Day trips from London to the beach - where to go?

[Earlybird]

Now that the weather is starting to look better and warmer/sunnier days are more likely, I'm thinking about weekend activities. Would love to hear from those of you who have suggestions about travelling by train/bus/public transport from London to the beach. We need to be able to walk to the beach if possible, or once there, take an easy/direct route via local public transport and will exact need directions.

Where can we get to relatively easily, and how would we travel?
Any tips for parts of the beach to go to?

What else is there to do besides the beach - interesting shopping, museums, local places of interest?
Any great parks/playgrounds nearby?

Would also appreciate suggestions of good, kid friendly restaurants.

Thanks for any ideas. There's so many threads of people wondering what to do in London, thought I might turn it around and find out what us Londoners can do when we venture outside the city!

Found some info for you....

\link{http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/discover_kent/beaches/west_bay.shtml\here}

And there is also a mini kids fun fair if you walk along the prom a bit!

KBear - Thanks for that info, it was very kind of you. Westgate sounds really lovely.

No definite plans about going, just thinking ahead. Maybe I'm thinking about the beach because we're currently in America where it's been 28 most every day. Can't quite get my head around wearing close-toed shoes again, but as we're due back in London on Tuesday, I fear reality is on the horizon!!

If it's any consolation the weather here is getting better EB - been out in the garden all day and the kids are still out there now in the wendy house, in t-shirts, so it is warming up nicely. Not quite flipflop weather yet though!

My friends are coming "home" from the states on Wednesday for a wedding and they've got it warm where they are too. They're in for a shock. Brit warm and US warm are very different things!

Littlehampton has a nice, well-managed beach (wrist bands, a beach office, litter is picked if the seagulls don't eat it first). It's possible to swim in the sea there, and when the tide's out there are some rockpools. I've seen people catching crabs on baited pieces of string. There's a little road train running along it to a park with nautical-theme mini-golf and a miniature train to another park with a lake on which you can hire rowing boats. Plenty of little ice cream and snack places, though we always take sandwiches.

The train journey from London Victoria takes around 1 hour 40 minutes and may involve 1 change. The station's not that far from the beach, but possibly far enough to limit the amount of beach stuff you take.

brighton i imagine would be dissapointing for tots as theres no sand unless you get a bus/cab a bit further out.
you can't make a good sandcastle with pebbles!

but then beaches with sand in the south east are few and far between.

if you can drive you could hire a car..might be easier! i know near us you can get a basic one for £20 per day.

Brighton has a wonderful little childrens area along by the old pier (the one that is falling down). It is quite big and is fenced in and has a large paddling pool, sandpit and slides, climbing frames, and also a great little cafe next to it. My two have spent hours pottering about there.

good to know! thanks...i've only ever been there pre baby and thought it would be no good for my (almost5months) ds in the furure..
phew..as it has fab restaurants for th grown ups in the evening!

Littlehampton has sand.

Whitstable's lovely - quiet and some interesting little shops (for grown ups..!). Pebbly beach but our ds1 liked it there when we went - lots of throwing stones into the sea and all that.

I think Brighton is great. there is a fabulous kids paddling pool and play area on the beach - just keep walking along the boardwalk on the beach, you can have fresh hot smoked mackerel rolls in a little hut half way along. Lack of digging sand on the beach is the only drawback - but the playground is sand sand sand.

The train that goes through Whitstable is the same one that goes on to Margate, Broadstairs, ramsgate, isn't it? broadstairs is great, too. Small, nice town beach, fantastic ice cream parlour.

The Time Out book of Weekend Breaks is based on Public Transport, and quite handy.

doh - sorry most of that already said by others

Broadstairs gets my vote. Good beach, plenty to do, cafes, fab ice cream (Morellis) and easy 15 min stroll from station to sea.

Personally i fond Brighton a bit hectic, where Broadstairs is smaller and old fashioned (and has sandy beach)

I absolutely love Folkestone.

Beach is sandy, and has this wonderful concrete structure, full of arches that are great for playing in and provides shade, if necessary.

It also has the best playground I have ever come across. I think it was designed by the same people behind the Princess Di one in Kensington Gardens, but it is enormous; according to the in-laws it's now even bigger.

If the weather turns, there is a soft play that comes highly recommended from friends who've been.

Folkestone Central is about 1 1/2 hours from Charing Cross, I believe. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you how far it is to the beach or playground.

bump for NQC

Oh, taa KBear, lots of good stuff here. Will look into buses, too. (they're cheaper than trains, aren't they?)

Yes they are, I was quite horrified by the cost when I looked into going by train rather than driving (thought it might be more fun - happy memories of when I was young, all piling on the train to the seaside).

I don't think I could face the bus for me + the DSes, both of them seem to get carsick quite easily. But I think our guests might be more inclined.