Visit East Sussex for green hills and weald-land that look like landscape paintings, towns blitzed by bloody Norman battles and super-cool seaside resorts. There are lots of exciting places to visit and things to do in East Sussex. Follow the in-crowd to funky Brighton for days splashing off pebble beaches and browsing lanes of alternative boutiques. Or pop over to family-friendly Eastbourne with its serene boating lakes, Victorian gardens and wow-factor white cliffs. Don your imaginary armour for days tracing 1066 dramas to abbeys and battlefields in Battle and Hastings. Or wander the stylish cobbled citadel of Rye, home to an array of art, cosy pubs and modern boutique hotels.
Places to visit in East Sussex
24 hours in Hastings
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Head down south to this arty East Sussex enclave for super-cool galleries, cute boutiques, excellent coffee shops and superb sea views.
Nightly summer bandstand concerts and weekly fireworks
The UK’s busiest bandstand on Eastbourne’s seafront offers nightly concerts from pop to rock throughout summer, with a weekly firework crescendo.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Action packed watersports at Camber Sands
Kite-flyers and windsurfers of all ages and abilities should head to Camber Sands - a dramatic sandy beach on the south coast, and the perfect spot to catch the waves.
Location: Camber Sands, East Sussex
Get your fair share of thrills on Brighton Pier
From the traditional helter skelter to heart-racing thrills overlooking the sea, the iconic Brighton Pier is a seaside theme park for families of all ages.
Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex
Enjoy a classic holiday by the seaside
When the sun shines there is only one place to be – beside the sea.
Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex
Go fossil hunting in East Sussex
You never know what you might find on a fossil-hunting session on Peacehaven beach.
Location: East Sussex
Rainy Day Activities: Discover tropical fish at SEA LIFE Brighton
Take a deep breath and see if you can walk through the world’s largest under-sea glass tunnel at SEA LIFE Brighton.
Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex
Join a ghost tour of England’s spookiest fortress
Join a spooky twilight tour at Eastbourne’s Redoubt Fortress this October for a fun and frightful tour around the creepy cobwebbed corridors.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Wildlife skills and forest fun in the South Downs
Family holidays in the South Downs National Park are perfect for venturing out into the fresh air, to learn about camping, nature and wildlife.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Discover the UK’s largest Bronze Age causeway
Explore the ground-breaking discovery of Britain’s Biggest Bronze Age Causeway in new exhibition Making Tracks: Eastbourne’s Bronze Age Mystery.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
December events: Meet Father Christmas at Drusillas
A magical Christmas experience is waiting for all the family at Drusillas Park this winter.
Location: Alfriston, near Eastbourne
Vintage swimwear, Lewis Carroll’s desk and summer keepsakes
Step back in time and discover British seaside holidays through the ages in the new Summer Holiday Seaside exhibition on Eastbourne’s elegant seafront.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Let your little monkeys loose at Drusillas Park
A world of discovery awaits your family at Drusillas, the UK’s best small zoo with over 100 different species to admire and endless adventure play.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Play Pooh sticks in Ashdown Forest
Take a walk through the magical wood where Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, Tigger and Eeyore roam.
Location: Hartfield, East Sussex