Hastings

The scars of 1066 run deep here, but this isn't just another heritage town trading on medieval glory. Hastings has proper grit - a working fishing fleet still hauls nets up the shingle beach, while the old town's narrow streets climb steeply between timber-framed buildings that survived both Norman conquest and Luftwaffe bombs.

Hastings Pier stretches into the English Channel like a Victorian iron finger, rebuilt after the devastating 2010 fire into something genuinely special. The pier's contemporary design feels bold rather than apologetic. Down at beach level, the black wooden net shops - tall, thin huts where fishermen store their gear - create an almost abstract skyline against the cliffs.

Climb up to the East Hill and you'll find Smugglers Adventure, carved into genuine caves where contraband once hid from excise men. It's touristy but good fun, especially with kids. The True CRIME Museum on the seafront takes a darker turn through British criminal history - proper macabre stuff that's oddly compelling.

Alexandra Park offers breathing space above the town, with cracking views across the channel on clear days. The older residential streets around here have character, though some are looking a bit tired. Monument Wood and Brookwood provide decent walks if you need to escape the seafront crowds during summer weekends.

Getting here is straightforward - direct trains from London take about 90 minutes, or it's an easy drive down the A21. The surrounding countryside rolls gently between here and Royal Tunbridge Wells, while eastward you've got the atmospheric Romney Marsh and the medieval streets of Rye.

Staying at one of the holiday parks around Hastings makes perfect sense. Coghurst Hall Holiday Park and Crowhurst Park both offer good bases for exploring this stretch of coast without the premium prices of seafront hotels.