Weekend Breaks: How to Spend Three Days in Skegness

“For an old-school weekend by the sea, head to Skegness on England’s East Coast. Fish and chips, deckchairs on the beach, fun fairs and arcades – in 72 hours, you’ll have plenty of time to see Skeggy’s best bits, with time to spare for the odd donkey ride, too.

Friday evening
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Start your weekend with a little pub grub down at the Steamboat Cookhouse Pub. Opened in 2019, it’s one of the newer places in town – and it’s fast become a hit with the locals, so expect it to be busy. The menu is stacked with options – think burgers, pies, pizza, pasta and a hefty grill section – served in big portions at affordable prices.

After dinner, catch a show at The Embassy Theatre. The venue hosts a range of productions, from big-name West End shows and popular musicals to concerts and tribute nights. If you fancy an after-show night cap, there are plenty of bars and pubs around the Grand Parade.

Saturday Morning
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Get up bright and early, and head down to Skegness Fantasy Island before the crowds arrive. During the peak summer months, the theme park opens at 10:30am (11am non-peak), and if you’re there for opening time, you’ll have your pick of the best rides and attractions. Make the most of it and head straight for The Odyssey, one of the park’s most popular rollercoasters.

In between rides, test your putting skills on the Lava Creek Adventure Golf challenge, an 18-hole crazy golf game, and browse the park’s enormous seven-day market for bargains. The market has over 300 stalls selling toys, games, clothes, electrical gadgets and a whole range of household items. Skegness Fantasy Island is a 15-minute drive from the centre of Skegness town. Alternatively, the 1 and 3 buses run to the park.

Saturday Afternoon and Evening
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In the afternoon, head back to Skegness centre for some traditional fish and chips. Trawler’s Catch is one of the best chippies in town, and it’s close enough to the beach that you can enjoy lunch on the seafront. If the weather’s good, spend the afternoon on the beach.

Break out the bowls, build sandcastles or just plonk yourself in a deckchair and get stuck into your book. In case of rain, head over to Skegness Pier for tenpin bowling or virtual reality adventure games. Not your average seaside pier, there’s also soft play, laser quest and an escape room.

Watch the sun set over the North Sea from the old pier, before heading over to San Rufos for dinner. This family-run Italian serves classic dishes from the length and breadth of the ‘Boot’, with an extensive wine list to match. Paired back and friendly, the focus is very much on the quality of the food, which the chefs will bring direct to your table. Buon appetito!

Sunday Morning
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Natureland Seal Sanctuary was set up in the 60s as a rescue centre for stranded seals found along the Lincolnshire coast. Still going strong today, it’s now branched out into a sort of mini-wildlife centre, with penguins, meerkats and plenty of other cute creatures to visit.

That said, the main attraction is still very much the seals, which you can see at various stages in their rehabilitation – once strong enough, they will be released back into the North Sea. Head down before 11am for the live feeding session in the main pool, and then spend a few hours exploring the rest of the sanctuary.

Afterwards, take a stroll through Tower Gardens, a Grade II-listed green space just off the seafront, towards the Clock Tower. A Skegness icon, it was built in the late 1800s for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. In the gardens themselves, you’ll see the Jolly Fisherman – a statue based on the famous 1908 travel poster that helped shoot Skeggy into British seaside stardom.

Sunday Afternoon and Evening
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Get your final fix of seaside nostalgia with a trip to Skegness’ pleasure beach. The park is packed with retro favourites: take a ride on the ferris wheel for sweeping views out over the North Sea, get wet on the log flume, scare yourself silly on the ghost train and go for a spin on the Cup and Saucer.

As well as the rides, there’s four amusement arcades, mini-quad bikes, adventure golf, plus much more besides to keep you occupied. After an afternoon on the rides, take a one last beach walk along the promenade. Head south, away from the Pleasure Beach, and pretty soon you’ll have the sand to yourself.

In the evening, head to Wolfies Wine Bar on the South Parade for a hearty Sunday lunch. With lovely views out over the seafront, it’s the perfect place to end your weekend in Skegness.”