10 Pretty Seaside Towns in Sussex to Visit

There’s nothing quite like being next to the sea. The fresh breeze, the swish of the waves, there’s a calm to the Sussex coast that keeps pulling me back.

I often find myself escaping to Sussex for two reasons: its proximity to London makes it wonderfully easy to reach, and it’s varied enough that no two towns feel the same.

My list of the best seaside towns in Sussex list runs west to east along the coast, from Selsey near the Hampshire border to Rye on the edge of Kent, so you can use it to plan a single trip or just pick your favourite.

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At a glance

Map of the pretty seaside towns in Sussex

Use the map below to see where these coastal towns are located.

1. Selsey

Selsey is the pick for anyone who’d rather birdwatch than browse boutiques. Pagham Harbour, a stretch of undeveloped coastline, is home to migratory birds and a resident seal colony, and you can join a wildlife tour to get out on the water.

For something different, follow the “All Aboard” trail, a two-mile walk run by the Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group. It takes in 18 of Selsey’s quirky railway carriage homes – holiday cottages built from disused train carriages in the 1920s.

Round it off at one of the fishing huts selling fresh catch straight off the boats.

2. Bognor Regis

Bognor Regis sits in the middle of a landscape of rolling hills, sand dunes and open sea, and it’s an easy place to slow down in. The town has a good spread of independent boutiques and restaurants, more than its old-fashioned reputation might suggest.

The historic market town of Arundel, with its antique shops and art galleries, is around 20-25 minutes’ drive away and makes a natural pairing for the day.

3. Littlehampton

Littlehampton is small but well set up for getting out on the water: yachting, fishing, diving and even golf are all on offer. Coastguards Beach here has held onto its Seaside Award for cleanliness into 2026, one of several in the area to do so.

Walk the West Beach boardwalk through the nature reserve for the fresh air, then finish with fish and chips by the sea, a Littlehampton tradition if ever there was one.

4. Worthing

Worthing sits around 20 minutes from Brighton by train, which makes it one of the easiest add-ons to a Sussex trip. As one of the bigger towns on this list, there’s more to do here: museums, art galleries, and a wide promenade that’s good for cycling with the family.

The gardens along the seafront are especially lovely, with the sea as a backdrop.

5. Brighton

Brighton has the most personality of any town on this list, part beach resort, part creative hub. North Laine has a permanently lively atmosphere, and the live music scene here is one of the best on the south coast.

Direct trains from London take around an hour, which is part of why Brighton draws such a mix of day-trippers and long-term transplants. 

Book a street art tour to get under the skin of the place. Then head up the Brighton i360 in the early evening; it stays open until 9pm and the light over the sea at that hour is hard to beat.

6. Seaford

Seaford sits right at the foot of the South Downs, with the chalk hills rising up behind the town on one side and the sea on the other, a striking setting once you clock it.

It was once a smuggling port; today it’s a much quieter beach town, with a scattering of cafés and shops along the front.

It’s also one of the two starting points for the Seven Sisters Country Park walk – the other being Eastbourne. On Seaford’s doorstep is Cuckmere Haven, where the River Cuckmere winds out to the Channel.

The clifftop Coastguard Cottages here, overlooking the river mouth and the first of the Seven Sisters, are one of the most photographed views on the south coast. You may recognise it from the heartbreaking scene at the end of the film Atonement.

Coastal erosion means they won’t be there forever, so it’s worth seeing sooner rather than later.

7. Eastbourne

Eastbourne is one of the most popular towns on this list, and deservedly so. It sits at the entry point to the South Downs National Park.

Just outside town you’ll find Beachy Head, Britain’s highest chalk sea cliff at 162m, along with the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters Country Park.

Read my guides to the best things to do in Eastbourne and the top hotels in Eastbourne before you go.

8. Bexhill-on-Sea

Bexhill-on-Sea is home to the De La Warr Pavilion, a Grade I listed 1935 Modernist landmark designed by Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff. Here you’ll find curved white balconies and sea views, plus it’s free to walk into.

Beyond the Pavilion, Bexhill has a long, breezy promenade and a low-key, unhurried feel that makes a good contrast to Brighton’s energy further along the coast.

9. Hastings

Hastings is one of the original medieval Cinque Ports, and its history runs through everything here, from the timbered Old Town to the haunting St Clements Caves.

The West Hill Cliff Railway, a funicular dating back over a century, takes you up to Hastings Castle and the Smugglers Adventure below it.

Afterwards, head to Hastings Contemporary on the seafront, where you might catch sight of the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe still at work.

10. Rye

If you search for the prettiest seaside towns in Sussex, Rye tops the list more often than not. 

Cobbled streets, timber-framed houses and a medieval church give it a storybook feel that’s hard to fake. Don’t miss a stroll down the impossibly charming Mermaid Street. 

Camber Sands is a short drive away if you fancy a big stretch of sand afterwards.

Read my guide to the best things to do in Rye or discover the best hotels to stay in.

FAQs

Which Sussex seaside town is easiest to reach from London?

Brighton, by some distance. Direct trains from London take around an hour, more than any other town on this list.

Which Sussex seaside town is best for history lovers?

Rye and Hastings both have strong claims; Rye for its medieval streets, Hastings for its Cinque Ports history and the two cliff railways.

Can I visit more than one of these towns in a day?

Yes, several sit close together. Worthing to Brighton is a 20-minute train ride, and Eastbourne to Bexhill-on-Sea to Hastings can comfortably be strung together along the coast road in a single day.

Plan your Sussex coast trip

Sussex packs a lot into a relatively small stretch of coastline, from Selsey’s quiet wildlife reserves to Brighton’s energy and Rye’s cobbled lanes. Pick two or three that suit the trip you’re after rather than trying to see everything at once.

Whichever you choose, the sea is never far away, and neither is a decent fish and chip shop.

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