Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Eastbourne, East Sussex

While several English seaside towns may seem run-down and overly commercialized, Eastbourne stands out with its elegant Victorian architecture and hotels along the seafront.

This refined character is embodied by the Bandstand, a Neo-Grec structure, adorned with faience, which hosts a promenade and fireworks event every Wednesday during the summer months.

Eastbourne is situated at the eastern edge of the South Downs National Park, with coastal cliffs ascending dramatically from the shingle beach to the west.

Beachy Head, notable as the highest chalk cliff in the UK, lies three miles away and serves as an endpoint for a breathtaking walk along the Seven Sisters cliffs to the Cuckmere Valley.

Let us examine the top attractions in Eastbourne:

1. Beachy Head

Just beyond the boundary of the South Downs National Park lies one of the UK’s most famous coastal landforms.

Beachy Head is the tallest chalk cliff in the country, rising 162 meters above sea level.

From the summit, while maintaining a safe distance from the edge, you can gaze across four English counties, from the Isle of Wight and Selsey Bill in West Sussex to Dungeness in Kent.

A pub situated nearby, also named The Beachy Head, is just a short walk from a memorial honoring RAF Bomber Command (a relay station was located here during WWII). The Beachy Head Countryside Centre offers insights into the human and natural heritage of the cliffs and showcases a collection of watercolors portraying the East Sussex Coast.

2. Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters

West of Beachy Head, the dramatic coastline continues with a series of impressive chalk cliffs and steep dry valleys.

Approaching Birling Gap, a small village increasingly endangered by coastal erosion, you will find that it is managed by the National Trust.

Visitors can explore the visitor center, engage in rockpooling and fossil hunting along the beach, and marvel at the Seven Sisters to the west.

Returning to the visitor center, there is a café offering tea and cakes amidst stunning coastal views.

From there, proceed towards Cuckmere Valley, part of the Seven Sisters Country Park, to appreciate the Seven Sisters from a different vantage point.

3. Bandstand

Positioned above Eastbourne’s central beach, the elegant Neo-Grec Bandstand, completed in 1935, serves as a remarkable venue for open-air concerts.

Designed in a semi-circular fashion adorned with black, green, and blue faience, the Bandstand is unlike any other structure in the UK. The arena, facing the stage, includes middle and upper balconies with a total seating capacity for 1,600 attendees.

Throughout the 21st century, the Bandstand has expanded its repertoire from primarily military performances to a much broader array of entertainment options.

Each year, approximately 150 concerts are hosted here, and every Wednesday during the summer months features the grand 1812 Firework and Proms Concert, comprising a medley of popular classical compositions culminating in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, renowned for its accompanying fireworks display.

4. Redoubt Fortress

At the onset of the 19th century, Britain was bracing for a potential sea invasion from France, and the circular Redoubt Fortress on Royal Parade in Eastbourne was a key element in a comprehensive defensive system.

After its military function was rendered obsolete, the fortress served as a prison during World War I and later as a storage facility during World War II. Subsequently, towards the war’s conclusion, anti-aircraft guns were mounted here to intercept V-1 Flying Bombs.

The Redoubt is open from April to November and houses regimental museums dedicated to the Royal Sussex Regiment and Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars.

In summer, the fortress’s courtyard hosts stargazing events, film screenings, and lectures, complemented by a café and a children’s area.

5. Eastbourne Beach

Eastbourne boasts over three miles of shingle beach, all of which is lined by a scenic promenade.

The primary resort beach, which is particularly lively during the summer, lies between the Wish Tower and Eastbourne Pier.

The Wish Tower, a Martello tower from the Napoleonic Wars, offers a stirring view of the shoreline.

This section of the beach can fill quickly on sunny days, under the supervision of lifeguards throughout the summer.

Designated areas for swimming, colorful beach huts, cafes, and rental deck chairs enhance the beach experience.

During low tides, families can embark on rockpooling adventures.

Additionally, further along, there is a designated windsurfing zone off Royal Parade.

6. Towner Art Gallery

In 2009, Eastbourne’s modern and contemporary art museum relocated to aesthetically pleasing new premises within the town’s Cultural Quarter. Set a short distance from the seafront, the building offers picturesque views towards the South Downs.

The Towner Collection ranks among the finest public art collections in southeast England, featuring works by renowned artists such as Picasso, Henry Moore, Olafur Eliasson, Walter Sickert, David Bomberg, and Wolfgang Tillmans.

At any given time, the Towner Art Gallery hosts up to five temporary exhibitions.

In the summer of 2018, visitors could experience displays by Israeli video artist Omer Fast, 20th-century artist and designer Eric Ravilious, Realist painter Edward Stott, and thematic exhibitions concerning aerial photography, painting, and digital mapping titled “At Altitude.”

7. Sovereign Harbour Marina

Eastbourne’s eastern suburbs underwent significant transformation with the establishment of Sovereign Harbour in the early 1990s.

This expansive marina complex includes four distinct harbors, residential apartments, and interconnected retail and dining establishments.

On sunny days, simply strolling along the waterfront provides the opportunity to admire luxury yachts and observe their launching and lifting processes.

Numerous cafes, restaurants, and bars with outdoor seating offer refreshments, and attentive visitors might catch sight of seals and cormorants in the waters.

Additionally, the surrounding area features a multiplex cinema and popular UK retail outlets, such as TK Maxx, Next, and Sports Direct.

8. Royal Hippodrome Theatre

This grand Victorian theatre features an exceptionally lengthy summer season, extending from March to November.

With a capacity of 630 across three levels, the Royal Hippodrome opened in 1883, designed by Charles J. Phipps, who created several theatres within London’s West End during the late Victorian era.

The theatre’s programming caters to diverse audiences, offering pantomimes and fairytale productions for children, as well as a variety of cover acts and prominent comedians for adults.

Additionally, the autumn “Thinkers Season” includes a series of enlightening discussions led by academics, politicians, and authors.

Notable speakers in 2018 included historian David Starkey and second-wave feminist Germaine Greer.

9. Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway Adventure Park

Located within a country park near Eastbourne’s Hampden Park suburb, this 1/8 scale miniature railway spans almost a mile in length.

Your journey will be delightfully pulled by one of ten steam and diesel locomotives, with the oldest dating back to 1940. The park also features a five-acre lake surrounded by a nature trail, providing glimpses of the diverse native wildlife.

Visitors may conclude their visit with cream tea or light refreshments at the park’s award-winning tea gardens, which embrace a vintage railway theme.

The park also houses model railway exhibits, a gift shop, picnic areas, and an adventure playground designed for children.

10. Eastbourne Pier

A landmark of Eastbourne since 1870, the 300-meter Eastbourne Pier is a notable Victorian structure that offers numerous facilities and stunning views of the English Channel.

Regrettably, historic piers like this are vulnerable to fire; consequently, the elegant domed building at the center of the pier was lost in a fire in 2014. Since then, the pier has been acquired by an investor who has reopened the remaining structure, providing shops, tearooms, a waterside café, a fish and chips vendor, and a nightclub.

11. Lifeboat Museum

The William Terriss Memorial Boathouse, constructed in 1898 on the west side of Eastbourne’s seafront, served as a lifeboat station by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

After its closure in the 1920s, the boathouse evolved into one of the first RNLI museums in the UK. This intimate exhibition features informative boards detailing significant rescue operations through the years, including those involving the New Brunswick in 1883, SS Barnhill in 1940, and SS Germania in 1955, exhibiting artifacts such as bells, life preservers, and communication gear.

12. South Downs Way

Eastbourne marks the eastern terminus of the South Downs National Park, as well as the endpoint of the South Downs Way, a National Trail beginning in Winchester, located 100 miles to the west.

The final portion of the trail forms a loop on the western side of the town, allowing you to commence your walk at the end of King Edward’s Parade and traverse Beachy Head, Birling Gap, and the Seven Sisters, stopping at Cuckmere Haven for an awe-inspiring view.

Continuing onward, you will discover picturesque rolling hills adorned with sheep as you return towards Eastbourne—a total walking distance of around five hours.

13. Princes Park

Heading east along the seafront, you will soon arrive at this meticulously maintained 33-acre park.

Princes Park features a fragrant rose garden, charming English-style gardens, a large model boating lake, and bowling greens.

Families visiting can take advantage of two playgrounds (including one with a paddling pool during summer) and an 18-hole putting green, while the eastern edge offers Fort Fun, an indoor play center designed for younger children.

The park’s revitalized boathouse includes a café with views overlooking the lake.

14. The Pavilion

Adjacent to the Redoubt Fortress gardens, the Pavilion is a crescent-shaped tea room featuring a terrace with sea views.

A visit to the fortress can be followed by a light lunch or afternoon tea, as well as regularly changing exhibitions in this venue.

During the summer of 2018, the Pavilion showcased “Eastbourne Remembers,” an exhibition focused on memory, heirlooms, and keepsakes.

Exhibition cases displayed dresses and mementos passed down through the generations, accompanied by narrative boards detailing their stories.

Moreover, collectors will be intrigued by the assortment of coins that have been tossed into the pond at Motcombe Gardens over the past century.

15. Eastbourne International

At the close of June, the prestigious Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club hosts a significant event in the summer grass court season.

Eastbourne International is part of the WTA and ATP tours but has traditionally gained recognition as a women’s tournament.

This event occurs during the week preceding Wimbledon, ensuring a robust field of competitors and a delightful display of top-tier tennis.

In 2017, Karolína Plíšková claimed the women’s title, while Novak Djokovic was crowned as the men’s champion.

Day tickets are available from as low as £20, offering an economical alternative to Wimbledon, along with greater ticket availability.