Hastings is one of the medieval Cinque Ports on the south coast and today remains a fishing port with the UK’s largest beach-based fishing fleet.
Hastings has a long beachfront, which is divided into separate beaches, and we have combined all into one Hastings Beach Guide. The beachfront runs from the fishing quarter and the Old Town in the East, through the traditional seaside of funfairs and amusement arcades at Pelham Place, the renovated pier, the less busy Marina area of St Leonards, and finishing up at Bulverhythe.
The beach is like many Sussex beaches consisting of pebbles but as the tide goes out, you get plenty of sand to enjoy.
Facilities include car parking, toilets, showers, wheelchair access, pier, deck chair hire, sunbed hire, zoned areas with seasonal lifeguard cover and a range of cafes and restaurants.
Dog restrictions are complicated in Hastings and we do advise that you should check the local signage but from East to West we have:
- Rock-A-Nore Beach has dog restrictions in place between groynes 1 and 3 during the peak season 1 May – 30 September.
- The Stade Beach allows dogs all year.
- Hastings Beach to the East of the Pier is the main family beach that runs on either side of the pier. Also known as Pelham Beach, runs from the Harbour Arm to the Pier, which does not allow dogs between the 1st of May and the 30th of September.
- Hastings Beach to the West of Pier up to St. Leonards Beach is dog-friendly all year.
- Note that Hastings Pier allows dogs on the decking whilst kept on leads but dogs are not allowed inside pier buildings.
- St. Leonards On Sea Beach has a dog-free zone from the 1st of May to the 30th of September, running between Warrior Square and The Royal Victoria Hotel (groynes 32 and 42.
- Bulverhythe Beach also known as West St Leonards Beach is dog-friendly and when the tide is out you may get to see The Amsterdam shipwreck.
