Whereas Sussex’s sandy seashores are amongst my favourites for a sunny day, I’ve spent sufficient wet days by the coast to know you’ll have simply as a lot enjoyable in Sussex within the rain with children.
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From some quirky museums to a royal dwelling, animal points of interest and lots extra indoor household enjoyable, there’s tons to find throughout the county, together with a string of wet day points of interest in Brighton.
So whether or not you’re visiting Sussex in winter, or dodging the showers in mid summer time, listed here are my recommendations on the most effective issues to do in Sussex within the rain with children.
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton
This flamboyant iconic constructing was created for the Prince Regent, with all of the royal extravagance you would possibly anticipate. And this barely fairytale structure, mixed with lavish interiors, makes it excellent for a day trip with children in Brighton.
You should buy a youngsters’s path for a small payment to identify among the animals dotted all through the opulent rooms, or amuse your self searching for all of the dragons on the Royal Pavilion.
When you get to the music room, employees actively inspired us to have a lie down on the carpet to see the chandelier rising to the gold patterned ceiling. Nice for a wet day in Sussex with children too.
Take a look at the Brighton Pavilion Treasure Map Path as nicely, for a enjoyable method to spot among the quirky highlights close by too – get 10% off utilizing code MUMMYTRAVELS too.
For extra issues to do in Brighton with children, take a look at my prime picks
Sea Life Brighton
The world’s oldest working aquarium, the Brighton Sea Life Centre is barely a shell’s throw away from the ocean itself, with greater than 150 creatures to identify throughout the placing Victorian constructing, together with within the Day and Night time Space.
Exhibiting how the oceans change over the course of 24 hours, the show features a bioluminescent seaside.
In addition to quite a lot of completely different underwater habitats to discover, plus the Rainforest journey, there are further temptations for households together with a stamp path, common particular occasions throughout college holidays, a behind-the-scenes tour, and the UK’s first glass-bottom boat, to not point out the now compulsory underwater tunnel.
Blue Reef Aquarium, Hastings
Set proper on the beachfront, the Hastings aquarium may not be the largest in Sussex however it’s very straightforward to whereas away a couple of hours wandering round – and superb if you end up by the seaside in Sussex on a wet day.
Look out for the porcupine pufferfish and the stonefish, two of the extra uncommon inhabitants together with rays, sharks, vibrant reef fish, seahorses and the fairly fabulous large pacific octopus.
There are two pages of animals to tick off in a youngsters’s information as you go round, together with some nice info for mini marine biologists.
Learn extra about our day trip at Blue Reef Aquarium, Hastings right here
Smugglers Journey, Hastings
Stroll within the footsteps of real-life pirates and smugglers at Smugglers Journey in Hastings. This family-friendly expertise takes you deep underground right into a sequence of caves and tunnels that had been as soon as used for unlawful commerce on the Sussex Coast lots of of years in the past.
Led by the eerie caves by infamous smuggler Bushy Jack, you’ll get to fulfill over 70 life-sized characters who assist inform the secrets and techniques and tales of those notorious outlaws. There are additionally loads of child-friendly info boards and mini movies, in addition to interactive video games and actions the place little ones can expertise life as a smuggler themselves.
There’s no minimal age for the expertise, however youthful youngsters might discover among the recreations and tales somewhat scary – in any other case there’s loads of enjoyable, a serving to of training, and since you’re underground, Smugglers Journey is a good day trip in Sussex within the rain for the entire household.
When the Hastings East Cliff Elevate reopens, it’s a enjoyable method to get from the seafront as much as Smuggler’s Journey and the opposite clifftop points of interest
The Shipwreck Museum
The Shipwreck Museum in Hastings is an interesting maritime museum that helps deliver historical past to life by its assortment of artefacts salvaged from shipwrecks within the English Channel over the centuries. There’s additionally a show of native fossils, together with dinosaur bones and footprints.
The family-friendly museum has a great deal of enjoyable interactive displays for youthful guests too, together with the chance to tie ropes, use pulleys, and cargo cannons like a historic sailor, a drawing and brass rubbing station, and dinosaur footprints that youngsters can stroll in.
The museum is pretty small however utterly free to go to, making it an amazing place to spend an hour or so on a wet day in Sussex with children. Make sure that to go away a donation in the event you do take pleasure in it.
Toy and Mannequin Museum, Brighton
Situated within the secret Victorian cellars beneath Brighton Station, the Brighton Toy and Mannequin Museum is a magical little museum that each children and adults are positive to take pleasure in.
The distinctive museum has over 12,000 toys on show, from vintage teddy bears and puppets to stunning dollhouses, scale Lego scenes, and wonderful mannequin railways.
A few of the toys sit inside show cupboards, whereas others are rather more interactive, such because the previous “end-of-the-pier” slot machines that value simply 10p to play.
On the best way out, don’t overlook to pop by the museum store and decide up some toys to take dwelling with you. Good for reliving your individual childhood on the identical time.
The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays, so in the event you’re visiting on the weekend, be sure that it’s first in your listing.
Sales space Museum of Pure Historical past
Based as a Victorian collector’s personal museum, the Sales space Museum is a type of barely eccentric collections that the UK appears to concentrate on – countless circumstances of birds displayed of their pure setting (full with eagles pouncing on lambs) plus skeletons and dinosaur bones.
Youthful children will in all probability be fascinated by it, together with the 2 bears on the entrance, older ones would possibly discover it a bit creepier.
Free to enter, though you need to stroll by the small reward store on the best way out and in. Closed Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Brighton Museum & Artwork Gallery
The Brighton museum and artwork gallery has an impressively various assortment, with lots to maintain children entertained
One of many highlights is the Historic Egyptian mummies, however there are additionally shows on trend, displays about Brighton itself, masks and puppets within the Efficiency Gallery, plus it’s dwelling to probably the greatest artwork galleries in Sussex.
They usually run particular household periods at half-term and in class holidays too. Tickets will be booked on-line or purchased on the door, and also you get free return entry for a 12 months with commonplace admission. Closed on Mondays.
Set within the Royal Pavilion’s gardens, it’s straightforward to mix with a go to to George IV’s ornate creation, if it’s essential fill a full day in Sussex within the rain with children.
The Observatory Science Centre
Sitting on the grounds of Herstmonceux Citadel in East Sussex, The Observatory Science Centre is an thrilling interactive science centre with loads of hands-on actions for teenagers of all ages.
The astronomical observatory was established in 1995 within the former dwelling of The Royal Greenwich Observatory, and immediately it has over 100 interactive displays, telescope excursions, workshops, family-friendly science reveals, and seasonal actions all year long.
Most displays on the Observatory Science Centre are indoors and appropriate for any climate. Nevertheless, you will have to go exterior to get between among the domes, so be sure that to deliver an umbrella or coat.
It’s value realizing that the telescope domes aren’t heated, so it’s good to put on layers on chilly days, and the centre’s stargazing night occasions sadly don’t run on wet days.
Anne of Cleves Home, Lewes
This beautiful timber-framed medieval home and museum in Lewes was initially constructed for Henry VIII’s spouse Anne of Cleves – though she by no means truly used it. And there’s an ideal mixture of training and enjoyable, with loads of possibilities for teenagers to get fingers on and play throughout your go to to the Anne of Cleves home.
In addition to exploring the rooms, together with the Tudor kitchen and bed room with its four-poster mattress, children can gown up alongside the best way, and there are sometimes trails and quizzes plus actions containers to maintain children entertained.
It’s likelihood to find out about life in Sussex centuries in the past, with loads of on a regular basis gadgets to see. If the rain lets up, take the prospect to look into the Tudor backyard too, with herbs and timber which Henry and Anne would have recognised in the event that they occurred to walk by immediately.
Petworth Home, Petworth
With its grand home, Petworth Home and Park in west Sussex is a good day trip in Sussex within the rain, even in the event you can’t profit from the large grounds and beautiful gardens.
Set within the coronary heart of the South Downs, it’s usually tempting to spend sunny days exploring exterior, together with the deer park and the remainder of the grounds, usually with household trails that will help you discover.
However there’s lots to tempt contained in the Sussex Nationwide Belief property too. Impressed by the Baroque palaces of Europe, Petworth Home has its personal spectacular assortment of artwork and sculpture, the earliest English globe nonetheless in existence (which as soon as belonged to the ‘wizard’ earl of Northumberland) and hyperlinks galore to well-known artists.
You too can peek into the historic kitchens, courting from the mid 18th century, when Petworth wanted a small military of 40 servants.
There are many different historic websites in Sussex to go to with children, together with Arundel Citadel and Battle Abbey however whereas these do have indoor points of interest, you’ll need to discover open air as nicely so sunny days – or at the least a dry day – are higher
Newhaven Fort, Newhaven
This 150-year-old fort is among the string of defences constructed through the Napoleonic wars to protect towards invasion, and it was nonetheless used proper up till the Nineteen Fifties.
And inside Newhaven Fort, there are some interactive shows that are enjoyable – or at the least memorable! – for the entire household, similar to experiencing what a (simulated) World Battle Two air raid was like from inside an air raid shelter.
The fort, constructed into the cliff itself, additionally has an journey playground for teenagers and a powerful 10 acres for teenagers to run round in if the rain clears. In case you’re on the lookout for days out in Sussex within the rain along with your four-legged good friend, well-behaved canine are welcome too.
Bluebell Railway
An effective way to see the Sussex countryside with out having to exit within the rain, this steam practice journey takes you a sequence of classic practice stations for a stunning household journey.
Alongside the best way, there’s quite a lot of points of interest together with museums, engine sheds and youngsters’s play areas at every cease alongside the 11 miles between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead.
Followers of Downton Abbey can even acknowledge one of many stations from the present and there are common occasions and festivals all year long as nicely.
The entire route takes round 40 minutes, however all the time test the Bluebell Railway web site prematurely: they don’t run daily, and the timings of the trains can fluctuate.
Fisher’s Journey Farm Park, Wisborough Inexperienced
For a enjoyable day trip with youthful children, Fisher’s Journey Farm Park is heaven for little animal lovers – and has loads of indoor play choices as nicely.
There’s an incredible indoor play barn with the type of play tools that you just’d usually anticipate exterior. Actually, in the event you don’t look too carefully, with the intelligent lighting, woodland sounds and big wood play construction, you can nearly imagine you had been exterior! There’s additionally a sensory den that’s nice for little ones.
There’s additionally extra conventional mushy play, a child sensory room, the Barn Theatre, and the Glow Barn, which opened in 2022. With sensory lighting and tranquil music, beanbags and a few calming shows to observe, it’s superb with over-excited little ones, or anybody who wants an opportunity to loosen up.
Plus you possibly can nonetheless meet loads of farmyard animals from bunnies, chicks, lambs and youngsters to alpacas, cows and horses, in addition to an opportunity to get (gently) fingers on with each day animal dealing with periods in one of many barns, plus occasional feeding periods.
Out of Bounds, Angmering
The Out of Bounds exercise centre has one thing for everybody, preschoolers to adults – and in addition to the all-weather out of doors actions in the event you don’t thoughts a little bit of drizzle (together with journey golf and journey nets), there are a string of indoor actions.
In addition to laser tag and ten pin bowling, there’s clip’n’climb for one thing extra adrenaline-fuelled. Appropriate for age 4+, there are 15 completely different climbing partitions to try to no expertise is important.
Or youthful children can go wild in an enormous mushy play. And we’re not speaking a couple of padded frames, the multi-level design has received it awards for greatest mushy play in Sussex, with a spiral slide in addition to a ball pit and all the standard cushioned climbing and crawling enjoyable.
Supreme for a wet day in Sussex with children or in the event you’re on the lookout for an energetic day trip.
The Cauldon
Add some magic to a wet day trip in Brighton with children with a go to to The Cauldron, the place you possibly can refuel with a spot of potion making.
After a welcome drink poured by magic wand, you’ll even be outfitted with a wand of your individual to brew up two extra molecular cocktails – non-alcoholic variations additionally included.
The potion making expertise is ready inside a wizard-themed bar and restaurant and is barely appropriate for teenagers aged 5+, with particular weekday and Sunday time slots accessible for households.
Strive an Escape Room
Testing your loved ones’s teamwork with an escape room is an effective way to spend a wet day in Sussex, particularly when you’ve older youngsters and teenagers to maintain entertained.
An escape room can have you all working collectively to uncover clues, remedy riddles and puzzles, and escape the room earlier than your time runs out.
There are many nice escape rooms all throughout Sussex. Tulleys Escape Rooms in Crawley has a great deal of nice rooms to select from, together with a Pirate-themed room that’s superb for newbies and households. Pier Stress in Brighton has barely more difficult rooms, with many set inside iconic Brighton landmarks.
Chichester Pageant Theatre
Chichester Pageant Theatre has an enormous number of daytime and night occasions and actions for households which are excellent for a wet day.
The favored theatre hosts family-friendly performances all year long, from enjoyable sing-alongs for toddlers to comedies, musicals, and vacation pantomimes for older youngsters.
In the course of the day, the theatre runs family-friendly backstage excursions. The venue additionally has a devoted household space with arts and crafts, fancy gown, and books for youthful children. Plus, you possibly can take pleasure in much more actions on the pop-up household enjoyable periods each Thursday and Saturday.
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Royal Pavilion/East Cliff/Newhaven Fort/climbing wall courtesy of Depositphotos, Observatory courtesy Picfari, all different photos copyright MummyTravels
