Within Eastbourne's limits are:

• Langney: Langney Rise, Shinewater, Kingsmere, Langney Village, The Marina, Langney Point.
• Hampden Park: Hampden Park Village, Willingdon Trees, Winkney Farm, Ratton.
• Inner areas: Rodmill, Ocklynge, Seaside, Bridgemere, Roselands, Downside.
• Town centre: Town centre, Little Chelsea, Meads, Holywell, Old Town, Upperton.
• Sovereign Harbour: North Harbour, South Harbour.

The seafront at Eastbourne is distinctive in having few shop fronts opening onto it, the road being almost entirely populated by Victorian hotels. This is because much of Eastbourne has traditionally belonged to the Duke of Devonshire, who retains the rights to these buildings and does not allow them to be developed into shops.[25] Along with its pier and bandstand, this serves to preserve the front in a somewhat timeless manner.

The Sovereign Harbour district is a marina/harbour development which was given the go ahead in 1988. An Act of Parliament had to be in force to allow breaking through of the foreshore owned by the crown. A whole new village was formed at the edge of the main town, comprising restaurants, shops and housing.[4]

There was a community known as Norway, Eastbourne in the triangle now bounded by Wartling Road, Seaside and Lottbridge Drove. The name being a corruption of North Way,[26] as this was the route to the North. The area is now a housing estate and the only evidence there was a Norway are a Norway Road and the local church whose sign reads "St Andrew's Church, Norway".

The former fishing hamlet of Holywell (local pronunciation ‘holly well’) was situated by the cliff on a ledge some 400 metres to the southwest of the public garden known as the Holywell Retreat. It was approached from what is now Holywell Road via the lane between the present Helen Gardens and St Bede’s School which leads to the chalk pinnacle formerly known locally as ‘Gibraltar’ or 'The Sugar Loaf'. The ground around the pinnacle was the site of lime kilns also worked by the fishermen.[27] The fishing hamlet at Holywell was taken over by the local water board in 1896[25] to exploit the springs in the cliffs. The water board's successors still own the site, and there is a pumping station but little evidence of the hamlet itself, as by now even most of the foundations of the cottages have gone over the cliff.[28]

Eastbourne's greater area comprises the town of Polegate, and the civil parishes of Willingdon and Jevington, Stone Cross, Pevensey, Westham, and Pevensey Bay village. All are part of the Wealden District.

Beachy Head

Beachy Head cliff, to the west of the town, is an infamous suicide spot. Statistics are not officially published to reduce suicidal mimicry,[29] but unofficial statistics show it to be the third most common suicide spot.[30]

The lighthouse at the foot of the cliff came into operation in October 1902. Although originally manned by two keepers, it has been remotely monitored by Trinity House via a landline since June 1983. Prior to its construction, shipping had been warned by the Belle Tout lighthouse on the cliff top some 1,500 metres to the west. Belle Tout lighthouse was operational from 1834 to 1902, and closed because its light was not visible in mist and low cloud. It became a private residence, but was severely damaged in World War II by Canadian artillery.[31] In 1956, it was rebuilt as a house and remains a dwelling to this day. In March 1999, the structure was moved 55 kaki (17 m) back from the cliff edge to save it from plunging into the sea.[32]