Eastbourne makes for the perfect getaway. Nestled below the South Downs and situated on a stunning stretch of coastline dotted with chalk sea cliffs. It is a wonderful place to enjoy days on the beach, country walks and cultural outings.

Port Hotel is situated at the centre of the action, right on the seafront. Making it the ideal place from which to explore all that Eastbourne and beyond has to offer. Below we have collated some of our favourite local activities for you to try out during your stay.

Why not start your day in the water? With a bit of wild swimming, paddle boarding or even kitesurfing. Prefer to keep your feet on dry land? Rent a bike and explore the surrounding countryside. Or if you are leaning towards something a little less active, wine tasting at a local vineyard may be more to your fancy. If you want to stay a little closer to home then you could always get creative at a local pottery class or wind-down the day with some yoga.

Wild Swimming

Wild swimming has really taken off in the last couple of years, especially with lock-downs forcing people to explore and appreciate the stunning British coastline. Eastbourne has some of the best spots to relish the joy of a cold water dip.

Cold water swimming has tons of benefits, from helping combat depression to boosting the immune system to improving your circulation. It’s also a great way to get outside, meet new people and stimulate those endorphins. You really will spend the rest of the day on a high.

You can either bring a wetsuit or brave it in a cossie. However it is advised during the colder months, that you wear a swimming cap or two, or even a woolly hat. Neoprene boots and gloves can also be very handy in keeping those extremities warm. Be sure to ease yourself into the water instead of diving straight in. You’ll want to have plenty of warm clothes to wrap yourself up in afterwards, and a hot tea from Port in a flask wouldn’t go amiss.

Join the Eastbourne Sea Swimmers who meet on the beach opposite the Langham hotel on Saturday and Sunday. The swim starts at 10am in the water.

Check out the Outdoor Swimmer magazine’s tips for more advice.

Paddle Boarding

Paddle boarding is the perfect way to explore the surrounding area. It makes for a wonderful day out for family and friends. Both fun and extremely peaceful. You can enjoy the stunning East Sussex scenery, slowly taking everything in, as the water laps alongside the board. It is also a great low impact workout that exercises the whole body.

Buzz Active runs private lessons, social sessions and tours from both their Eastbourne site and their site located on the Cuckmere river just a short drive away. You can join a taster intro session which lasts two hours, where you will learn the basics of balancing, steering and paddling. Then you can have an hour to enjoy a paddle on your own.

If you have a bit more experience, then you can join a group of other paddlers as you go down the river to the beach at Cuckmere Haven on a three hour round trip. Alternatively you can head in the other direction, accompanied by a group, as you set out for a day on the Cuckmere river towards Littlington and Alfriston, with a lunch break on the way.

A selection of dates are available throughout the Spring, Summer and early Autumn.

Check out their website for more information.

Kitesurfing

The Kitesurf Centre is only an hour drive away from Eastbourne, situated at the beautiful beach of Camber Sands. The location has ideal conditions for kitesurfing - strong winds, flat sandy beach and waist-deep water.

The centre has excellent facilities, a highly trained team and all the kit is brand new. They provide day courses as well as weekend, and even week-long courses. You can also book a private lesson, any day of the week between March and November.

Compared to other wind/watersports, kitesurfing is relatively easy to learn. It still takes time to perfect your technique, but you will feel like you are mastering an extreme sport in no time. If you haven’t tried kitesurfing, you should give it a go at least once. Sitting somewhere between surfing, sailing and flying, it is a thoroughly exhilarating sport.

An excellent form of exercise as it works on the whole body. It also makes for a great way to combat stress. Kitesurfing gets you outside and in the water, building a strong community along the way and flooding your body with endorphins. What more could you ask for?

Bike Rental

Cycling is an excellent way to explore Eastbourne. Rent a bike and ramble along the sea-front to the Marina for lunch. Or head in the other direction up to Beachy Head.

Eastbourne can also act as a great base for longer cycling trips in the surrounding East Sussex countryside. You can catch a train to Bexhill and cycle from Bexhill to Hastings along the seaside promenade, finishing with a delicious lunch at The Crown Pub in Hastings before jumping on the train back to Eastbourne.

The Cuckoo Trail is a completely traffic free route that follows a former railway track, making for an idyllic and satisfyingly flat ride, full of nature and wildlife.

For the mountain bikers, the South Downs Way is mainly off-road and provides some stunning scenery through the rolling hills of Sussex.

Let’s Bike Eastbourne offers affordable bike hire, with prices starting from £17 for 24 hours. They have a wide selection of bikes, with options for kids and adults.

Cadence Cycles has electrical bikes that you can hire from the central Eastbourne location. Make sure to try one of their delicious toasties before you head out.

Vineyards and Wine Tasting

Sussex has become home to an ever-growing new generation of winemakers. These vineyards work closely with the environment to create the best English wines. The region is ideal for growing grapes with its warm climate, high latitude and its positioning next to the sea. These wineries are wonderful places to visit. Not only do they make delicious wine, they are often set within impressive locations and are home to kitchens serving fantastic food.

Rathfinny Wine Estate is about a 30 minute drive from Eastbourne via some gorgeous countryside. Started in 2010, this winery produces some of the world’s finest sparkling wine. Rathfinny offers tours and wine tastings. Expect to find out all about the types of vines they grow as you walk through the land, with brilliant views out to the sea and the South Downs. Before heading into the RIBA-nominated Winery building for a wine tasting of current and previous vintages. Then you must treat yourself to lunch at one of the three wonderful dining options. Choose from the fancier Michelin Plate Tasting Room restaurant, to the more laid back Flint Barns Dining Room or the seasonal Flint Barns Bank & Marquee for a snacking summer menu.

Slightly further afield but most definitely worth a visit are a number of other vineyards, all serving up delicious wine and tasty food set within stunning landscapes are - Bolney Wine Estate, Oxney Organic Estate, Wiston Estate and purveyors of natural English wines, Tillingham.

Pottery Class

Ever wanted to get hands on at a pottery class? Tempted to have a go throwing on the wheel?

Well Eastbourne Studio Pottery runs taster classes on Saturday mornings. These sessions will teach you the basics and offer a real insight into pottery. At the end of the session you will choose two pieces that will then be fired and glazed. These can then be picked up on your next trip down to Eastbourne.

Pottery can be an incredibly satisfying creative outlet whilst also being extremely relaxing and meditative. Everyone should give it a go. It's the perfect holiday activity to help you unwind and get those creative juices flowing.

Yoga Class

Whether you are new to yoga or have a strong practice, Yoga Eastbourne has a wide variety of classes to suit every ability and mood. Choose from Nourishing yoga, Gentle Hatha Yoga, Rise and Flow yoga, or even Beach yoga.

Yoga is a wonderfully beneficial practice for both body and mind. Working through a series of movements linked with the breath, yoga is all about bringing your back to yourself and calming the nervous system. It can have a huge impact on your day to day life - reducing stress, calming anxiety, lowering inflammation and soothing aches and pains.

This is the perfect addition to any trip away. Helping you switch off and tune out the noise. A practice at the beginning of your stay will set the tone for more to come. Whilst a session at the end of your stay will be the perfect way to seal in all that relaxation.

Whatever you decide to do on your holiday, please share your photos with us on Instagram @stayatport #stayatport.

We’d lke to add to this feature with guest recommendations so can’t wait to see where your port of call is when you stay at Port.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to Emma Croman for photography.

Activities To Do in Eastbourne