Discover Camber Sands, Rye and the East Sussex coast
There’s far more to this corner of the coast than a day on the beach.
From the rolling dunes of Camber Sands and the cobbled streets of Rye to quiet coastal walks, brilliant local food, wildlife, vineyards, galleries and family adventures, there is plenty to discover while you’re here.
We live and work locally, so this is where we share the places we genuinely think are worth your time. Whether you’re planning an entire week, looking for somewhere for lunch or wondering what to do when the weather changes, start exploring below.
Discover Camber Sands
Camber is best known for its huge sweep of golden sand, but there’s plenty more to discover once you arrive.
Spend a morning exploring the dunes, walk or cycle towards Rye, try your hand at watersports or simply find a quiet stretch of beach and settle in for the day. The surrounding landscape is wonderfully open, with Romney Marsh, Rye Harbour and the Kent coast all within easy reach.
Families can fill days with sandcastles, kite flying and coastal adventures, while walkers, cyclists and dog owners have miles of shoreline and countryside to explore.
If this is your first visit, start with our Camber Sands guide, where you’ll find everything from the beach and parking to places to eat, walks and ideas for days out.
Camber Sands guide
Everything you need to plan your time at Camber, including the beach, dunes, parking, food and things to do.
Romantic restaurants in Rye and Camber: our recommended places
Choose a romantic restaurant in Rye or Camber from our current shortlist, with honest advice on menus, booking, dogs, access and taxis.
Proposal ideas in Camber Sands and Rye: how to plan it well
Plan a proposal around Camber Sands or Rye with honest advice on location, privacy, tides, weather, photography, dinner and where to stay.
A two-night romantic winter break in Camber and Rye from London
Use this relaxed two-night itinerary for a winter couple’s break from London to Camber Sands and Rye, with travel, food and weather planning.
A romantic weekend in Camber Sands and Rye
Plan a romantic weekend in Camber Sands and Rye with beach walks, old-town food, winter ideas and honest advice on where to stay.
Camber, Rye, Winchelsea or Pett Level: where should couples stay?
Compare Camber, Rye, Winchelsea and Pett Level for a romantic coastal break, including atmosphere, food, beach access and transport.
Where to stay without a car: Rye, Camber or Winchelsea?
Compare Rye, Camber Sands and Winchelsea for a car-free break, including station access, beaches, food, buses, taxis and the best fit for your plans.
A car-free weekend in Rye and Camber Sands
Plan a two-night car-free weekend in Rye and Camber Sands, with a simple arrival, beach time, Rye food and a flexible wet-weather option.
London to Camber Sands by train: a weekend journey that works
Travel from London to Camber Sands by train via Ashford and Rye, with practical advice on connections, tickets, luggage and the final bus or taxi.
Rye station to Camber Sands: bus, taxi or bike?
Compare the 100 bus, a pre-booked taxi and cycling from Rye station to Camber Sands, with practical advice for luggage, evenings and families.
Camber Sands without a car: our practical guide
Plan a car-free Camber Sands break with the train route via Rye, the 100 bus, taxi advice, food planning and honest guidance on where to stay.
Local walks around Camber
From an easy stroll along the sands to routes towards Rye, Rye Harbour and the surrounding marshes.
Proposal ideas in Camber Sands and Rye: how to plan it well
Plan a proposal around Camber Sands or Rye with honest advice on location, privacy, tides, weather, photography, dinner and where to stay.
A car-free weekend in Rye and Camber Sands
Plan a two-night car-free weekend in Rye and Camber Sands, with a simple arrival, beach time, Rye food and a flexible wet-weather option.
Pett Level beach: what to know before you go
Plan a visit to Pett Level beach with honest local advice on shingle, low tide, safety, dogs, walks and combining the coast with Winchelsea and Rye.
Our recommended walks around Winchelsea and Pett Level
Choose a walk around Winchelsea and Pett Level, from a short town wander to the official 6.5-mile circular, with terrain and safety advice.
Pett Level with children: how to plan a safe coastal day
Plan a family visit to Pett Level with honest advice on supervision, tides, shingle, rock pools, facilities and combining the beach with Winchelsea.
A quiet weekend in Winchelsea and Pett Level
Plan a quiet weekend in Winchelsea and Pett Level with a coastal walk, historic town, Rye lunch and a cottage base close to the sea.
Rock pooling, fossils and the petrified forest at Pett Level
Explore Pett Level at low tide with practical advice on rock pools, fossils, the petrified forest, responsible collecting and coastal safety.
Visiting Rye Harbour Nature Reserve with a dog
Our recommended dog walks near Camber Sands and Rye
A dog-friendly weekend in Camber Sands and Rye
Family beach days
Plan a family day at Camber Sands with our guide to the beach, parking, facilities and things to know before you go.
October half term in Camber Sands
Ideas for beach days, family adventures and autumn exploring during the October school holidays.
birdwatching rye harbour nature-reserve
October half term in Camber Sands
Things to do in Rye during October half term
Discover Rye
Just a few miles inland, Rye feels completely different.
Medieval streets, old inns, independent shops, galleries and an unusually good collection of places to eat make it easy to lose a day wandering around without much of a plan.
Start around Mermaid Street and the historic centre before exploring the antique shops, cafés and galleries tucked between the cobbles. If you fancy stretching your legs, walk towards Rye Harbour Nature Reserve or follow the River Rother out towards the coast.
Rye is particularly good when the weather isn’t cooperating with your beach plans. You can spend the morning browsing shops and galleries, stop somewhere cosy for lunch and still be back at Camber in time for an evening walk across the sand.
Where to eat in Rye and Camber
Local seafood, relaxed cafés, pubs, special-occasion restaurants and some of our favourite places to eat.
Arts and culture along the coast
Explore galleries and creative destinations around Rye, Hastings, Folkestone and the wider coast.
A local guide to Rye
What to see, where to wander and the places worth adding to your stay.
What’s on in Rye and nearby
Seasonal events, festivals and reasons to plan another visit.
Romantic restaurants in Rye and Camber: our recommended places
Choose a romantic restaurant in Rye or Camber from our current shortlist, with honest advice on menus, booking, dogs, access and taxis.
Proposal ideas in Camber Sands and Rye: how to plan it well
Plan a proposal around Camber Sands or Rye with honest advice on location, privacy, tides, weather, photography, dinner and where to stay.
A two-night romantic winter break in Camber and Rye from London
Use this relaxed two-night itinerary for a winter couple’s break from London to Camber Sands and Rye, with travel, food and weather planning.
A romantic weekend in Camber Sands and Rye
Plan a romantic weekend in Camber Sands and Rye with beach walks, old-town food, winter ideas and honest advice on where to stay.
Camber, Rye, Winchelsea or Pett Level: where should couples stay?
Compare Camber, Rye, Winchelsea and Pett Level for a romantic coastal break, including atmosphere, food, beach access and transport.
Where to stay without a car: Rye, Camber or Winchelsea?
Compare Rye, Camber Sands and Winchelsea for a car-free break, including station access, beaches, food, buses, taxis and the best fit for your plans.
A car-free weekend in Rye and Camber Sands
Plan a two-night car-free weekend in Rye and Camber Sands, with a simple arrival, beach time, Rye food and a flexible wet-weather option.
London to Camber Sands by train: a weekend journey that works
Travel from London to Camber Sands by train via Ashford and Rye, with practical advice on connections, tickets, luggage and the final bus or taxi.
Rye station to Camber Sands: bus, taxi or bike?
Compare the 100 bus, a pre-booked taxi and cycling from Rye station to Camber Sands, with practical advice for luggage, evenings and families.
Camber Sands without a car: our practical guide
Plan a car-free Camber Sands break with the train route via Rye, the 100 bus, taxi advice, food planning and honest guidance on where to stay.
Discover Winchelsea & Pett Level
For something quieter, head west towards Winchelsea and Pett Level.
This part of the coast swaps Camber’s sweeping sand for open countryside, shingle beaches, rock pools and enormous skies. It’s a lovely choice for slower days, long walks and afternoons where you don’t particularly need an itinerary.
Explore historic Winchelsea, follow the coastline towards Pett Level or combine a beach walk with Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. At low tide there’s even more coastline to investigate, making it particularly good for curious children and anyone happiest outside.
It’s also an excellent antidote to the busier summer months. Pack a picnic, bring the walking boots and take your time.
Historic Winchelsea
Explore Winchelsea’s historic streets, old town gates and St Thomas the Martyr before heading down to the coast.
Arts and culture along the coast
Explore galleries and creative destinations around Rye, Hastings, Folkestone and the wider coast.
A local guide to Winchelsea and Pett Level
What to see, where to wander and the places worth adding to your stay.
Seasonal ideas for your stay
Seasonal events, festivals and reasons to plan another visit.
Where to stay without a car: Rye, Camber or Winchelsea?
Compare Rye, Camber Sands and Winchelsea for a car-free break, including station access, beaches, food, buses, taxis and the best fit for your plans.
Pett Level beach: what to know before you go
Plan a visit to Pett Level beach with honest local advice on shingle, low tide, safety, dogs, walks and combining the coast with Winchelsea and Rye.
Our recommended walks around Winchelsea and Pett Level
Choose a walk around Winchelsea and Pett Level, from a short town wander to the official 6.5-mile circular, with terrain and safety advice.
Pett Level with children: how to plan a safe coastal day
Plan a family visit to Pett Level with honest advice on supervision, tides, shingle, rock pools, facilities and combining the beach with Winchelsea.
A quiet weekend in Winchelsea and Pett Level
Plan a quiet weekend in Winchelsea and Pett Level with a coastal walk, historic town, Rye lunch and a cottage base close to the sea.
Rock pooling, fossils and the petrified forest at Pett Level
Explore Pett Level at low tide with practical advice on rock pools, fossils, the petrified forest, responsible collecting and coastal safety.
Camber, Rye or Winchelsea and Pett Level: where should you stay?
Winchelsea and Pett Level: our local guide
Find your kind of day
Family adventures
Beach days, castles, animals, steam trains, outdoor adventures and rainy-day rescues. Find days out that work for children without making the adults miserable.
Eat & drink
From seafood by the coast and relaxed pub lunches to Rye restaurants, local produce and Sussex vineyards, eating well is one of the easiest parts of staying here.
Walks & wild places
Dunes, marshland, beaches, nature reserves and countryside trails all sit within a remarkably small area. Pick something short before lunch or disappear for most of the day.
Arts & culture
Rye’s galleries are only the beginning. Follow the coast towards Hastings and Folkestone and you’ll find exhibitions, studios, historic houses and some genuinely brilliant contemporary art.
Dog-friendly adventures
Long beach walks, pub stops, countryside routes and plenty of space to burn off some energy. Discover some of our favourite places to explore with four-legged visitors.
Seasonal guides
Half-term adventures, festive days out and quieter coastal breaks. Find ideas for the time of year you are visiting Camber Sands, Rye and the surrounding coast.
A little local knowledge goes a long way
There are plenty of generic lists telling you the “top 10 things to do in East Sussex.”
That isn’t really what this guide is for.
We want to help you find the places we would actually recommend to friends staying here. Sometimes that’s one of the area’s best-known attractions. Sometimes it’s a stretch of beach, an independent café, a great walk or somewhere you might drive straight past if nobody told you to stop.
Keep exploring our guides, or get in touch if you’re staying with us and need a recommendation.
Make a stay of it
The difficult part isn’t finding things to do. It’s fitting them all in.
Our holiday cottages put Camber Sands, Rye, Winchelsea, Pett Level and the surrounding East Sussex and Kent coast within easy reach, whether you’re planning a family beach holiday, a weekend away or a few quiet days by the sea.
Explore with the seasons
There’s no wrong season for the coast
Summer might get most of the attention, but some of our favourite days here happen once the crowds have gone.
Spring brings longer walks and the first proper days outdoors. Autumn means quieter beaches, big skies and half-term adventures. Winter is made for windswept walks followed by somewhere warm for lunch.
Explore our latest seasonal guides and find out what’s happening during your stay.
A romantic weekend in Camber Sands and Rye
Plan a romantic weekend in Camber Sands and Rye with beach walks, old-town food, winter ideas and honest advice on where to stay.
A two-night romantic winter break in Camber and Rye from London
Use this relaxed two-night itinerary for a winter couple’s break from London to Camber Sands and Rye, with travel, food and weather planning.
What to pack for a winter break in Camber Sands and Rye
Camber Sands in winter: beach walks, tides and staying safe
48 hours in Camber Sands and Rye: a relaxed winter itinerary
A winter weekend in Camber Sands from London
Bonfire nights and fireworks near Camber Sands
November breaks in Camber Sands
October half term in Camber Sands
Halloween in Rye and Camber 2026
Frequently asked questions
What are the best things to do near Camber Sands?
Start with Camber Sands itself before exploring nearby Rye, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, Winchelsea and Pett Level. The area is particularly good for beach days, walking, cycling, watersports, family attractions, local food and historic towns.
Is there more to do around Camber Sands than the beach?
Absolutely. Rye is only a short journey away, while Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, local vineyards, historic castles, galleries, walking routes and family attractions make it easy to plan several very different days during one stay.
What can families do near Camber Sands?
Alongside the beach and dunes, families can explore nature reserves, castles, wildlife attractions, watersports, cycling routes and plenty of attractions across East Sussex and Kent.
What can you do near Camber Sands when it rains?
Rye is a good place to start, with independent shops, cafés, historic attractions, galleries and an independent cinema. There are also museums, galleries and indoor attractions throughout the surrounding coast.
Where should I visit near Rye and Camber Sands?
Winchelsea, Pett Level, Rye Harbour, Dungeness and Hastings are all worth exploring, with each offering a very different side of the East Sussex and Kent coast.