A nice seaside...

[fliptheswitch]

I want to go out for the day on Saturday, to a 'nice' seaside.
I've always really fancied Brighton, but wondered if anyone else had any other good suggestions.
I am quite fussy about what I want, and I'm after something 'traditional'... so no loud fun fairs or loads of pubs and clubs. I know that's quite tricky these days, but there MUST be somewhere which is nostalgic. Surely??

Oh, and it has to be on the south or south/east coast.

Thanks! :)

[jackthehat]

Weston-Super-Mare has a lot to recommend it...

[ummmm]

Weston-super-Mare

[boxtops]

Well Prudie, it's certainly on the rise these days, I was only there a few weeks back having lunch with a mate... there's loads of sand, Tankerton Flat and the beach huts, arty places, nice restaurants.. all sorts.

[Ann]

Weymouth and Lyme Regis are quite traditional and Eastbourne too but maybe they aren't in your area?

[Postdog]

Littlehampton is not far from Brighton and is a lot quieter. Well it was when I went on a coach trip - couldn't wait to get back on the coach.

Ditto Bognor, as most of the fun is in Butlins, but it was bit more livelier and had a nice market and quaint shops.

[fliptheswitch]

"Traditional" and "nostalgic" was the most important part of my request. Weston-super-Mare is neither.
Thanks for your input though... much appreciated.

[fliptheswitch]

Ann, I've never been to Lyme Regis or Eastbourne. Do they have the things I have mentioned?

Postdog!! "Couldn't wait to get back on the coach"?? I'll be giving that a miss then! :D

[Ann]

We went to Southwold for the day last month - no kiss me quick hats or bingo there but maybe Suffolk is a bit far. By the way the person who suggested Weston super Mare (west) must be joking - its a real dump and the sea was a wonderful shade of dark brown when we visited a few years ago - ugh!

[Maydup]

Southwold in Suffolk is exactly what you're looking for. Its very traditional with a fabulous little pier and a lovely sandy beach. There are no clubs and pubs, just cafes and gift shops but up market ones, not tacky shops.

Its absolutely charming and just a little bit arty.

[jackthehat]

Weston was lovely when I was there a few weeks ago.

Still, I expect it depends what you are used to........?

[joggerjayne]

Surely it HAS to be Brighton.

Avoid the obvious tourist spots, of course (like the tacky pier, and the utterly ghastly Marina). And stay at The Thistle ... the back doors lead straight into The Lanes.

[boxtops]

I used to live in Brighton and it has a bit of everything, spend a couple of hours touring the Brighton Pavilion, window-shop the tiny shops in the Lanes, wander down to the pier (the funfair is right at the sea end), g along to the Marina with the posh yachts, drive further along the coast to Rottingdean which is a delightful village for a wander round and a cream tea (I used to live there too). the beach along all that part of the south coast is shingle but there is a coastal path at sea level right along the sea front for miles.

[fliptheswitch]

Lol Ann! I definitely do *not* want "kiss me quick" hats. Haha. It needs to just be 'nice'. No chavs, no clubs and no brown sea!
I'm swaying towards Bournemouth at the mo.

[Maydup]

PS I live in Norfolk and I'm recommending Suffolk - it must be good!!

[fliptheswitch]

Maidup, southwold sounds absolutely perfect! I will Google in now :-)

[Prudie]

Yes sorry boxtops, I've seen it's had an uplift over the years (Whitstable). It certainly had no sand when I was there, just pebbles, groynes and the murky waters of the Thames Estuary.

[fliptheswitch]

I'm sure there are many people who enjoying visiting Weston-super-Mare... it's just not to my taste. A bit too tacky for my liking. But yes, absolutely, it's what you are used to...

[joggerjayne]

Yes ... like Boxtops says ... you must go and see the Pier, and the Marina.

Ahem.

That's the nice thing about AB ... you get a good cross section of views, LOL.

[bednobs]

lullworth cove?
lyme regis?
you wanna go left or right from london?

[237SJ]

If you`re heading to Suffolk, Aldeburgh`s nice too.