Help me find a southern seaside town for day trip this weekend!

[millefeuille2]

I've just realised it's a bank holiday this weekend and we have nothing planned. We = two adults, a 4-yo and 2-yo.

I feel like a day trip to a seaside town within an hour's train travel from London could work. Something like Brighton but maybe calmer/less busy? The little ones love all the usual things - playground, seaside, bit of relaxed shopping, coffee shop/cake.

Can clever MNetters help me find a good place? (We've recently been to Southend and Broadstairs, so not those again please.)

It's ok but nothing special. I wouldn't recommend it for a day trip. And we are one of the places where the beaches (ie the sea) is currently closed because of sewage discharge.

Bexhill is nice and has a brilliant park 5 mins walk from the seafront. Also won't be anywhere near as busy as Brighton

Thanks everybody, really lovely recommendations. Some of these are a bit far for this weekend but I've made a note for next summer 😊 we're trying to not fly at the moment for environmental reasons, and honestly, over the past couple of years we've had such wonderful breaks in the UK. The British seaside is not necessarily rubbish compared with Italy when the sun is shining!

Given the train journey times, looks like it'll be Brighton if anywhere this weekend. Folkestone is quick too if we take the fast train but it's a bit more expensive.

Thanks to the poster who mentioned Ruislip Lido. Who knew that existed! The journey from us is a bit tricky as we don't have a car, but maybe we'll look into a zip car at some point.

A poster mentioned Richmond earlier and got told off 😅 but Richmond is lovely and not a bad idea! Are there good playgrounds there? We also considered Kew, but thought we might end up spending £40 on entrance just to spend all our time on the playground...

bexhill is not now closed due to sewage, it has been deemed safe

but agree bexhill and hastings are a trek on the train from london
far quicker to brighton i imagine

There is a Lido at London Fields in Hackney too.

Ah good to know re lido in Hackney. Tbh though, our focus is more on fish and chips and ice cream! 😋

I prefer Margate over Brighton! The beach is sand and the water is really shallow so good for kids. I didn't see any needles or anything like that. People did leave their rubbish on the beach which is gross but that also happens in lots of places sadly.

The toilets aren't great, I'd agree with that.

I second that, I live near Folkestone and its a lovely place with quirky shops/restaurants

Brighton is great but not with little kids. And it is absolutely heaving on BH weekends.

Brighton will be heaving. I live in Southsea and there's a huge music festival this weekend so avoid here too.
I love Weymouth for kids but it will be busy and accommodation expensive!

Doh, maybe we'll stick to somewhere more local then 😞

Don’t the children prefer sand to pebbles anyway? Mine used to be sandcastle crazed.

Same my kids don’t like pebbles they prefer sand, and they love the tidal pool thing that’s there,
never seen any needles and go every summer! I’m not a fan of Brighton personally

Broadstairs is fun for small ones but I did read about the sewage leaks. Brighton is fun at any age but pebbles not sand.

I’m not far from Brighton and wouldn’t go near it on a BH weekend, especially if it’s nice. It will be rammed.

Margate
Isle of Wight on the hover travel
Lymington
Eastbourne

All lovely places for a day trip.

I would also suggest Seaford

I don't think seaford has anything to offer?

Great recommendations. Thanks all.
I'm also planning a last min weekend and was thinking IoW but a couple on here I may check out now.
Ruislip Lido, absolute star suggestion. Its on the list to visit also.

Went to Margate last week and it was lovely.

The old town is gentrified and full of creative East London types who have set-up independent businesses.

Gorgeous sunset too.

I've been to Margate, I should add. It was not massively my scene, but part of the problem was that I was ill during our visit (not Margate's fault!) and our seafront air bnb was very noisy. I'd totally be up for visiting again, but wonder if it would be just as busy if not busier than Brighton.

If you’re thinking of Whitstable, given the ages of your dc, I’d go one station further on to Herne Bay. Admittedly it’s kiss me quick, rather than hipster, and you won’t be able to get champagne and oysters from a chic beach facing bar.

But it’s quiet (I get quite irritated if I have to share my section of the beach), the fish and chips are nice, and there’s a carousel and helter-skelter on the pier.

Make sure you bring a pile of two pence pieces for the telly-go-round too. Unbelievably naff and somewhat moth-eaten. But my dc, now in their very late teens, still can’t resist it. The jackpot has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Folkestone.

Fucking hell give it a rest will ya