Eastbourne tourist information
The beach In common with its resort rivals along the coast, Eastbourne's main attraction is its seafront. Having been slower than Brighton and Worthing to attract revellers to its coast, the extension of the railway in the mid-19th Century soon helped Eastbourne soon catch up and today it is one of the South's most popular beach destinations.
Its well-kept, award-winning sandy beach stretches eastwards for about five miles to Pevensey Bay. A couple of miles to the west you'll find some of the most spectacular scenery in the country along Eastbourne's heritage coast. Beachy Head is the most popular beauty spot but the Seven Sisters cliffs to Seaford Head taking in Birling Gap are equally breathtaking.
The promenade Built by the 19th Century engineer Eugenius Birch, the stunning promenade stretches for five miles to Sovereign Harbour. The promenade is home to a world-renowned Edwardian bandstand, which still provides daily summer concerts by top military bands. But the promenade is probably best known for the spectacular Carpet Gardens which lead to the pier. First planted over 100 years ago, they contain more than 65,000 plants.
The pier Eastbourne proudly boasts its own pier to rival those of other Sussex resorts. In 1872, six years after he had built Brighton's famous West Pier, Eugenius Birch completed work on his vision for Eastbourne's pier. Originally, it was a simple promenade jutting out to sea with a few kiosks. Over the next decades, a theatre and ballroom were added, but fire destroyed the theatre and the ballroom later gave way to more contemporary pursuits. Today, besides the amusements, candy-floss and other traditional attractions, Eastbourne Pier is home to shops, restaurants, a pub, a nightclub and even glass-blowing demonstrations.
The Marina Less than two miles from the centre of Eastbourne is one of the town's newest and most popular attractions. Built at the eastern end of the town in an area known as The Crumbles, development at Sovereign Harbour began in the early Nineties. Improvements have continued and today the harbour provides a modern marina catering for both day-trippers and dedicated yachtsmen. The £500 million award-winning marina development includes a 'Waterfront' area with shops and restaurants overlooking the luxury yachts moored in the harbour.
Eastbourne has worked hard to escape its image as a retirement town and has developed its shopping areas to attract a younger population. The busy shopping area centres on a pedestrian precinct linked to the Arndale Centre, home to the major national chain stores. Close by you'll find the specialist and individual shops of Cornfield Road, South Street and Grove Road, including art galleries and antique shops. The Seaside Road area near the seafront has been renovated while Eastbourne station is the market-style Enterprise Centre, which was converted from a Victorian goods shed. It has 50 specialist shops and a collectors' and antiques centre.
The historic Old Town - the original East Bourne - is also a popular shopping area but is worth a visit just to discover the town's historic buildings. It is here that you'll find the 12th Century parish church of St Mary and one of the oldest pubs in the country, the Lamb Inn. The original inn was built in the 1400s and it still has a medieval underground chamber. The pub is famous for its association with smugglers who used its underground passageways, which were linked to the nearby parsonage. The Lamb Inn also hosted a ball for the Sussex Regiment before it set off for the Battle of Waterloo. But when the soldiers arrived, the battle was already over - so they returned to The Lamb for another ball to celebrate not firing a single shot!
Alongside its rejuvenated shopping areas, Eastbourne has developed a trendy restaurant quarter to cater for its younger residents and to try and foster a modern image. So besides the fish and chip cafes and traditional fare expected of an English seaside resort, you can sample a variety of international cuisine.
Eastbourne has a good mix of pubs, from town centre pre-club bars like Slaters to the trendy pubs in the heart of theatreland such as The Buccaneer. TJ's, Atlantis (on the pier), Kings and The Rhythm Room are the main clubs.
Just a few miles along the coast you'll find some of the most dramatic coastline in the country. Explore the easternmost paths of the South Downs Way or just marvel at nature's design.
Eastbourne aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Eastbourne aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Eastbourne.
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