Somewhere like Brighton but not Brighton!

[nancy75]

Has anyone got any suggestions, thinking of a night away, Similar to Brighton but not Brighton!
Doesn’t need to be seaside but have nice shops/market/places to eat.
We are in SE London & will be driving - probably 3 hours max (I’m the only driver)
We’ve dome Brighton to death, would be nice to discover somewhere new

Bristol.

Second Bristol, I'm from Brighton and Bristol reminds me of it a lot!

Bristol! I personally think it's even better than Brighton

Ooh

Sorry to crash your thread op but is there anywhere like Brighton but not Brighton with a pebbly beach? So, Brighton but not

Agree Bristol is fab.

Never been to Bristol, any particular areas to stay ( keeping in mind we can only do 1 night so we’ll have half of 1 day then all of next day there)
Any suggestions for anywhere a bit closer?

Margate is the must-do weekend destination for SE DFLers these days, I believe.

I’ve been to Margate, there’s Not really enough there

Hastings! It's brilliant. Very arty, lots of beautiful walks and a nice beach. Bit of that British seaside tackiness. Lots of cool side streets to wander down and get lost in.

Margate, Broadstairs, Deal ?

Ah yea Bristol is a long way to go for 1 night. Maybe somewhere else in Sussex or Kent? Rye, chichester (then you have west wittering), Arundel, hastings....

Portsmouth? lots of coast nearby

canterbury is nice

lewes is nice

Whitstable!

What’s Chichester like, that looks quite interesting.
We’ve done most of the Kent coast places like Hastings, Whitstable, Margate - it’s not really seaside that I’m looking for, more shops markets & restaurants
Although Brighton is seaside I’ve never stepped foot on the beach there!

Rye? Hastings? Whitstable? Arundel? All would be easily within a couple of hours Of SE London and have great food, nice scenery and lovely shops to potter around.

Just seen your update. Oxford?

Aldeburgh?

If you don’t want seaside how about Oxford or Cambridge?

I’ll look at Oxford - never been so could be!

Will add Cambridge to the list

Cambridge is v nice

Just look at places that will give you a couple of hundred grand to spare on the purchase and with the amenities you require and you too can find your own little middle class psuedo arty haven with all the poor people at a reasonable arm's distance.

I'm sorry. That was what you were asking about wasn't it? Not so cheap as to let the plebs in, but enough so that you can have a decent garden and an art cafe in walking distance.

Ah just re read and you're not relocating. Ok well great Yarmouth is v nice.

@itchyfinger

Ah yea Bristol is a long way to go for 1 night. Maybe somewhere else in Sussex or Kent? Rye, chichester (then you have west wittering), Arundel, hastings....

Really? It's only 1.5 hrs from London (Paddington) by train. I wouldn't consider that far for one night.

OP - also look at Bath & Cheltenham as potential destinations. Possibly Cardiff too.

Lewes - market on Saturday, The Depot cinema/arts, some nice restaurants and the Downs. Arty.

Deal

Folkestone and Hythe.