What to Do in & Around Worthing
In recent years, Worthing has quietly become one of the South Coast’s most appealing destinations. While nearby Brighton often steals the spotlight, this West Sussex seaside town – just under fifteen miles from its neighbour – offers a more relaxed seaside experience, combining a well-kept, traditional promenade with independent businesses, excellent cultural venues, and easy access to the South Downs National Park.
Whether you’re planning a weekend by the sea or using Worthing as a base to explore the wider West Sussex area, there’s plenty to fill your itinerary. From museums and theatres to the best places to eat, here’s a start…
Spend a Day on Worthing Beach
Worthing’s broad pebble-and-shingle beach stretches for miles in each direction, providing plenty of space to lay down a towel, have a swim, and enjoy a good book on warmer days. Outside of the summer season, its promenade is a lovely spot for walking and cycling. Well-kept with beautiful Victorian and festoon lighting and coastal planting, you’ll often see it being enjoyed by the local dog walkers, families and skaters too, who benefit from the town’s quieter atmosphere.
Of course, no visit to Worthing feels complete without a walk along Worthing Pier. Stretching out into the English Channel since 1862, this Victorian structure remains at the heart of the town’s seafront and offers some of the best coastal views in the area. At the promenade end, you’ll find the Pavilion Theatre, which hosts a varied programme of live music, comedy, theatre, and family entertainment throughout the year, while the art deco Southern Pavilion, restored in 2022, is occupied by restaurant Perch on the Pier.
And if you spot the Grade II-listed Worthing Lido, don’t expect to find a swimming pool. The site may have once been a large open-air basin, but today the former lido is home to seaside shops, a café and children’s rides and attractions.
Explore Worthing Museum and Art Gallery
With nearly 300 years of modern history (and evidence of civilisation for many centuries prior), Worthing Museum & Art Gallery is well worth visiting if you want to understand the town beyond its seaside image. Between its collections, there’s plenty covering local history, archaeology, art, costume, textiles and everyday life – as well as a nationally significant collection of clothing and textiles in the Costume Research Centre.
While it’s a particularly interesting stop for anyone interested in fashion and design, the archaeological collections provide a much broader picture of the county’s history. An obvious rainy-day option, there’s enough here to make it worthwhile whatever the weather.
Catch a Show at Worthing’s Theatres and Cinemas
Worthing’s cultural scene is considerably bigger than you might expect from a seaside town of its size. The Connaught Theatre hosts touring productions and comedy acts to film screenings, while the Pavilion Theatre at the front of the pier offers concerts, dance performances, and (during winter) pantomimes – all in a memorable waterfront setting. Together with Worthing Museum and the Assembly Hall, the venues welcome more than 250,000 visitors each year – more than double its population!
Film lovers should make time for the Dome Cinema on Marine Parade. Opened in 1911 as the Kursaal, the Grade II* listed building is one of the best surviving early cinemas in England, its Edwardian architecture, plush interiors and seafront position making a trip to the cinema feel like a proper occasion.
Take in the Independent Spirit of the High Street
Worthing’s high street has undergone something of a transformation in recent years, with a healthy entrepreneurial streak among locals resulting in independent retailers, creative pop-ups and exports from nearby Brighton setting up shop here amongst the high street favourites. The centre is spread out across Rowlands Road, Montague Street, and Warwick Street, but the surrounding streets are equally worth exploring, with plenty of hidden gems tucked away between the main shopping thoroughfares. There are plenty of excellent eateries and cafes around, too – making it ideal for a few hours of retail therapy (and a coffee stop or two in between).
One of Worthing’s most creative corners can be found further along the seafront at East Beach Studios, a collection of beachside galleries where you can browse various works and meet the makers who create them. These converted beach huts house a number of artists working across painting, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, sculpture and other disciplines. If you’re looking for something to take home, this is a particularly good place to pick up a souvenir with a local connection.
Where to Eat and Drink in Worthing
Worthing’s food and drink scene is one of the strongest arguments for staying overnight in the town. There’s a real range of independent restaurants here, from serious contemporary cooking to casual eats, alongside cocktail bars and traditional pubs.
For exceptional Italian food with a lively atmosphere and friendly service, Cucinetta on Portland Road is a great choice locally. This independent restaurant has served authentic Italian dishes since 2013, and opens for brunch, lunch and dinner five days a week (Weds-Sun), so it’s a flexible option for a weekend stay – easily suiting everything from a leisurely daytime meal to a more intimate evening dinner.
If pizza is what you’re after, Pizzaface on Montague Street has the best in town. And for dinner with a view, the aforementioned Perch on the Pier is difficult to beat. Bauji Bistro is an excellent recent addition to Worthing’s culinary repertoire, too, with a personal approach to Indian comfort food that draws on the flavours and family recipes of the chef’s childhood in Rajasthan.
For drinks, Five Dots is the one to seek out. Hidden behind an unmarked door on Chapel Road, it takes its inspiration from the speakeasies and cocktail lounges of the early 20th century, with a substantial cocktail list and an intimate, deliberately secretive atmosphere. If it’s wine you’re after The Grape is a small, family-run bar with a hand-picked selection of wines from around the world. And for something more traditional, The Toad in the Hole pub serves cask and craft beer and has the Sussex pub game Toad for customers to play – the reason behind its unusual name.
