To ask - does anyone know anywhere for a common/old-fashioned seaside day out?

[whatever17]

I live in SW London. The obvious answer is Brighton. But Mum is feeling miserable and I think a day (or night or 2 in a B&B) would cheer her up. I am thinking deck chairs, fish n chips, bingo, amusement arcades. Just old fashioned non-fancy stuff and I will take her and Dad and the kids.

I really can't think of anywhere my side of the M4. Not too far, 3 hours tops.

[madrose]

southwold? Southsea?

up north - scarborough?

[HidinginaHardHat]

Bournemouth?

[onceamai]

Broadstairs for a nice B&B - Margate 10 minutes in the car for the bingo, fish n chips and amusement arcades. Both have sandy beaches - can't guarantee the weather though.

[OberonTheHopeful]

How about Broadstairs in Kent? I also drove from West London (Richmond) to Southend the other week in under two hours.

[ChippyMinton]

Eastbourne or Bournemouth

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

Weymouth? Minehead (might be a bit far)? Lowestoft?

Not been but Hastings rather than Brighton?

[pingu2209]

Onceamai is right - Broadstairs is fab. Margate is VILE don't go there. Broadstairs is lovely.

[tiredemma]

was going to suggest Llandudno in N Wales but I can see it would be too far

[whatever17]

Don't want to go up North - just a pootle (3 hours tops, 2 hours if poss) hadn't thought of Margate - is that "fun". Thinking hankies on heads, candy floss, deckchairs, a few rides for the kids.

I loved the "common" seaside holidays we had as kids - Scarborough! Wahay!

[MissBetsyTrotwood]

Hastings.

Minnis Bay near Birchington.

Herne Bay.

[Tolalola]

Lymington (Hants)? S'lovely and you can get a ferry to the Isle of White, if you fancy.

[whatever17]

Brighton is too posh for what I am thinking - I love Brighton but she needs a cheer up not fantsy pantsy.

What about Portsmouth.

[Thingiebob]

Weather is going to be rubbish for the next few days but there is always Clacton?

[whatever17]

She would like some fish n chips and a bit of a gamble I think!

[LillianGish]

Hastings! We recently went there for my birthday (dh and I met there). It has it's faults, but it absolutely fits the bill in terms of what you want. It is also very cheap to stay there - certainly much cheaper than Brighton. Check out the Royal Victoria in St Leonards - you can have a grand room with a sea view for less than half the price of the equivalent in Brighton. Give her a real treat.

[MissBetsyTrotwood]

I wouldn't go so far as to say Margate is vile. Just a little... odd? Half the town is pretty grim and the other half is boutique. Boarded up shopfronts and bad arcades at one end and organic ice cream and 50s furniture at the other. The beach's lovely and sandy though.

[Cattleprod]

Hastings. It's got all of the things you want plus a brand new pirate crazy golf! And tuppeny arcades, so you can have hours of fun for a couple of quid.

Brighton costs a fortune in parking.

[cer100]

Whitby is just wonderful

[SarfEasticated]

Friends of ours live in Worthing - lovely seaside town - not brash just nice. Like something out of the 50s I thought. Margate is far too depressing if your ma is feeling down already (I can say that because I grew up there :)).

[JjandtheBeanlovesUnicorns]

No idea about distance, but we love clacton, walton on the naze, aldeburgh, southwold :)

[whatever17]

Thingiebob - that is what I was trying to think of - Clacton! But, driving in and out of London is so crap that it is easier for me to go west than get to Essex. Clacton is the type of thing I am thinking of though I think.

Never been, want something like Scarborough but down South. No stag do's vomming on the streets but plenty of old fashioned English family fun.

[stoppinchingthedummy]

tiredemma was going to say the same ...its super there ...punch and judy and everything :)

[Pandemoniaa]

Eastbourne can be depressing. Not least because there's really nowhere to eat out in the evening much past shop closing time and I don't count Maccy Ds as "eating out".

I love Hastings although admit that I am biased because I spend a lot of time there. But it's easily accessible from South London and is a proper seaside resort with a fascinating Old Town, a funicular railway and a Stade full of fishing boats. The fish and chips is great too. Rye is just down the road and you can't beat a relaxing day out there either.

[BimboNo5]

Bexhill on sea is lovely- lovely seaside town but not commercialised with loads of arcades. Loads of old biddys though!

[pinkhebe]

Worthing?