Coffees, cakes and crepes
Dip and dive in the pool, thrash balls on the tennis court, or head out to the beaches at West Wittering or Brighton. Brave the Skyfall at Fisher’s Farm or Stealth at Thorpe Park. Grown-ups can walk the South Downs Way, play golf at Singing Hills, Go Ape in Crawley, or pop down to Brighton for coffees, crepes and cakes on the pier.
Country kids
Take a glass-bottomed boat ride or enjoy a day-and-night ocean experience at Sealife Brighton. Meet meerkats, anteaters, sloths and monkeys at Drusilla’s Zoo Park. See the ponies, donkeys, goats and sheep at Washbrook’s Family Farm. Or brave the six-metre Sky Fall at Fisher’s Farm.
Dial down the action at great museums at Arundel, Amberley and Worthing and Brighton. Stay on the coast for The Royal Pavilion, an exotic palace in the centre of Brighton with a colourful history built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV. The house mixes Regency grandeur with the visual style of India and China.
Dig into fish and chips or cream teas as you steam through the Sussex countryside on The Bluebell Railway. Keep the steam theme going at Hollycombe. Wander around Fishbourne Roman Palace, the largest residential Roman building discovered in Britain. Or see the spectacular state apartments at Goodwood House.
Rev up the action with a theme park and zoo rolled into one at Chessington World of Adventures. Or ride Stealth at Thorpe Park, the UK’s fastest rollercoaster, or SAW, the first horror-themed rollercoaster, featuring a 100ft ‘beyond-vertical’ drop. Or just pack your spade for some lovely beaches at Shoreham-By-Sea and West Wittering.
For the grown ups
Fish on site by arrangement or at Daylands Farm or Alderwood Ponds. Hire bikes from Wheelhouse Bikes or make use of the ones on site. Make your way around the South Downs on four legs with Arundel Farm or Happy Valley. Swing your golf clubs at Singing Hills, Horsham or The Dyke in Brighton.
Shoot clay pigeons at The Big Shoot or learn to raid nature’s secret larder with forager Robin Harper’s Eatweeds courses. Or learn paddleboarding, canoeing or kayaking at The Kayak Coach in Brighton. Go Ape in the trees at Crawley, or try abseiling or archery, climbing or karting at Lodgehill.
Kick back and be pampered at South Lodge or Chakra Retreat with massages, facials, pedicures and manicures. Try abseiling or archery at Lodgehill or Go Ape up in the trees at Crawley. See the Festival of Speed or have a flutter on the horses at Goodwood.
Explore the countryside along the South Downs Way. Climb Chanctonbury Hill to reach the prehistoric hill fort, or walk Devil’s Dyke, a 100-metre-deep V-shaped valley on the South Downs Way. When the sun dips, pop out for a pint at The Fountain or head into Brighton to down cocktails at Maggie Mae’s or throw shapes at Chalk.
