What to do in Hastings and say trips

[Hipphopp]

Hi, we have a week coming up in Hastings with 2 primary aged kids. I'm starting to worry there won't be enough to do. I think we need some ideas for day trips out of Hastings, I reckon 40 minutes drive max. Any tips please. Also is there a good swimming pool preferably water park style with flumes in the area?

Bedgebury and Bewl water aren't that far away either

My DCs favourite restaurants are Pizarelli, which is under Marine Court in St Leonard's (often we'll get it to take away and go and sit on the beach/ have it immediately after a swim), Half Man Half Burger, which is almost next door (though there's also one in the Morrison's car park in Hastings, Goat Ledge which is on the beach and does great fish finger sandwiches with chips - and more sophisticated fish sandwiches - and Maggie's Fish and Chips next to Hastings Contemporary. Also anything in the Courtyard next to the Sourcepark (the skatepark on the sea front.) You can also hire paddleboards/ canoes there which is great - if you want to do that not on the open sea then the same company run similar on the river at Cuckmere Haven, which is also really lovely and fun.

Hastings is great incidentally- I don't know why people are being so disparaging! And if you're interested in art I can recommend Charleston Farmhouse just outside Firle (my children love sketching in the rooms and the garden - and the cafe) and also the Turner Prize is currently on show at the Towner In Eastbourne (and it's free.)

Is the sea clean enough to swim in around Hastings or any of the nearby nice beaches?

Marina St Leonards apparently has a Blue Flag - I don’t know what the beach is like there, though.

Generally, and particularly in the summer, it's totally clean enough for swimming. You can check the Safer Seas and River Sources app - but also the lifeguards will put out red flags if there's a problem. Recently more pipes have been installed to cope with storm overflow which is what Southern Water said was causing the problem, and touch wood, I think it's improved things. Certainly my children and I swim a lot. At high tide the beach is steep, so you're out of your depth fast (and it's pebble so you might want swimming shoes), at low tide, it's sand, and very shallow for a long time, and ideal for smaller children.

My kids love Rock-a-nore for crazy golf, museums, fish and chips and the 2p machines in the amusements. The aquarium is small but they do a combined ticket with smugglers cave and the funicular railway.
Knockhatch is well worth the drive and money and will easily fill a day.

Camber is the only sandy beach but can get crazy busy and parking is a nightmare.
There's loads of history; Battle Abbey, Bodium, Dover Castle. Rye is beautiful but I don't think kids would be interested.
Eastbourne is slightly less run down but my children prefer Hastings for a day out.
There are some beautiful walks over the seven sisters and up in to the downs.
I would be prepared to drive an hour to go an do things. Places don't look far on a map but Sussex roads just seem to take ages to get anywhere.

There is lots to do in Hastings and its no different from any seaside town, it has its good bits and residential more run down bits. Theres nothing wrong with it, apart from people on threads like this being really snobby

AS others have set out, theres quite a bit to do in the town but further afield you have Rye, Battle, some good bike routes between Lydd and Rye, Eastbourne sea front promenade for cycling, a number of castles and homes in the area, Bexhill, the cliffs and nature reserves nearby, heritage train routes, Tenterden is nice etc etc