Days Out in Sussex

The British Wildlife Centre is a peaceful, relaxing place to see over 40 different British wild animals.  Animals include harvest mice, otters, foxes, deer, badgers, stoats, weasels, owls and buzzards, to name but a few.  Animals are homed in large enclosures that reflect their natural environment. Much of the area is outside and you will see most of the animals, whatever the weather. The British Wildlife Centre was established in 1997 and is a not-for-profit organisation.  Your visit is likely to take from two hours to half a day, but their is no limit, and there are Keeper talks every half an hour to give you more information about the animals. Please click here for more information.

The village of Hartfield was the inspiration for the Winnie the Pooh stories and where all the “Enchanted Places” can be discovered, along with The Pooh shop. This used to be the shop where Christopher Robin’s nanny used to take him on the back of their pet donkey to buy sweets.  It is now home to the world’s largest selection of Winnie-the-Pooh products.  Maps and guides can be picked up in the shop highlighting Pooh places to visit in the forest.

Nine-hole play & play golf course set in over 100 acres of land.  Cuckfield Junior Clinic takes place for one hour on a Saturday between midday and 1pm.  Ideal for 3-7 year olds who want to have fun and discover whether they have a love for the game of golf.  Once hooked, children can do the Youth Masters Programme (YMG).  The YMG programme has different courses where children will experience different golf skills, etiquette and rules.

Zorbing or Sphereing, is the new craze sweeping the country! Participants get in a large plastic round inflatable ball protected by a massive cushion of air (something resembling a huge hamster ball) and then roll down a big hill, reaching speeds of up to 30mph!  Set atop Devils Dyke with stunning views across Brighton, the coast and the South Downs, Orb360’s Orb-run is the longest in the country at half a mile long! For the water lovers there are Aqua-Orbs, you and friend join 50litres of splashing water and roll down the Aqua-slide.

Yellowave is the UK’s first permanent beach sports venue.  Based on the Brighton seafront, the site offers activities for adults and children, experienced and novice.  Activities include volleyball, beach soccer, footvolley, bouldering, beach rugby, ultimate Frisbee, beach handball and beachminton.

Mountain boarding centre in 20 acres of land.  Get a lift to the top of the hill on a tractor trailer before making your own way down.  Instruction and boards available.  Open to all ages.

Museums of shops and social history from bygone years.  The museum is home to over 100,000 nostalgic items collected over 40 years.  Walk through displays include a children's play room, 1930's wireless shop, 1941 wartime kitchen and the back streets of Victorian England.

The ultimate eco-friendly house! Purpose built, self-sufficient property built in the soil of Stanmer Park in Brighton.  Built from car tyres, it harvests sunlight and rainwater.  Open all year for viewing and two Sundays a month a 90 minute guided tour is available.

Over 100 llamas and alpacas in 30 acres of countryside.   See the animals wandering in the park, or close up in the barns.  Alternatively, for an extra cost, visitors can walk the llamas!  Adventure play area for children.

Britain’s steepest funicular railway is located in East Sussex.  The West Hill Cliff Railway is over 115 year old and is locally known as the “West Hill Lift”.  The railway runs from George Street in Hastings town centre, through the cliff and up to the Castle, providing fabulous views of Beachy Head and across the English Channel.

Beautiful and peaceful woodland in 61 acres, with trails, playground, picnic places, BBQs, team room, tea garden and exhibitions.  Events held throughout the year including bluebell walks, bug hunting, teddy bear picnics and Christmas tree harvest. 

Volk’s Electric Railway is the world’s oldest operating electric railway, running for just over a mile along the Brighton seafront from Brighton Pier to Black Rock, carrying up to 80 passengers.  The Railway closes during the winter.

In October 1066 the English were defeated by the Normans at the Battle of Hastings and now, thanks to an investment of £2.6 million, visitors can discover the story of the battle through a major new exhibition that uses, film, computer technology and interactive exhibits.  Visitors can can enjoy a new audio tour of the 100-acre battlefield and explore the ruins of the Abbey.

Open-air museum of fifty rebuilt historic buildings dating from the 13th to the 19th century, situated within 50 acres of beautiful Sussex countryside.  The buildings were rescued from destruction, dismantled, and then rebuilt. Exhibits include a timber framed farmhouse, market hall, Victorian school and medieval shop.  Regular demonstrations and people to talk to about how residents of the properties once lived.

Beautiful and historic garden set in 200 acres of Grade II listed parkland and woodland.  The garden is home to fine selection of trees and shrubs including 80 champion trees and the renowned award winning collection of over 1000 rhododendrons, numerous azaleas and magnolias. At the heart of the garden Borde Hill House, a Tudor mansion dating from 1598, provides a a magnificent backdrop to the formal 17-acre Garden which is linked into a series of  ‘garden rooms’.  Lakes, fishing and a children's adventure playground can be found in the gardens.

Located on the Kent and Sussex borders, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Bewl Water Reservoir is the largest stretch of water in the South East.  Activities include walking, cycling, windsurfing, canoeing, sailing, rowing, fly-fishing, a woodland playground and a passenger ferry

De La Warr is housed in a Grade 1 listed building overlooking the sea, that re-opened after a £9million refurbishment in October 2005, and has since received half a million visitors.  The Pavilion has much entertainment on offer including children's workshops, exhibitions, comedy, drama, music and ballet. 

Bowlplex owns 18 bowling centres in the UK.  South East centres are in Brighton, Basingstoke, Portsmouth, Tunbridge Wells, Camberley and Oxford.  Facilities include numerous bowling lanes, American pool, dining, big screen TVs and video game arcades.

Hollywood Bowl has bowling centres throughout the UK and centres specifically in Bracknell and Crawley.  Both centres have at least 24 lanes, games arcade areas and cafes.

Heritage trail, gardens and Museum of Life, with thousands of flowering shrubs, themed gardens such as the Caribbean Garden and Seaside Garden; collections of fossils, crystals and minerals in the museum; huge models of dinosaurs, and a children’s play area including an 18 hole Crazy Golf course.

Formed in 1839, the Sussex County Cricket Club grounds are at Eaton Road, Hove.  The cricket season runs until the end of September, with the popular Twenty20 event taking place in June.  The Indoor School runs schools’ coaching schemes and holiday coaching courses for children.

Order old fashioned sweets from the UK online sweet shop, Handy Candy!  With a huge range of old fashioned sweets, sweet hampers, unique pick & mix service, chews, candies, lollies, bars, infact nearly every kind of sweet - you are spoilt for choice!  Choose sweet hampers, wedding sweets, party bags, sweet jars Easter Goodies and so much more!  To find out more click here!

Part of the Ambassador Group of theatres, the Theatre Royal Brighton is a Grade II listed building dating back 200 years.  Musicals, ballet and drama some of the varieties of entertainment staged throughout the year.

Worthing Theatres are a group of three venues, the Pavilion Theatre situated on Worthing Pier, Connaught Theatre where live shows and cinemas are based, and the Assembly Halls where concerts are held.  A variety of music, drama, comedy and musicals are staged at the theatres.

Chichester Festival Theatre is a Grade II listed building with a "thrust" stage which helps to make the performances a more intimate experience in the auditorium that seats 1206 people!  During the Festival, which runs from April to September, many performances are packed in so that often plays are running parallel in both the Chichester and its sister theatre, the Minerva.  Touring productions run during the autumn months.

Hotham Arts Centre with the Alexandra Theatre stages music, arts, entertainment, exhibitions and film events for all tastes.