Is Worthing worth visiting?
I didn’t know Worthing until Travelodge website showed me. Driven by curiosity I googled the place and realized it is the west of Brighton, with a local bus route 700 connecting both places as well as Goring by Sea and even Littlehampton.
From the ordinary travel guide perspective, Worthing may not be worth visiting. But if you’re able to jump out that “checkpoint” perspective, I am sure you will love Worthing more and more.
I have been there twice in March this year (2025), and believe I will come back.
Hotels contribute to my travel experience
I love travelling to different places while preferring overnight stay with day trip even when it’s possible. Staying in different places from my usual home is a sort of ritual to experience switching to environments where I already get used to, and thus become more inspired to, like, new ideas of life when going back.
The oldest hotel in the town — Chatsworth Hotel
I stayed in three hotels there. Chatsworth Hotel has the longest history in the town. I was once struggling to its 7/10 rating but finally decided to stay only one night first, with another night in Travelodge to minimize the possible bad experience.
I chose a twin room facing the garden, with a side sea view which surprised me. The first time I stayed in a classic hotel with £43 in March, which was very valuable!
I would try the room with rear facing which is facing Stagecoach bus garage, in which many people can find it annoying due to the noise of the buses when I find it great to sketch it.
When chained hotels have sea view
There are usually many options in the coastal towns, with some along the coast with some sea view rooms and some inwards with street view only. In Worthing, the two big hotel groups have beautiful rooms facing the sea.
If you want to make sure you can enjoy the ocean view, Premier Inn has the option for customers. From my research their Plus rooms have much bigger windows. Unfortunately those rooms were available when booking, and so I chose the basic room with views instead.
The room was still great as usual! The only thing was that the room had a little terrace which couldn’t be accessible so the view was a bit imperfect.
Travelodge’s view is better without anything blocking so that I can see as far as Worthing Pier. However it doesn’t have an option of ensure the view thus the booking will be like a kind of lucky draw.
I was lucky to have a single room, although I couldn’t have a refurnished one when they were introducing the better design in this hotel.
Cafe-by-sea
Not all coffee shops are near the sea. Besides getting one to enjoy along the beach, there are three worth visiting.
M&S Cafe is on the second floor with a great perfect sea view facing Worthing Lido. It’s also great to do urban sketching when the weather is not warm enough for us to stay outdoors.
Coast Cafe has both outdoors in front of the cafe building, as well as indoors on the upstairs too.
The last one is Perch on the Parade. Great breakfast for sure!
Architecture
If you love architecture, check out Worthing Pier, Worthing Lido, the theatre and one of the oldest cinemas in the UK — the Dome.
Worthing Pier is art deco, while the lido is the mix of Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian buildings. If you walk farther away from the town centre, you can see more modern and art deco architectures.
The Dome is one of the oldest cinemas in Worthing opened in 1911. The Grade II* listed building is still in business with 3 screens. Feel free to visit even if you don't want to pay for a movie, or have a coffee or beer there. I used to think if it was a good idea for opting the biggest screen (Screen 1) to have the classic experience but couldn't justify for a film that I didn't prefer. The ticket is as cheap as like £4.5 so I will try to make it next time.
Better seas
How about if you don’t satisfy with the sea of Worthing? Walk, or even take 700 bus as far as Goring by Sea and Littlehampton (it can even reach Portsmouth but too far away).
Avoid the summer crowds
Summer should be the best season to the beach with a lot of street foods and events and comfortable weather especially for swimming. That said, it can be too crowded, too noisy and too expensive in terms of hotel prices for some people.
Seasons other than summer can also be great seasons. Quieter, less tourists, much cheaper hotel prices and even an upgrade. The shorter daytime allows me to spend more time on my lovely hotel room to enjoy solo with self care, music and sketching. Travel can be exploring inwards besides outwards.
More
Worthing
South England
Kent
Folkestone
