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.)

Give what a rest? Complaining about a government (and those who voted for it) that has even fucked up a nice day at the seaside on a thread about a nice day at the seaside?

Brighton has always felt busier to me than Margate. You seem quite keen on Brighton so I'd just go there!

Head towards Hove if you go to Brighton A bit quiter and has a splash pool .

a lot of londoners seem to head to camber sands,
sandy beach rather than shingle

Camber Sands is lovely but I don't think it's desperately easy by train. When we went we had to get a cab from the station (maybe 10 mins?) which isn't the end of the world but perhaps unnecessary when there are so many seaside towns where you can step off the train and you're there.

Someone up thread mentioned London fields lido. It's a very nice swimming pool, but that's what it is - a swimming pool - probably my favourite place for a swim on my own - not somewhere I'd hang out for the day with my children! Bit different to Ruislip.

Forgot to add - for proximity my vote goes to either Leigh-on-Sea or Folkestone, but personally I can't be doing with Brighton so perhaps our tastes differ! Really I recommend Bournemouth but that's well over your time limit.

Leigh on Sea is solid (I've been) but I really wouldn't say it's one for children. It seemed gentrified and quiet? Southend was brilliant - not the sort of place I would've gone to pre-children but we had a fab time there as a family last year!

I'm not massively into Brighton either tbh. It's just that it's the closest one, with the others all quite a bit (30 mins) further away from London. We may just stay put or go to Richmond (!) or Kew, especially if it gets warmer again and people decide to hit the beach.

I love Leigh on sea but it isn’t really for small children, the beach vanishes when the tide comes in and there isn’t a huge amount for children. Thorpe bay and Shoeburyness are lovely beaches if the weather is good and definitely quieter than Southend.

You could try Worthing… just along from Brighton, probably a bit less busy but not been for a few years.

From where you live Whitstable, Margate etc easy!

Brighton is good though: loads to do there

You've mentioned Brighton a few times and I agree with PP- go to Hove. Change trains down the line from St Pancras at Haywards Heath or Burgess Hill and it's only an extra 5-10 mins on the train but far less busy. Time it right so you don't have to wait as there are 2 trains an hour.

You can walk straight down from Hove station to the beach in 10 mins and you'll be near Marroccos restaurant and a cafe on the prom.

Or get a cab to Hove Lagoon. That's where the playground and paddling pool are and the beach is guaranteed to have space. And there's Fat Boy Slim's cafe which does decent basic food and ice cream. Worth the cab for a good day out.

Weymouth beautiful, fair rides arcades and a fab sealife centre with splash park