Things to do in Chapel St Leonards

At Chapel St Leonards you’re ideally situated to explore some of the most pristine Lincolnshire beaches, at Wolla Bank or Chapel Point. The former can be reached via the unusually named street The Pullover or on foot via the pedestrian paths on Sandy Lane. 

Wolla Bank has a beach café and the Admiral Benbow public house nearby. There’s a promenade alongside the dunes, ideal for a run or a post-lunch wander.

At Chapel Point, you’ll find one of the most unique cafes and seaside viewpoints on the Lincolnshire coast. If you’re an early riser, the Seascape Café at the North Sea Observatory offers sunrise breakfast sittings in its unique zig-zagging modernist building right on the sand. There’s a glass-walled café with tables outside, plus an observation deck. 

Booking ahead is essential as this is a popular event, even in the middle of summer where the sun rises at 5am! Getting up in the dark is worth it, to enjoy your pancakes or poached egg on toast with real coffee while the sun emerges from the North Sea. What a way to start the day.

Nothing says seaside quite like a trip to the amusements. From one armed bandits to penny falls or crane grabs, these traditional amusement arcades are plentiful along the Esplanade at Chapel St Leonards. 

Greens Amusements on The Pullover is one of the best, and it has a small ten-pin bowling alley too, so you can play games of skill as well as chance during your visit.

The Model Car Museum (aka “On your Marques”) is a unique celebration of all things automotive and miniature. It includes a four-lane, 45 metre Scalextric track on which you can race an array of vehicles. The museum displays house literally thousands of pristine condition model vehicles including James Bond, Dukes of Hazzard, and other themed collections. 

There’s a nice little café on site too, the Pit Stop, and the village itself has appealing pubs and local walks. If your appetite for tiny vehicles hasn’t been sated, visit the Bubblecar Museum in Boston, Lincolnshire, where you can see a range of these quirky, tiny, yet somehow roadworthy vehicles which enjoyed a brief heyday in the 1950s and 60s.

If you’re a fan of these lovable animals and want to support their comfortable retirement, then take a trip to the Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary. They are situated just outside of Huttoft, and are open to visitors on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday between 10:30am and 3pm. You don’t need to book and the only fee is a donation of at least £1. 

The Sanctuary run an Adopt a Donkey Program, so if you fall in love with one of their residents, you can make your support a formal arrangement.

Happy Days is a family-friendly bingo and entertainment club, with nightly live music ranging from contemporary covers to golden oldies. There’s also a children’s play area and ball pit, and children’s entertainers perform too, while you play for thrills or prizes. The club is situated on Trunch Lane, a continuation of the Promenade as it heads inland.