15 Things to do in Hastings

The Hastings Fisherman's Museum has a lovely location. Surrounded by tall black fishing sheds, it's in the Grade II listed building which was the former Fishermen’s Church of St Nicholas. One of the stars exhibits is the 1912 sailing lugger Enterprise. The last of its kind in Hastings, you can climb onto the deck to see what life was like on board. Equally intriguing is the Shipwreck Museum, where during low tide you can explore the sites of two historic shipwrecks. Inside the museum you can find out more about items scavenged and saved from wrecks and learn more about the coastline and its secrets (including smuggling). Both museums are free, but donations are welcome. You can also take a guided walk at The Stade, Hastings Old Town Fishing Quarter, while the experts reveal 1000 years of maritime history.

The Smugglers Adventure shows how the St Clement's Caves (formed in the Ice Age around 14,000 BC) was used for nefarious means in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Illicit trade was a major occupation along the Sussex Coast, and now you can find out more about the area's smuggling past. Along with dodgy dealings, the caves have also provided a haven for Hastings residents over the years, as it's been used as an air raid shelter and hospital.

The delightfully named "Twittens" in the Old Town is a maze of narrow streets and passageways, many of which were used by smugglers. There are plenty of picturesque half-timbered houses to look at, and it is here you'll find scores of boutiques and craft shops.

You can also visit what remains of Hastings Castle, high up on the hill, which was the first Norman-style "motte and bailey" castle to be built on English soil. It was first built before the Battle of Hastings to give William the Conqueror a base to take on the English.

The Jerwood Gallery opened in 2012 to much acclaim, due in part to its intriguing design on the shingle beach. The black-tiled exterior was built to compliment the nearby net huts of the local fisherman. Venture inside and you'll find a collection of 20th and 21st century British art, much of which has never been seen by the public before, and features artists like L.S Lowry and Augustus John. If it's a nice day, have a drink in Webbe's at Jerwood, a cafe with an outside terrace and beach views. Elsewhere, the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery has a collection of dinosaur fossils including the Iguanodon, which were found in the area.

The Blue Reef Aquarium has an underwater tunnel where you can watch the stingrays and reef sharks go about their business. If you like serpents, then Bruce and The Professor, the two Royal Pythons, will give you a friendly squeeze, however Sharon the Stonefish is strictly hands-off, she's one of the most venomous fish in the world.

This takes in a 20 to 25 mile stretch of the East Sussex coastline. Running alongside the South Downs National Park, there are a variety of trails to try, depending on how much time you have.

Alexandra Park, in the heart of the town is worth a visit, and it is now a Grade II designated site. Alongside the formal Victorian gardens, there are wild areas, including the Little and Old Roar Gill and Coronation Wood. In the summer there are concerts and festivals and a boating lake for a spot of rowing. It also has tennis courts, a miniature railway and play areas for the children. Up on the cliffs above the town is the Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve. It's both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), so there's plenty of wildlife (including wild ponies), plants and heathland to explore.

If you've ever fancied frying some fish straight from the net, then beach cookery school Classroom on the Coast can help.

Book a lesson with expert teachers including chefs, fishmongers, scientists and environmentalists, or watch one of the demonstrations.

If our guide has inspired you, why not make it a longer visit. We have plenty of hotels in Hastings and the surrounding area for you to stay in. The pretty town of Rye is only a short drive along the coast, or heading west it's not long before you're in the resort of Eastbourne.

We also have plenty of other day trip suggestions from London to discover if you want to spread your wings.

It takes around an hour and a half to get to Hastings from London by train via southeastern trains.

If you're driving, it can take two to two and a half hours (depending on traffic).

There's plenty of car parks, including ones right on next to the beach, see Hastings Borough Council for locations and charges.