10 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (0.5 miles) - A traditional seaside resort, boasting five miles of unspoilt beaches, palm tree-lined promenades, four golf courses and Seaside Award clean sea. Offering fun for all of the family - from a skate festival to the annual airshow, visit Eastbourne Pier or dance the night away to live music at the bandstand. Get your skates on and join the locals in their favourite pastime of rollerblading along the five-mile stretch of promenade, from the peaceful Falling Sands to the bustling Sovereign Harbour Marina. Browse around the waterfront shops or relax in one of the continental-style restaurants, cafes or bars at the harbour.
3 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (0.1 miles) - The Visitor Centre is located a 3-minute walk from Alexandra Hotel. The centre is able to help you plan your visit by supplying information leaflets as well as many maps and booklets. You can purchase Eastbourne souvenirs and gifts, book your seats for the local theatres or book your National Express coach tickets.
In April 1865 The Eastbourne Pier Company was formed with a working capital of £15,000. Work began in April 1866; Four years later Lord Edward Cavendish opened the pier although it wasn’t completed until 1872.
The pier is 300 meters long and built on stilts, which rest in cups on the seabed allowing the whole structure to move during rough weather.
The pier's entrance was originally built on the lower promenade but due to the rough storms in 1877 it was swept away; it was then rebuilt at a higher level. In 1888 a 400-seater domed pavilion was built and just two years later a 1000-seater theatre, Bar, Camera Obscura and Office Suite replaced it, that same year two saloons were built in the midway.
Eastbourne's stunning seafront landmark is fully open for business with a brand new walkway since the fire of 2014.
Eastbourne Pier has a variety of shops, a chippy, a Waterfront cafe/bar, Victorian Tea Rooms, a Jazz Lounge, fishing and fantastic views of the English Channel.
Since 1872 the pier is a sought-after film and TV location used in Angus Thongs & Perfect Snogging, and TV series including Poirot, A Place in the Sun, Art Attack, Flog It, and BBC CCTV.
Eastbourne Museum tells the story of nearly 200 years of lifeboating in the town. The museum is part of the old Eastbourne lifeboat house, built in 1898 in memory of William Terriss, an actor who was murdered on the steps of London's Adelphi Theatre the previous year.
2 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (440 ft) - One of 74 Martello Towers built along the south coast to defend against Napoleon in the early 1800s, the Wish Tower built on grassed slopes is number 73.
25 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (1.2 miles) - Founded in 1887 The Royal is a traditional members club situated in the lee of the South Downs. Royal Eastbourne Golf Club is a 27 hole club with the 18 hole, par 70 (6076 yard) Devonshire Course and the 9 hole, par 64 (4294 yard) Hartington Course. A private, downland golf course.
2 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (0.1 miles) - The Devonshire Park Theatre is a Grade II listed building designed by Henry Currey, built in 1884 and further improved by celebrated Theatre Architect Frank Matcham in 1903. It is one of the best examples of small Victorian Theatre in the country with ornate interior featuring decorative plaster work with scrolls and caryatids by Schmidt of Holloway. The theatre won the Martini/TMA Regional Theatre Award for ‘Most Welcoming Theatre’ in 1994.
4 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (0.2 miles) - The Congress Theatre is a Grade II* listed, purpose built, theatre and conference venue designed by Bryan and Norman Westwood Architects and built in 1963.
The venue underwent extensive renovation work in 2016 including the creation of the brand new Welcome Building which sits adjacent to the congress Theatre.
The largest theatre on the South Coast, the Congress Theatre is host to touring West End musicals and plays, ballet, opera, comedy and live music, the range of live entertainment on offer is extensive and diverse.
The venue has a seating capacity of 1,680.
12 minutes by walk from Alexandra Hotel Eastbourne (0.6 miles) - The Royal Hippodrome Theatre is a theatre in Eastbourne which dates back to 1883 making it the oldest theatre in the town. It was designed and built for the theatre manager and impresario George Beaumont Loveday by the eminent theatre architect C J Phipps. The oldest Theatre in Eastbourne with the longest running Summer Season is providing entertainment for all ages and encouraging local youth and amateur theatre groups to use the premises, alongside the big stars who now visit regularly.
Collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for nearly 100 years, Towner Eastbourne presents an ambitious and high quality programme of historic, modern and contemporary art through temporary and collection based exhibitions, talks, events and creative activities for as many as 160,000 visitors each year. Founded in 1923 as a result of a bequest by Alderman John Chisholm Towner to create ‘an art gallery for the people’, this founding ethos remains at the heart of Towner’s mission. It was described by ITV News as "the region's biggest art gallery", in 2017.
Discover Eastbourne's rich heritage, see fascinating displays of original maps, pictures, artefacts and films.
Eastbourne Heritage Centre, originally known as Park Cottage, was built in 1880 as the residence for the manager of the Devonshire Park and Baths Company. This charming Grade II listed building was saved from demolition, restored and converted to become the heritage centre. Entirely run by volunteers, it is home to the Eastbourne Society - a registered charity - whose motto is 'Looking to the Future with an eye to the Past'.
The world class tennis courts at Devonshire Park play host to six major tennis tournaments each year. Every June, international tennis takes place with coverage beamed across the world on TV. Other tennis events include County tennis, junior and veteran events, all free to spectators.
Favoured by many world class tennis champions, these courts that are maintained all year round are often referred to as the best grass courts in the world and our groundsteam have won multiple awards.
The Sovereign Centre is a large leisure centre offering a wide range of facilities including a gym, fun pool with wave machine and flume, Aqua Challenge inflatable assault course, 25 meter gala swimming pool, diving pool, swimming lessons, gymnastics lessons, sauna and steam room, workout studio, sports hall available to hire, cafe and much more!
Treasure Island Adventure Park is a pirate-themed adventure park with a unique mix of indoor & outdoor attractions, to ensure a great day out - whatever the weather! Includes Treasure Island Outdoor Theme Park, Buccaneers Indoor Adventure, Pirates Adventure Golf and Hungry Pirate Cafe
Opened in 1993, Sovereign Harbour is northern Europe’s largest composite marina complex and boasts four linked harbours and the hugely popular Waterfront retail and restaurant development.
Situated at the eastern end of Eastbourne's seafront, the tidal Outer Harbour is only used for entrance to the marina through twin sea locks, which are operated 24 hours a day.
Herstmonceux Castle sits in woodland and formal gardens in the East Sussex countryside a few miles from the English Channel. The beautiful fifteenth-century castle was once the largest residential home in England and is now the oldest brick-built structure of any significance in the UK.
Today, the majestic, moated castle is the centrepiece of a beautiful 300-acre estate. There are seven formal gardens to explore all with their own characteristics including the Elizabethan Garden, the apothecary garden and the Shakespeare Garden.
The 530 feet high cliffs of Beachy Head give stunning views over Eastbourne and the English Channel.
Walk from the foot of Beachy Head or climb to the top for views of the famous red and white-stripped lighthouse.
Watch out in October as runners from across the world descend on the South Downs to take part in the Beachy Head Marathon, a gruelling 26-mile course across the famous beauty spot.
Stop off at the Beachy Head Pub for a drink and meal and enjoy the splendid panoramic views over Eastbourne.
Beachy Head is one of Eastbourne's most famous TV and film locations, used in Holywood blockbusters such as Harry Potter, James Bond, Pearl Harbour Robin Hood-Prince of Thieves, Notes on a Scandal, Wimbledon, and many TV series including Luther.
Birling Gap and Crowlink, near Eastbourne in East Sussex, are part of the world famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline on the south coast.
One minute you can be walking on ancient downland, the next you could be rockpooling below towering cliffs of chalk. Spectacular, unspoilt views of the sea can be seen from all angles.
Birling Gap provides a point of entry for coastal walks and you can find our café, shop and visitor centre here on the cliff top. The beach below is ideal for seaside picnics with its rock pools and areas of pebbles and sand. It is a first class example of a marine nature reserve.
The wild forces of the sea create unusual chalk platforms and huge heaps of gleaming white chalk as the cliffs erode at up to one metre a year. Birling Gap can get busy so for a more secluded walk venture inland at Birling Gap or Crowlink. With over 500 acres of open chalk grassland the area is rich with butterflies and downland flowers. Nearby sites of archaeological interest, like Belle Tout neolithic enclosure, have much to tempt families further along the coast.
Travel behind the famous one-eighth scale miniature locomotives as they meander for nearly a mile around the beautiful country park. Enjoy a pleasant stroll around the five-acre lake where nature and wildlife may be seen in their natural habitats. Visit ‘Grandmas Garden’, then get lost in the maze. Also for the children is an adventure playground to help “let off steam” and a play area for the under 5’s. Relax with a beverage, lunch or Cream Tea from the railway style cafe. Picnic areas, model railways and the Railway Gift Shop.
Make WILD memories and enjoy a great family day out at the award-winning Drusillas Park. Drusillas offers a loving home to over one hundred exotic animals, including sloths and penguins!