Hove Lagoon: the perfect place for a new hobby
Less than three miles along the coast from the buzz of Brighton Pier, you’ll find Hove Lagoon. This wholesome hub for adventure watersports and family fun is right by the sea, tucked behind the shingle beach and promenade. It’s shallow and famously beginner-friendly – ideal for learning sports and skills that would be hard work in the chop of the vast English Channel.
It’s easy to get to the lagoon as it’s so close to the hub of Brighton Train Station. Southern Railway runs direct from Southampton, Portsmouth, Eastbourne, Hastings and London - to name a few. So, after a leisurely and peaceful early Sunday morning journey I disembarked to a quiet station. I walked to the centre of Brighton and hopped on the 700 Coastliner which took me along the coast to right outside the Lagoon.
I made it right on time for my booked SUP yoga class with Lagoon Watersports. Led by our teacher Sasha, and surrounded by seven other yogis, I wobbled my way through risky downward dogs and calming chaturangas on the water.
After checking in with the friendly guy on reception – who gave me a lock for the locker room and directed me to the changing rooms upstairs – I headed down past the dinghy sailing boats to meet my group. I’d changed into a bikini, vest top and waterproof shorts and had my phone ready for pictures rolled up in a waterproof dry bag.
Lagoon Watersports runs lessons, tasters and hire on Hove Lagoon for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), kayaking, dinghy sailing, windsurfing and wakeboarding. Because the water is shallow and sheltered, beginners progress fast without the challenges of surf or current. Once you’ve mastered the lagoon, you can move to the sea.
SUP yoga classes at Lagoon Watersports
Anyone who can prove they’re a proficient paddleboarder can hire SUPs by the hour here, but I decided to join the group for some guidance, and a workout. All those yoga moves are intensified when you’re trying not to fall into the water with a chilly breeze to keep you on your toes. One wrong move and you’re in for a cold dip.
We eased in gently. After a quick paddle to find my balance, I clipped my board to the floating ‘star island’ with a carabiner, just as Sasha instructed. Starting on our knees, we worked through slow stretches to loosen up – not just our muscles, but our nerve and sense of balance too.
Before long we were moving through gentle cat-cows and told to ‘lift our faces to the sun’. There was something so uplifting about it – outside, afloat, with the warmth on our skin and the water quietly rocking beneath us. Our modified sun salutations felt both grounding and challenging; every wobble on the board made even the simplest moves more intense. Even warrior pose, usually solid on land, felt a challenge with the gentle breeze rolling through.
Sasha was brilliant throughout, offering both easier tweaks and trickier variations so everyone could find their flow.
Around us there were all ages using the Hove Lagoon facilities. During the hour I saw little kids crabbing off the wakeboarding island, teenagers trying the windfoiling, people using the wood-fired sauna wearing their sauna hats, fellow paddleboarders taking the SUPs out and a group on land sending out their model boats too.
The Hove Lagoon Model Yacht Club meets every Sunday to race their radio-controlled boats – mesmerising to watch during my lapses of concentration in yoga. I learned after that model yachts had sailed there since it was a tidal pond in the 1930s. The lagoon was even used to test the waterproofing of tanks during preparations for D-Day.
The class ended in a glorious shavasana floating on our boards with eyes closed – well deserved judging by my shaky muscles.
Once the class wrapped up I took a little time to paddle around the lagoon properly, finally standing tall on my board without the pressure of holding a pose. With the sun shining and the water sparkling, it was the perfect surroundings to just drift and take it all in.
I was invited to join the friendly group for a coffee afterwards, in the onsite cafe. I’d already spotted it served cakes, hot drinks and milkshakes, but I had my eyes on the ‘famous’ cafe on the other side of the lagoon.
Hove Lagoon for tweens and teens
Hove Lagoon is a brilliant place for tweens and teens to burn off some energy and try out new hobbies. Lagoon Watersports runs multi-day summer courses for 8-16 year olds, giving kids the chance to properly get to grips with wakeboarding, sailing, windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as some time to work on team building with raft building and a regatta. These week-long programmes are ideal for school holidays, building confidence in the water while making new friends. The sessions are divided by age with full tuition from qualified and DBS-checked instructors.
They also offer half-day and full-day multi-sport sessions, giving young people the chance to try a mix of activities and discover which ones they enjoy most.
More things to do at Hove Lagoon
Where Brighton has all the shops and bars, Hove has the space and sports – there’s lots of action packed into this stretch of coast.
Walk the England Coast Path
After your experience at Lagoon Watersports you could take a stroll along The Living Coast – a designated urban biosphere reserve. It stretches from Newhaven to Shoreham-by-Sea to recognise that this is an area with significant natural value.
This particular stretch is also part of The King Charles III England Coast Path National Trail – the longest managed coastal path in the world (2,700 miles when it’s complete). You could time your stroll for golden hour and amble either east towards Shoreham Harbour to watch the boats, or west towards the bright lights of Brighton. Just walk towards the famous i360 and circle back as the sky turns pink over the lagoon.
Get your skates (or skateboard) on
If you’re after further thrills then Hove Beach Park is just a short walk up the promenade from Hove Lagoon. It opened in late 2024 with a skate plaza, a 150-metre pump track and a 600m² roller area. Best of all though, it’s free to use.
A little further up and there are four tennis courts, six padel courts, and bowls lawns too. You can pay and play from 8am to 10pm, or sign up for a lesson or two.
If the weather turns, the King Alfred Leisure Centre just a short seafront stroll away has pools and indoor facilities – a useful rainy-day back-up when you have children to entertain.
Something for the little ones
If your kiddies are a few years off being able to take a wakeboard out or trust themselves on a paddleboard, then there’s still plenty in Hove Lagoon to keep them busy.
Hove Lagoon Funland has colourful carousels, bouncy castles, a trampoline park and a kiddie train tucked away in the corner around the lagoon. Open every (sunny) day from 10 til 6 it’s a wonderful place for little ones right by the famous Big Beach Café.
On the other side of the cafe there’s a fenced playground which is very popular for a Sunday morning, along with a splash park and paddling pool. The great location means it’s easy to entertain the little ones while you sustain your caffeine intake from the cafe on the outdoor seating.
Food near Hove Lagoon
Speaking of caffeine, you know what goes well with a hot drink after watersports? A bacon butty. And right by Lagoon Watersports you’ll find the perfect spot for it with Norman Cook’s (aka Fatboy Slim’s) laid-back Big Beach Café. Serving up greasy breakfasts and sandwiches with coffee, kids’ bits, and post-splash snacks in moderate surroundings, this is the family friendly place to be. Time it right and Fatboy’s son Woody Cook could be spinning the decks.
If your foodie tastes are more avocado on sourdough than sausage bap, then Rockwater Hove is just a short promenade walk away. With plenty of beachside outdoor tables this is the place for a classy brunch with a view in Hove. For a low cost, low drama breakfast then they have a food truck out the back serving breakfast baps and lunchtime burgers.
Too busy there? Then keep going towards Brighton along the promenade and you’ll find Babble. They serve carefully curated and locally sourced food – think tasty tacos, healthy salads and BBQ on sunny days. They also have a kids menu, and an eclectic cocktail menu, easy to adjust depending on who you’re with.
Alternatively, you could just join the throngs of others and grab a picnic to sit out on the shingles looking towards the sea on Hove Beach. Join them with an ice cream for the ultimate British beach vibes.
Top tips for using Hove Lagoon
- If you’re trying a new watersport for the first time then go for a taster rather than a course, just to check if you really like it.
- Bring a quick-dry towel and a dry bag to make things easier, it also means you can take your phone out if you need.
- Book ahead for Lagoon Watersports, especially in the summer. Spots fill up fast!
- The lagoon is shallow and sheltered, so you won’t be contending with swell or currents, but wind can still build through the afternoon – great for windsurfing, but makes SUP yoga a bit spicier. Check your weather app for the best times to go out depending on your sport.
- Book your train tickets in advance to keep costs down. I used a Network Railcard for my trip from Portsmouth to Brighton and saved a third off the fare – plus it covers up to three friends travelling with you. The card also works on routes from London to Brighton or Hove, making it super handy. If you’re travelling in a group, check out the GroupSave option too – it knocks a third off when 3–9 adults travel together off-peak.
About the author
Victoria Philpott has been a travel and festival blogger at VickyFlipFlipTravels since 2012. She’s travelled to over 70 countries, exploring the jungles of Papua New Guinea, sailing in the Philippines and cycling the length of Vietnam. Nowadays you’ll find her exploring Europe with her young son, and making the most of the beautiful UK.