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.

I live between brighton and worthing. Worthing is really nice for the walking about chilling with cake thing (its our normal sunday if I'm not working) or we do brighton with the visiting kids because of the sealife and the pier.

Its not difficult or far to travel between the two either so maybe, if you were thinking two days, you could get the best of both??

Is Devon too far for you?? You can get from London to Devon in under 3 hours. Wouldn't go to Torquay, but Paignton is nice, old fashioned type seaside resort. Or Shaldon, Teignmouth is beautiful. Red sandy beach, cliffs, views, ice cream..fucked if it rains though, you'll have to go in the pub

Devon is lovely but really too far for a day trip when there are other nice options closer, I'd have thought. We used to live in London and just about did Bournemouth in a day.

Another shout for Weymouth.

Dorset and Devon too far from London unless you live on the most westerly reaches. Stick to Essex, Kent or Sussex instead for a sensible journey.

The OP says South west!

Hmm, can't think of many beaches you can reach in Dorset or Devon from SW London in 3 hours tops.

Isle of Wight?

I had to go to Canvey Island for work not long ago....er....that's it.

We lived in Southwest london and managed to get to Bourenmouth in 2 hours regularly as we have family here, but we weren't central london - closer to the edge. It's M25 then straight down M3.

How about Southend?

Bingo (tick)
Amusements (tick)
Crazy golf (tick)
Pretty parks (tick)
Fish 'n' chips (tick)
Beaches (tick)
Funfair (tick)
Aquarium (tick)
Ice-cream (tick)
Rock (tick)

There's even an art gallery and a museum.

I love Weymouth and you can get there by train. Also agree Whitstable is great but not for a sandy beach.

Another vote for Worthing here. Good beach with greensward for kids, pebbles can be fun, proper promenade for miles n miles, less than 2 hours from SW Ldn, good hotels/BnBs, bingo, fish n chips, shops, cake (Parklife has it won hands down), restaurants, pubs, ice cream, lido, pier. It's great when the sun is shining and there's always the Holmbush if it's crap weather for many hours perusing M&S.

Let us know what your mum decides!

Ahem (a pedant writes)...shurely the Holmbush is in Shoreham?

Also, last time I looked there was a huge funfair on the seafront just east of town with waltzers, bungee running, bumper cars etc which might amuse the kids. Either there or sometimes in Homefield Park just up from the sea. I feel like the Worthing tourist office owes me a free 99 at the least now.

Also, last time I looked there was a huge funfair on the seafront just east of town with waltzers, bungee running, bumper cars etc which might amuse the kids. Either there or sometimes in Homefield Park just up from the sea. I feel like the Worthing tourist office owes me a free 99 at the least now.

Is the Brooklands place still going in Worthing? Used to love it!

lowestoft is gorgeous - there are tea lawns that sit right on the beach its so civilised!

... All part of the conurbation, Pandemoniaa! (Disclaimer, I moved to W Suss just over a year ago, am an East Londoner by trade so you have to forgive my geographic failings..)

... All part of the conurbation, Pandemoniaa! (Disclaimer, I moved to W Suss just over a year ago, am an East Londoner by trade so you have to forgive my geographic failings..)

Holmbush is just a massive tescos with a fancy name. And yes it's in shoreham

It's not even proper Shoreham at that. It's stuck, like a large stuck Tescoey thing just off a roundabout on the A27.

Yeah it's that crappy north shoreham (evil mil lives round the corner)

If you only want to spend one day and you want something a little skewed, my recommendation for a sunny day out is...
Ruislip! There's no sea but Ruislip Lido has a beach on the edge of the lake, you can paddle in the lake, there is a miniature railway, nice woodlands to roam in, a playground with splash zone and a lovely Castle Carvery for a nice proletarian dinner with spuds and yorkshire puds whether you want them or not.

You won't get deckchairs, amusements or bingo in Aldeburgh - not their sort of thing. However you will get the best fish & chips - go to either shop they are run by the same people, lovely ice-creams from the kiosk by the model yacht pond and there's a proper sweet shop too.

Southwold is brilliant - f&c from the pier are lovely, can hire a little beach hut by the day, quirky amusements on the pier as well as the more traditional machines - not sure about bingo those.

No rides at either place - you need Great Yarmouth for that sort of thing - now that is proper seaside 'tacky'.