock, one of the leading landscapers of the day, and was given a multimillion pound regeneration in the 2000s and since then has become an annual winner of the Green Flag award.
- The Shipwreck Museum
A multisensory museum which charts some of the many thousands of vessels that have been shipwrecked off the south cost of South East England, including Anne, a 17th century warship from the reign of Charles II, and Amsterdam, a Dutch East Indianman wrecked in 1749.
- Cliff Railways
Hastings has two funicular railways travelling up and down its sandstone cliffs. The older of the two is 150 metre West Hill Lift, which opened in 1891, and serves Hastings Castle and St Clements Cave. The East Hill Lift, opened in 1902, takes you up to Hastings Country Park and claims to be the UK’s steepest funicular railway, with a gradient of 78%.
- Fishermen’s Museum
A small independent museum dedicated to the fishing industry and maritime history of Hastings, including visiting the deck of the last Hastings’ sailing lugger Enterprise, built in 1912.
- Pelham Beach
It is not a trip to the south coast without a visit to the beach, and the favourite stretch is Pelham beach between the pier and harbour. With a backdrop of classic architecture on the seafront, there are also a number of cafes and restaurants, plus family attractions like adventure golf and a trampoline park.
These are some of our favourite ways to spend time in Hastings and St Leonards, we hope you enjoy your visit!
Please check with individual attractions for opening hours and any restrictions on visiting.
