Serviced Apartments in Hastings

Discover the best activities and attractions Hastings has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Hastings Pier
Reopened in 2016 after a community-led restoration, Hastings Pier has become a focal point for seafront regeneration, drawing day visitors and event crowds that boost nearby cafés, hotels and shops. Its open-plan design and year-round programme of concerts, markets and family events create direct employment and support local creative and catering businesses. The pier is popular because it combines panoramic sea views with a lively events calendar and offers an accessible, modern public space that symbolizes Hastings’s post-storm revival.

Hastings Old Town & The Stade
Hastings Old Town and the Stade (the shingle beach and its historic net shops) act as the cultural and commercial heart of the town’s maritime heritage — supporting independent retailers, family-run cafés and the working fishing fleet that still lands daily catches. The area sustains local livelihoods (fishermen, antique dealers, small restaurateurs) and draws a steady stream of tourists keen on authentic seaside culture. It’s special for its narrow, medieval streets, the distinctive black wooden net-shops unique to Hastings, fresh seafood stalls on the beach and a concentrated cluster of antique and artisan shops not found elsewhere on the south coast.

Smugglers Adventure & Hastings Castle
Housed in the vaults beneath the castle ruins, Smugglers Adventure is a hands-on, family-friendly attraction that celebrates local smuggling lore, while the nearby Hastings Castle (founded after 1066) connects visitors to the town’s Norman-era history. Together they support heritage tourism and school visits, providing jobs in guiding, retail and conservation and encouraging longer visitor stays in the town. The attraction is popular for its atmospheric caves, immersive displays and the dramatic cliff-top ruins that offer both history and impressive coastal views.

Hastings Contemporary (seafront gallery)
This purpose-built contemporary art gallery on the seafront brings rotating exhibitions of modern and contemporary artists to Hastings, stimulating cultural tourism and strengthening the town’s creative economy through exhibitions, workshops and local partnerships. It raises Hastings’s cultural profile beyond the region, attracting visitors who also spend in nearby cafés, shops and accommodation. The gallery’s intimate scale, seaside setting and changing programme make it a special destination for art lovers seeking contemporary work outside major cities.

Hastings Country Park & Coastal Walks (including 1066 Country Walk links)
This extensive stretch of cliffs, woodland and downland is a designated nature reserve that underpins local conservation efforts and draws walkers, cyclists and birdwatchers whose spending supports rural pubs, B&Bs and outdoor guides. The park contributes to biodiversity, volunteering and environmental education in the community while linking to historic routes (such as the 1066 Country Walk) that bring history-minded tourists into the area. It’s popular for dramatic coastal scenery, rich wildlife (including butterflies and seabirds), and varied walking routes with panoramic views over the Channel.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Hastings, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Rail services (National Rail) - Hastings has several railway stations (Hastings, St Leonards Warrior Square, West St Leonards, Ore) with frequent regional and commuter services linking to London (Charing Cross/London Bridge), Ashford (connections to High Speed services), Brighton/Eastbourne and other Sussex towns; services are run by the main national operators and provide the principal fast inter‑urban links.
- Local buses - A comprehensive local and interurban bus network serves Hastings and surrounding towns (Bexhill, Rye, Battle, Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells); routes cover urban neighbourhoods, the seafront and rural villages, with regular timetables and interchange at the town centre bus stops.
- Long‑distance coaches - National and regional coach services operate to and from Hastings for longer journeys (including services to London and other major cities), offering an alternative to rail for some routes.
- Taxis and ride‑hailing - Licensed local taxis, private hire vehicles and app‑based ride‑hailing operate across Hastings for short trips, station transfers and late‑night travel; taxi ranks are located at key hubs such as the railway station and town centre.
- Park & Ride / Park & Rail options - Park-and-rail and town centre car parks support commuters and visitors using rail and bus services; several larger car parks provide day parking and links into public transport.
- No direct cross‑channel ferry - Hastings does not have scheduled passenger ferry services to continental Europe; nearest ferry ports for cross‑channel sailings are Dover and Newhaven, with ferry and tunnel connections accessible by road or rail.

Major Highways
- A21 - Main northbound trunk road linking Hastings area to Tunbridge Wells and onward connections toward the M25 and London.
- A259 - Coastal arterial route running through Hastings, providing east–west links along the Sussex coast to Bexhill, Rye, Eastbourne and beyond.
- A27 (via nearby links) - Major east–west south coast route accessible via connecting roads, providing faster coastal links toward Brighton, Chichester and connections to other south coast towns.
- A2100 - Regional route serving Battle and providing an alternative link north from the Hastings area into the local road network.
- Access to national motorways (M25/M23/M20) - The local A‑road network provides links to the national motorway system (M25, M23, M20) for journeys toward London, Gatwick and the wider motorway network.

Cycling Infrastructure
- National Cycle Network and local cycle lanes - Hastings is served by National Cycle Network Route 2 along the coast and a mix of on‑road cycle lanes, traffic‑calmed streets, signed cycle routes and seafront cycle paths in and around the town; the council has developed plans and small‑scale improvements (bike parking, junction upgrades and segregated sections) to encourage cycling and better links to neighbouring towns.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Bexhill–Hastings Link Road (completed mid‑2010s) - Major new link road built to improve east–west traffic flow, reduce congestion through urban streets and shorten journeys between Hastings and Bexhill.
- Station and passenger‑information upgrades - Ongoing works and funding rounds have targeted station accessibility, waiting facilities and real‑time information systems at Hastings and nearby stations to improve the passenger experience.
- Active travel and cycling projects (LCWIP / local schemes) - Local authority programmes and funding (including Active Travel grants and Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans) have delivered and planned new cycle lanes, pedestrian improvements, secure parking and safer junctions to promote walking and cycling.
- Bus fleet and service improvements - Incremental upgrades to bus fleets (lower‑emission vehicles and timetable enhancements) and investment in bus stop infrastructure and passenger information are planned or being implemented to improve local services.
- EV charging and parking improvements - Expansion of electric vehicle charging points and upgrades to public car parks (including improved management and accessibility) to support greener travel choices and longer‑distance drivers.
- Proposals for rail service enhancements - There are ongoing discussions and proposals (including longer‑term aspirations such as improved Marshlink/Ashford connections and potential electrification discussions) intended to shorten journey times and increase reliability on the rail corridor serving Hastings; some elements are subject to feasibility studies, funding bids and stakeholder agreement.
- Levelling‑Up / town regeneration transport elements - Regeneration funding and town‑deal initiatives include transport and public‑realm elements designed to improve connectivity within Hastings and between major hubs, with schemes in various stages from planning to delivery.