Places to Visit

Family Farms, Animals, & Sealife (Cont.)

Knockhatch Adventure Park on A22 at Hailsham BN27 3GD. Animals, falconry, year-round indoor soft play at ‘Froggies’, children’s farm, go karts, outdoor playgrounds and paddling pools, Wave Runner water slide, ski slope and more, Santa's Grotto.

Middle Farm West Firle, Lewes, BN8 6LJ. Family farm with a small flock of sheep, lambing in spring, playground and play hay barn, animal handling sessions, farm shop, tea room, gift shop. Open Nov–March, 01323 811411

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, Ringmer BN8 5AJ. Charity giving animals a better life through rehoming, rehabilitation & sanctuary. Café, shop, dogfriendly trails & activities - free daily guided tour at 11.30am, Family Learning Days (Wed & Thu) during the school holidays, free but book tickets online or call 01825 840252

Sharnfold Farm and Farm Shop

Stone Cross BN24 5BU. Farm trail, animals, play area, PYO, coffee shop, farm shop, seasonal events (see advert p.2)

South Brockwells Farm Shop, Little Horsted TN22 5QS. Home grown & locally sourced produce, open Wed-Sat; seasonal events, 01825 750466 (see advert p.23)

Places of Historic Interest, Gardens

Museums & Galleries

Battle Museum TN33 0EA. Local history museum with displays that include dinosaur footprints, artefacts from the Roman Bathhouse at Beauport Park, a Saxon battle-axe believed to be a unique relic of the Battle of Hastings, the world’s oldest effigy of Guy Fawkes and the story of the Battle gunpowder industry. Bodiam Castle National Trust near Robertsbridge TN32 5UA. Story book castle; the exterior is virtually complete & the walls rise dramatically above the moat. Explore the battlements and climb the spiral staircases. Seasonal events. 0pen daily.

Brighton Toy and Model Museum, Trafalgar St, Brighton BN1 4EB. Under the arches of Brighton station. Over 10,000 toys and models, incl. two working model railways. Open Tue-Sat.

CM Booth Motor Museum at Falstaff Antiques, Rolvenden TN17 4LP. Unique collection of 3-wheeled Morgan cars, plus other historic cars, bicycles and tricycles, displays of toy, model cars, and all surrounded with auto-mobilia.

Eastbourne Heritage Centre BN21 4BT. Displays of original maps, pictures, artefacts and films, and trace the development of ‘Elegant Eastbourne – the Empress of Watering Places’ a fashionable new Victorian seaside town into ‘The Suntrap of the South’. Open Sat until Easter, Sat/ Sun/Bank Holidays from Easter to December.

...a diorama of local animals and birds and Native American Galleries complete with tipi and buffalo. The most spectacular part of the museum is the magnificent Durbar Hall constructed for the Indian and Colonial Exhibition of 1886 as part of an Indian Palace. Closed on Mon, FREE.

Hastings Fisherman’s Museum

Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW. Original lugger, photos, models, stories, paintings and nets. Open daily, FREE, donations requested.

Hastings Lifeboat Visitor Centre East Beach Street, Hastings Old Town TN34 3FJ. Go to Hastings Old Town and the boathouse is near the harbour and fishing boats. Open daily.

Herstmonceux Castle Gardens and Grounds Hailsham BN27 1RN. Magnificent moated castle, set in 500 acres of beautiful parkland and superb Elizabethan gardens. The Castle is closed to the public, but guided tours are conducted at an extra charge & subject to availability. The estate is also home to the Observatory Science Centre

Lewes Castle and Barbican House Museum, Lewes BN7 1YE. Climb to the top of this 1,000 year old Norman Castle for stunning views across Sussex. In the Barbican House you’ll find the Museum of Archaeology and a mini cinema which tells the story of Lewes from prehistoric to medieval times. Open daily.

...Shore’ forts, 2/3 of its towered walls still stand. It was the landing place of William the Conqueror’s army in 1066 and during the century following the Conquest, a full-scale Norman castle, with a great square keep and a powerful gatehouse, was built within one corner of the fort. In the 1250s the towered bailey wall was constructed, and soon put to the test during the great siege of 1264. Open daily from April.

Priory of St Pancras in Priory Park, Lewes BN7 1HP (satnav use BN7 2XA). During the 11th century, monks came here from Cluny in France to establish the first Cluniac priory in England. The Priory survived for 450 years until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, walk in the footsteps of medieval monks and imagine how the buildings once looked. A recreated herb garden grows plants that monks would have used for medicinal, culinary and ceremonial purposes, free. Royal Pavilion, Brighton BN1 1EE. Built for the Prince Regent, later King George IV, in stages between 1787 and 1823, remarkable for its exotic oriental appearance both inside and out and was revered by fashionable Regency society.

Rye Heritage Centre Strand Quay TN31 7AY, incl. the story of Rye, Rye Town Model sound and light show and a working collection of Old Pier amusement machines. Historic and ghost audio walking tours are available for hire. Open Wed-Sun.

1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield

Battle TN33 0AD. English Heritage insight into the Battle of Hastings and 1066. Explore the abbey ruins, award-winning audio exhibition which brings to life the dramatic story of the Norman Conquest.

Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre Arundel BN18 9LT. Home to a collection of listed buildings & monuments, many rescued from around Sussex. Vintage vehicles, rural crafts and woodland walks, seasonal events.

Bateman’s National Trust House, Burwash TN19 7DS. Former home of Rudyard Kipling with gardens, walks, watermill tea room, seasonal events. Open daily.

Eastbourne Lifeboat Museum King Edward’s Parade, Eastbourne BN21 4BY Admission free, open all year round, see website for opening times.

Firle Place Firle, Lewes BN8 6LP. An outstanding, privately owned country house in Sussex which dates from the time of Henry VIII but was substantially remodelled in the 18th Century. The house, gardens and notable collection of works of art and porcelain are of national importance.

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery TN4 1ET, a rich mix of fine paintings and china, the cultures of other lands, well-known personalities and a contrasting view of local wildlife today and as it would have been 150 million years ago. There are plenty of special features for children, with fossils that transform into dinosaurs, prehistoric crocodiles and fish,...

Michelham Priory Upper Dicker, near Hailsham BN27 3QS. See the foundations of the 13th century priory and explore the main house, tranquil moated gardens, watermill and play area. Family activities during the summer, incl. an interactive medieval gallery in the 14th century Gatehouse. Opening times vary

Newhaven Fort BN9 9DS. The story of a Victorian Fortress and role during two World Wars. Explore the tunnels, gun emplacements, Blitz street shelter simulation and playground,searchlight Café. Dogs on a lead welcome. Open daily [closing at the end of the summer for renovation until spring 2025]

Pevensey Castle, Pevensey BN24 5LE. With a history stretching back over 16 centuries, Pevensey Castle chronicles more graphically than any other fortress the story of Britain’s south coast defences. Beginning in the 4th century as one of the last and strongest of the Roman ‘Saxon...

Rye Castle Museum the Ypres Tower, East Street TN31 7JY. The Ypres Towe. Open daily Seaford Museum in the Martello Tower BN25 1JH. Local history museum with children’s events in school holidays. Displays from a general store, dressmaker’s parlour, the contents of an ironmonger’s, chemists, toy and photographer’s shop, as well as a Victorian schoolroom, Victorian kitchen, wartime kitchen. Domestic appliances from the first half of the 20th century include early typewriters, copiers, computers, radios and television sets.

Sheffield Park and Garden NT TN22 3QX. Informal landscape garden laid out in the 18th century by ‘Capability’ Brown, further developed in the early 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. Walks, family activities, woodland play trail (see competition)

Shipwreck Museum Rocka-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW. Stories of shipwrecks off the Hastings coast; explore shipwrecks, find out how to find your own dinosaur remains on the beach and discover what global warming means for the coastline.

Towner Eastbourne BN21 4JJ, Contemporary art museum with lots of family activities and events. Open Tue–Sun (plus bank holiday Mon), free.

Places of Historic Interest, Gardens

Museums & Galleries (cont.)

Upside Down House Brighton. An amazing museum of illusions including a variety of designed rooms in a luxurious beach house based on the Brighton Sea Front.

Wakehurst Gardens and Millennium Seed Bank, Ardingly, RH17 6TN. ‘Kew in the Country’, botanic gardens run by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Walks, rocky Himalayan Garden. Explore the Adventurous Journeys natural play spaces, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, restaurant, café, plant/gift shop. Glow Wild Nov/ Dec.Open daily.

Weald and Downland Open Air Museum Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0EU. Fascinating collection of historic buildings dismantled from their original locations and reassembled in 40 acres of Sussex countryside, woodland walks, picnic areas and farm animals, seasonal events.

Railways & Karting

Exploring Science

Family Fun, Adventure Parks & Soft Play

Eastbourne Pier one of the finest examples of a Victorian pier, Eastbourne’s stunning seafront landmark.

Fun Abounds, Uckfield TN22 1QL. Trampoline centre with café.

Hailsham Leisure Centre BN27 1BA. Two soft play frames, for 0–10yrs (U148cm/4ft 10ins), separate play area for U3s. Open daily.

Hastings Adventure Golf Hastings Seafront TN34 3AJ. A complex of 3 x 18-hole miniature golf courses, suitable for players of all ages.

Uckfield and East Grinstead

British Rail Lines Leave the car behind and explore Sussex by train – stopping at stations all over Sussex and along the Sussex coast.

West Hill Lift West Hill, George Street, Hastings, East Sussex. Victorian funicular.

Observatory Science

Centre Herstmonceux

BN27 1RN. Hands-on science and discovery with 100+ interactive exhibits both indoors and out, telescope tours, regular workshops.

Rampion Offshore Wind Visitor

Centre Kings Road Arches, Brighton BN1 2FN, free hands-on exhibitions, interactive displays, games, videos, as well as a 360˚ VR experience taking you out to the wind farm itself.

Baby Glow Play Centre

Hastings TN34 1JN. Fully immersive sensory experience specifically for the early years (0-5yrs), open Mon-Sat (check website).

Barney’s Play Uckfield TN22 1QL. For U12yrs, height restriction 142cm (4ft 8ins), reduced rate toddler mornings Mon & Thur until 1pm term time. Brighton i360 seafront near the West Pier. 162m tower with passenger viewing pod climbing to 138m, 360-degree views of the Sussex coastline for up to 26 miles.

Drusillas Park Alfriston Road just off the A27, BN26 5QS (see p.21).

Doves Play Barn, Latchetts Farm TN22 3RG. Made from sustainable wood with ride-ons & ball pond, 0-8yrs with cafe & ice cream parlour.

KiddiCity Role Play Centre, Eastbourne. Play sessions with 11 play zones, ride-ons with mini drive-thru activities, seasonal events.

Knockhatch Adventure Park & ‘Froggies’ Indoor Soft Play a, Hailsham BN27 3GD (see p.21)

Magic Castle Soft Play, Peacehaven Leisure Centre, open daily, U10s.

My Skateworld, Eastbourne BN23 6NY. Indoor roller-skating rink with daily discos, games, pool table, air hockey, café area. Check website for opening times (see advert & timetable p.20)

Monkey Bizness Cliffe Industrial Estate, Lewes BN8 6JL. Maze of play frames, toddler area for 2-5yrs, main frame suitable for 5-12yrs, open daily.

Mouse Trap, Downs Leisure Centre Seaford, inflatable course (2-11yrs), Fri 4pm to Mon 2pm.

Ninja Arena, Eastbourne BN21 3NW. Supervised activity and fitness. Climb, balance, jump and swing across different obstacles.

Bluebell Railway from East Grinstead to Sheffield Park Station TN22 3QL. Volunteer preserved steam railway. See website for the timetable of train services, seasonal events.

Brighton Karting at QLeisure London Road, Albourne BN6 9BQ. 800 metres of pure adrenaline plus some of the finest facilities in the country make QLeisure outdoor karting well worth a visit. A fast, furious, frenetic and exhilarating track.

Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway Tenterden TN30

6HE. Northiam and Bodiam Stations. Vintage steam and historic diesel trains dating from the Victorian era. Special events include Thomas the Tank Engine days, main season late March–early Nov.

Lavender Line Isfield TN22 5XB. Preserved railway, travels for a two-mile round trip between the village of Isfield and Worth Halt near Uckfield. At Isfield you will find the headquarters of the Lavender Line which includes the original Victorian station and signal box.

Paradise Park Newhaven BN9 0DH. Planet Earth museum, Dinosaur Safari, Paradise Gardens incl. mini Sussex models, Local Maritime Museum, Play Zone incl. miniature train & crazy golf, open daily.

Sky High Trampoline Park Peacehaven BN10 8JQ. Wall to wall interconnected trampolines. Toddler bounce, open sessions for 5yrs+, weekends & school holidays only.

Smugglers Adventure, St Clement’s Caves, Hastings TN34 3HY. Explore the sandstone caves in search of smugglers, bootleggers & warring gangs, prepared to be scared! (Feb-Nov)

Treasure Island, Eastbourne BN22 7AE. The Outdoor Adventure Park’s paddling pool, sandpits & seating area is OPEN Thur-Sun (weather dependent)! Open 7 days a week from the 23rd July. Note: the back "pirate ship" section of the park will remain closed for the remainder of 2023. (discounted our entrance fees)

Urban Jump, trampolining & activity centre, Ghyll Rd Industrial Estate, Heathfield, daily.