For years, Eastbourne was dismissed as the grandma of Britain’s seaside towns – all floral gardens, cream teas and cardigans. It looked as though the hipster wave had swept from Brighton to Hastings and then Margate, leaving Eastbourne behind. But the old clichés are quickly unravelling.
A multi-million-pound regeneration has transformed the route from station to seafront with continental-style cafés, markets and independent businesses, while a flourishing creative and food scene has injected fresh energy.
“Eastbourne is a town on the move,” says Josh Babarinde, MP for Eastbourne. “Lots of young families have moved in, independent restaurants and bars have sprung up, and our beach water sports scene is thriving. Add in the internationally renowned Eastbourne Open tennis tournament, Airbourne (the largest free airshow in the country) and the South Downs on our doorstep and you’ll see we’re buzzing.”
And, come summer, the beach crackles with dawn sea swimmers, paddleboarders and yoga bunnies.
“It has all the traditional seaside charm people know it for, but there’s a real energy around supporting local business, new food and drink and community-led projects,” says resident Marie Goodchild, who runs the Eastbourne local Instagram account. “The town is really growing in confidence.”
As a local, I’ve watched Eastbourne quietly swap its slippers for trainers. And – whisper it – with greener surroundings, quieter beaches and none of Brighton’s self-conscious cool, it may now be the south coast’s best-kept secret.
What to do
Eastbourne is so much more than the pier, promenade and mini-golf. Its new energy comes from an explosion of outdoor adventure and wellness offerings, from seaside yoga and paddling-boarding Pilates to sea-view saunas and community hikes across the South Downs.
Towner Gallery
Eastbourne’s cultural trump card, Towner is the free-to-visit contemporary gallery that silenced the seaside stereotypes when it hosted the Turner Prize in 2023. More than 100 years old, it showcases a stellar collection of British art, from Eastbourne-born Eric Ravilious to Tacita Dean. Don’t miss the tiny art house cinema and Light – a chic Scandi-style restaurant with one of the best rooftop views in town. For a deeper dive, book a behind-the-scenes tour (Tues 11am or Sun 2pm; £11).
Sól Sauna
Take a 15-minute taxi north to Eastbourne’s only sauna offering an authentic aufguss, a multi-sensory ritual using natural essential oils, music and leaf whisking – an ancient practice of gently stroking and tapping the body with fragrant bundles of leaves and herbs to stimulate the senses. Set in nature, it is led by expert Gosia Pollard, who offers one-hour communal sessions Fri-Sun (£15/hr); 1.5-hr Aufguss Fridays at 7pm (£25); 2.5-hr sauna camp Sundays (£30).
Bourne to Kayak
Get out on the waves with Bourne to Kayak beneath the Wish Tower, where paddleboards and single kayaks cost around £15 an hour. Started by Eastbourne’s head lifeguard, Gary, and now run by his children, it opens weekends in June, July and September, and daily during school holidays. Paddle towards the South Downs’ chalk cliffs and you may spot seals basking around the headland.
If they’re closed, find the Yak Shack (£15 an hour) near Eastbourne Sailing Club. Open 24hrs daily, you scan a QR code, unlock and paddle.
Catch a show
Catch London-worthy shows year-round at the grand Congress Theatre and the intimate Devonshire Park Theatre. Highlights of 2026 so far include Mamma Mia!, The Rocky Horror Show and David Gray. In summer, the Victorian Bandstand – a seaside landmark since 1935 – puts on tribute acts, plus free brass-band Sunday afternoon concerts from 3-4.30pm.
Tierra Pottery Studio
Founded by travel-loving couple Noemi and Martin, who met backpacking in Vietnam, Tierra Studio celebrates clay, creativity and community. Book a workshop, such as the two-hour taster session (£50) or a clay-and-wine evening (£60), where you’ll learn the fundamentals of pinching, coiling and glazing before taking home your own handmade creation.
Where to eat
Forget just fish and chips and genteel cream teas (although we’ve nailed both) – Eastbourne’s food scene is stirring things up with seafood bistros and independent family kitchens. Expect seasonal menus showcasing Sussex produce, locally landed seafood and lots of love put into creative small plates. The coffee culture is equally serious, with many obsessing over speciality beans, slow brews and seriously good cake.
To The Rise
What began as a Covid lockdown project in founder Lauren Pollard’s garage has risen into one of Eastbourne’s favourite bakeries. Run by Lauren and her sisters, Josephine and Morgan, it’s earned a devoted following for its flaky citrus or cinnamon morning buns, organic sourdough fermented for 48 hours – don’t miss the jalapeño and cheddar loaf – and expertly brewed coffee using beans from Lewes-based Pharmacie Coffee Roasters. Arrive early: the best bakes rarely linger on the shelves.
Cafe Joon
Cafe Joon is the poster child of Eastbourne’s new coffee culture. Expect speciality beans from nearby Liquid Spirit, playful homemade creations such as lemon posset iced lattes and strawberry cheesecake matcha, plus cold brews topped with date cold foam. But this is more than a caffeine stop: with life drawing, meditation sessions, creative workshops and community events, it’s part café, part clubhouse for Eastbourne’s next generation.
Shuck!
Hardy Ovaisi, who also owns the equally hip and meat-led Cru wine bar – opened this Barcelona-inspired bistro as a love letter to fish. The menu is made up of small plates championing seasonal charcoal-cooked seafood and oysters shucked to order, and don’t skip the sublime tempura monkfish cheeks.
Journeys
Awarded an AA Rosette for culinary excellence in 2025, Journeys is the passion project of wife-and-wife duo Amy (chef) and Marina (sommelier). Both worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, and their four-course tasting menu is a steal at £59.95, showcasing the best of Sussex’s larder – from locally landed fish to house-baked sourdough.
Soup ‘N’ Tap
A dog-friendly Latin American tapas bar run by husband-and-husband team Fabian (from Peru) and Jorge (from Colombia). Service may be leisurely, but that’s deliberate, as they say: “We’re not sell, sell, sell – we’re a family place.”
Where to drink
Eastbourne’s bar scene is shaking off its in-bed-by-8pm image. The town’s hipper side is bubbling up in craft beer spots, bijou wine bars and creative venues such as Printers Playhouse and Vinyl Frontier, where live music, comedy and open-mic nights fuel the buzz.
Dawson’s
When Kevin Dawson turned his antique furniture shop in “Little Italy” into a bijou wine bar, it quickly became a loyal neighbourhood hangout. His handful of tables spill onto the pavement in summer, and he’s more than happy for you to bring your chips in from the Holiday Inn chippy across the road. There’s live music on the first Sunday of the month, and Kevin and his wife sing on occasion too.
The Belgian Cafe
A Belgian-inspired beer hall on the seafront that’s half restaurant, half leather-sofa lounge. Belgian-style craft beers are brewed on site and served alongside a hard-to-find list of authentic Belgian bottles – try the Orval Trappist or the punchy 11 per cent Kasteel Tripel. To soak it up, order the mussels served in 25 different ways. Live music takes over every Friday and Saturday, while the pavement terrace is a suntrap for summer sips.
Levels Wine
Hidden behind the Grand Hotel on Compton Street, Levels stands out thanks to its self-serve wine vending machine that lets you sample by the glass. Alternatively, choose a bottle from the shelves, pay £10 corkage and settle in with an artfully arranged charcuterie or cheese board. It’s an unfussy, grown-up spot open Wednesday to Sunday.
Where to stay
Eastbourne’s accommodation is still largely defined by Victorian seafront hotels and traditional B&Bs, many of them comfortable but showing their age. Boutique options remain few, although a handful of stylish newcomers are beginning to inject fresh flair.
Port Hotel
From £170 per night, B&B
Housed in a Victorian townhouse on the seafront, the 19-room Port Hotel pairs muted pinks with Scandi-inspired wood panelling, while six rooms enjoy uninterrupted sea views. Downstairs, the stylish cocktail bar is as popular with locals as overnight guests.
Chatsworth Hotel
From £175 per night, B&B
Fresh from a refurbishment, rooms at the Chatsworth Hotel are dressed in calming creams and whites with marble bathrooms. Splurge on an Executive Full Sea View for panoramas or a Junior Suite for an indulgent hot tub.
Elite Lux Retreat
From £130 per night, self-catering
A boutique apartment set just back from the seafront that can sleep four, this comes with a fully equipped kitchen, smart TV, two paddleboards and life jackets.
How to get around
From March to September, explore the seafront aboard the pair of quaint miniature Dotto trains nicknamed Pebbles and Rocky. Buy tickets from the conductor (unlimited hop-on, hop-off £5.50 for adults; £3 for ages 5-15).
Two hop-on, hop-off buses make exploring beyond the seafront refreshingly easy. The open-top Eastbourne Sightseeing bus (£12 for adults; £6 for under-16s; runs daily from Feb-Nov) loops between Beachy Head, Birling Gap and other highlights. The Sussex Art Shuttle (runs Fri-Sun throughout March-October; £5 day pass) links Towner Eastbourne with Charleston, Seven Sisters Country Park and Lewes via the Cuckmere Valley and picture-postcard villages including Alfriston.