Things to Do in Skegness: What I Did on My Day Out

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I love visiting unknown places, especially when they’re by the sea. When I first heard about the idea of spending a day out in Skegness, it felt like a one-time offer. I’d been moving across the country almost every year, so there was no guarantee I could go next year. And £13.50 for a return ticket? Yes please.

Where is Skegness?

Skegness is in Lincolnshire, England. It’s a small seaside town 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Boston. You can get there by car, train, or bus.

Travel to Skegness by car

If you want to travel to Skegness by car, follow the A52 if you’re coming from Boston, or the A158 if you’re arriving from Lincoln.

Travel to Skegness by train

There is a direct connection between Skegness and Nottingham, Grantham, Boston, and Sleaford, while Leicester, Derby, and Kettering require a change at Nottingham.

Travel to Skegness by bus

If you want to travel to Skegness by bus, check Stagecoach Lincolnshire, as they’re a major bus operator in the town. They provide regular services to Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards, while Lincolnshire InterConnect provides services up the coast as far as Mablethorpe and inland to Boston and Lincoln.

Stagecoach also offers an additional bus to Skegness from Peterborough in August every year.

Important tip: Double-check the current timetable before you go — seasonal services can change.

My trip to Skegness

My trip to Skegness started at 8:10 in the morning when I boarded a bus to Peterborough. Even though I arrived almost an hour before our scheduled departure to Skegness, there was already an enormous crowd waiting at the bus station. I was lucky — the last spot was mine.

We departed at 9:45am and spent around two and a half hours travelling through small villages and towns. I’d never been to this part of England before, so everything felt interesting to me.

Things to do in Skegness

After arriving in Skegness, I left the bus station and headed towards the town centre. The sight of the seagulls cheered me up and made me feel like I belonged there. It reminded me of when I lived in a seaside town — quite similar to Skegness.

The town centre itself was very crowded, so I went straight to the beach. Stopping by small local shops had to wait.

As I was leaving High Street, I spotted a beautiful Jubilee Clock Tower. I later read that it was built in 1898 and is one of the town’s landmarks.

I grabbed a takeaway lunch and sat on the shore, enjoying the weather.

Natureland Seal Sanctuary

Next on my list was Natureland Seal Sanctuary, and I was excited because I’d heard there are alpacas. I adore them.

After arriving at Natureland, the first thing I spotted was a big pool with adult seals. It was feeding time, so I spent a few minutes watching them before I went to see the other animals.

The sanctuary is home to many animals — for example, meerkats, reptiles, butterflies, and penguins.

Their mission is to rescue sick and injured seals that wash up on nearby beaches. Because of that, there is a seal hospital in the middle of the zoo. You can see seals of different ages, from pups to adults — and some might be ready to be released back into the sea.

Even though Natureland Seal Sanctuary isn’t big, I spent almost an hour and a half wandering around. I loved it there and couldn’t stop myself from checking out the gift shop and getting a small souvenir or two.

A slow wander (and the pier surprise)

After leaving the sanctuary, I had about an hour before I needed to get back to the bus station. Because of that, I decided to wander around the town instead of visiting the Skegness Model Village.

I walked past the amusement park and sat on the beach again, enjoying the weather.

I had to admit one thing — the pier was surprisingly short. It didn’t reach the sea at low tide! I expected something completely different, especially after seeing the one in Southend-on-Sea.

Heading home

I didn’t realise how late it had got and had to move fast to catch the bus. When I arrived back at the bus station, I still had enough time to run into the nearby Tesco.

Loaded with snacks and drinks, I was ready to head home. We arrived in Peterborough about two hours later, around 7:30 in the evening.

Day out in Skegness: my thoughts

My day out in Skegness was a success, and I’m glad I visited. It felt so good to get to the seaside, even just for a few hours — especially because I spent the whole summer at home.

Four hours isn’t enough to see everything Skegness has to offer, though, so I hope I’ll go back one day and stay longer. The amusement park was very tempting.