Holidays in Skegness

Beach water quality

Official Environment Agency classifications for designated bathing waters near Skegness.

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More around Skegness

Skegness is a proper Lincolnshire seaside town: wide sands, amusements, fish and chips eaten out of paper, and enough indoor options to rescue a wet Tuesday. It works best if you treat it as a base rather than a single destination — there's plenty in the town itself, and a scattering of museums and wildlife places across the wider area for the days you fancy a drive.

The family favourites

If you're travelling with children, the obvious anchors are all within easy reach of the front. Fantasy Island is the big one — a theme park that can swallow the best part of a day, and the sort of place where you'll want to agree a leaving time before you go in. Captain Kids Adventure World and Pleasure Land cover the same ground on a smaller, calmer scale, which suits younger children or a shorter attention span.

For something gentler, Fairy Dell Paddling Pool is a classic seaside paddling spot that costs nothing to enjoy and keeps toddlers happy for an hour. Skegness Water Leisure Park gives you water-based fun a little away from the arcades. And Natureland Seal Sanctuary is the one most families put top of the list — seals, feeding times and a strong dose of "can we stay a bit longer". The Seal Sanctuary is another Skegness option along similar lines if you're building a wildlife-themed day.

When it rains

Lincolnshire weather being what it is, have a plan B in your back pocket:

Play Factory Louth in Cleethorpes — indoor play, ideal for burning off energy when the beach is out of the question.
The Jungle Zoo, also in Cleethorpes, for animals without the exposure.
Escape 2 Play over in Rutland, worth it if you're already heading that way.
The Lynn Museum and the Holkham Stories Experience, both around Hunstanton, for a quieter, more grown-up sort of afternoon.

Indoor attractions fill up quickly on wet school-holiday days, so aim to arrive at opening rather than after lunch.

Heritage and slower days

Gunby Hall is the National Trust property in the area and the natural choice for a garden-and-house day — good for a wander when you've had your fill of arcades. The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is the standout for anyone with an interest in wartime history, and it tends to hold the attention of teenagers who claim not to like museums.

Smaller and more unusual: the Gordon Boswell Romany Museum and North Ings Farm Museum, both in Lincolnshire, are the sort of places run with real care and best visited without rushing. Further afield in Norfolk, Shirehall Museum and Abbey Grounds and The House of Correction make a decent pairing if you're spending a full day away from the coast.

How to group it into a sensible day

Don't try to mix the theme parks with the museums — the pace is too different and you'll end up rushing both.

Classic seaside day: morning at Natureland Seal Sanctuary, lunch on the front, then Fantasy Island or Pleasure Land through the afternoon, finishing with chips.
Little ones' day: Fairy Dell Paddling Pool and the beach in the morning, Captain Kids Adventure World after lunch when legs are tired.
Quiet day: Gunby Hall in the morning, a pub lunch, then the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.
Day trip out: Cleethorpes for The Jungle Zoo and Play Factory Louth, treated as a single outing rather than squeezed around anything else.

Where to eat

Fish and chips is the default, and rightly so — The Village Chippy and Sea Chef both hold 5-star hygiene ratings, which is worth checking when you're eating out every day of a holiday. For a sit-down meal, The Ancient Mariner Inn, Admiral Benbow and The Red Lion are pubs with the same top rating. Book ahead for evenings in high summer, and if you're feeding children after a long day at Fantasy Island, eat earlier than you think you need to.

Turning it into a short break

Three or four nights is the sweet spot. Give yourself one seafront day, one wildlife or heritage day, and one flexible day held back for whatever the forecast allows. There are 391 places to stay on BritStays across the region, from self-catering bases handy for the beach to quieter spots inland if you'd rather drive in each morning.

Practical points: parking near the front is tightest between about mid-morning and mid-afternoon, so arrive early or walk in. Take layers even in August — the Lincolnshire coast is breezy. Check seasonal opening before you set off, as several of the smaller museums and the theme parks run reduced hours outside the summer. And keep one indoor option unbooked and unvisited until the end of the trip; you'll be glad of it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best attraction in Skegness for young children?

Captain Kids Adventure World and Pleasure Land are both smaller-scale theme parks that suit younger children better than a full day at Fantasy Island. Fairy Dell Paddling Pool is also a good, low-cost option for toddlers, and Natureland Seal Sanctuary is popular across all ages.

What can we do in Skegness if it rains?

Play Factory Louth and The Jungle Zoo, both in Cleethorpes, are good wet-weather choices, as is Escape 2 Play in Rutland. For something quieter, The Lynn Museum and the Holkham Stories Experience near Hunstanton work well. Try to arrive at opening time, as indoor attractions get busy on wet school-holiday days.

Is there a National Trust property near Skegness?

Yes — Gunby Hall is the National Trust property in the area. It suits a slower day of house and garden wandering, and pairs well with a pub lunch and an afternoon at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.

Where can we see seals near Skegness?

Natureland Seal Sanctuary in Skegness is the best known option, and The Seal Sanctuary is another Skegness choice if you're building a wildlife-themed day. The Butterfly and Wildlife Parh near Hunstanton and The Jungle Zoo in Cleethorpes add more animal options further afield.

Where should we eat in Skegness?

The Village Chippy and Sea Chef are fish and chip shops with 5-star hygiene ratings. For a sit-down meal, The Ancient Mariner Inn, Admiral Benbow and The Red Lion all hold the same top rating. Book ahead in high summer and eat earlier in the evening if you have tired children.

How many days do you need for a Skegness break?

Three or four nights works well. Allow one day for the seafront and Fantasy Island, one for wildlife or heritage such as Gunby Hall or the Gordon Boswell Romany Museum, and keep one day flexible for the weather. There are 391 places to stay on BritStays across the region.

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