Any advice on: Overnight trip to Coast from London with a 5yr old
 

Hi,

We are based just South of London, have a car and want to do an overnight trip, pref to the coast, although not a must. We are looking to drive about and hour and a half away from London or so. I am travelling with a 5 yr old and a 72yr old lady so ....any recommendations of a nice place to visit?? Thanks!

How about Lymington in Hampshire. Beaulieu, New Forest/ponies and all, ferry over to the Isle of Wight . . . depending on where you are starting from south of London could be just w/i your 1.5 hr drive.

I used to take breaks from London to Portsmouth . . I used the train but driving should be easy also.

Swanage is nice - Corfe Castle, Lulworth Cove - not sure if that is within your 90 minute drive, but even if it isn't is a good destination.

To me, most areas due south of London, along the Sussex coast. are pretty nondescript.

I was going to suggest Lulworth Cove/the Dorset coast but that may be too long a drive which is what I suggested the New Forest which is nearer. One could always hit Lulworth Cove/Corfe Castle from a base in Lymington.

Eastbourne is a favorite with Kentish folk themselves (though like most British seaside resorts a bit fading with the advent of cheap holidays to Spain, Greece, etc) - nice beach though town in geared to oldsters holidaying there or living there like in our Florida - nothing stupendous other than a decent seaside town for young kiddies and oldsters alike.

https://www.google.com/search?q=east...=1600&bih=1075

Eastbourne BTW may not be in Kent but is a favorite of Kentish folk who go to this nearby palce - but places in Kent that I have liked that offer seaside accoutrements include Margate (though last when I was there appealed to a rather young loutish crowd from London) - Broadstairs - much more classy - Charles Dickens museum in this sweet old-worldish place overlooking the Channel - Sandwich and Deal are neighboring seaside towns with nice beaches and a lot of history and even Dover itself - a nice enough beach and the castle of your dreams - Dover Castle perched high above town guarding the famous port. Hit Canterbury and see its historic cathedral en route to any of the above.

If you want a safe beach for young children, Camber Sands has miles of sand and a gently shelving beach. It was a popular day trip for us from South East London as kids. Stay overnight in Rye.

Thanks everyone for the replies!

Stay overnight in Rye.>

certainly one of the prettiest cities in all of the U K - not on the beach per se any more but just a few miles from the really nice beach anicecupoftea talks about - Rye is one of the original Cinque Ports so has a long long history and today is known for its half-timbered buildings. And for a real treat for kiddo there is the famous Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch steam railway which rolls thru famous marches - a tourist railway but fun for families! All aboard!

http://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/f...h_Railway/2106

There are also the boat trips and steam train in the Norfolk Broads area. Fun for the grownups too. I know.

http://www.bvrw.co.uk/trains/boattrain.asp

The Broads are a bit far from South London - it will take 2.5 - 3 hours.

The Suffolk coast is a bit closer, although still around 2 hours, but Walberswick or Southwold will give you old fashioned genteel seaside charm, with good beer thrown in. Or Orford, a pretty village with a castle - take a boat trip over to Orford Ness to wander in the nature reserve among the deserted MoD once-top-secret buildings (more interesting than it sounds).

"The Broads are a bit far from South London - it will take 2.5 - 3 hours."

Farther but unique in England.

I was thinking train, just under 2 hours to Norwich from Liverpool St.

The Broads are great. But being <i>south</i> of London and wanting a 1.5-ish hours drive . . . I personally don't think they make sense here. Probably need to add an additional hour to get from <i>wherever</i> you are south of London. IMO you'll be better off sticking to S/SW/SE of London.

"I personally don't think they make sense here."

Possibly not, unless it sounds appealing enough to the ones actually making the trip.

>>Possibly not, unless it sounds appealing enough to the ones actually making the trip.<<

There are MANY very nice places on water, the Broads included. . . however the OP's brief only really mentioned two things - they are <i>south</i> of London and want to be hopefully w/i a 90 min drive. Heck, Cornwall would be nice . . . doesn't fit what they are looking for.

I have reread the original request and I guess I read more flexibility into it than others here do. I have nothing invested beyond providing the suggestion which I'm sure has been received.

MadameLost: It was good info anyway you provided - so many folks like me read these posts who have a wide-range of interests so could be valuable. Merci!

You're welcome, my pleasure.

Still Lost

I was going to suggest Rye and Camber sands.

nearby Winchelsea is pretty nice too.

if you are fans of Foyle's War, you might try Hastings.