Lagoon Watersports - Brighton & Hove

Right on Brighton's seafront, Lagoon Watersports is where you actually get in the water rather than just paddling at the shore. It's a proper watersports centre offering everything from paddleboarding and kayaking to windsurfing - the kind of place that makes you realise how flat and manageable the bay actually is once you're out there.

You'll need some basic fitness and not to mind getting soaked, but genuinely no experience required. The staff are patient with beginners, and there's something genuinely thrilling about standing on a paddleboard for the first time when you realise you're not immediately falling in. The view back towards Brighton Pier and the promenade changes completely when you're on the water - suddenly the seafront looks proper theatrical.

It works brilliantly if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Eastern Sands or Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club - you can be suited up and on the water within half an hour of breakfast. Families with teenagers will get the most from this; younger kids might find the waiting around frustrating. Summer weekends get rammed, so try a weekday if you can.

Bring cash for parking and expect to pay for equipment hire and instruction. A couple of hours is about right unless you're doing a proper lesson or already confident with your kit. It's not a rainy-day backup plan - you'll actually want decent weather and ideally some wind if you're serious about windsurfing.