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
Featured
Head down south to this arty East Sussex enclave for super-cool galleries, cute boutiques, excellent coffee shops and superb sea views.
Adventure boat trips to Beachy Head
Jump aboard an adrenaline filled boat trip for a close up view of the stunning South Downs National Park coastline and Beachy Head lighthouse.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Go shopping in Little Chelsea
Explore the Victorian shopping streets of Little Chelsea in Eastbourne for contemporary homewares, art galleries and restored antiques.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Alfresco Shakespeare in Eastbourne’s pretty Italian Gardens
Discover one of the South Coast’s best kept secrets, with hidden gardens, secluded walkways, outdoor Shakespeare and rock pooling.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
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
Go in search of Sherlock, smugglers and Legless Rambler
Discover the hidden secrets of East Dean at this pretty village, set in the South Downs National Park, just outside of Eastbourne.
Location: Eastbourne, 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
Meet the mysterious Long Man of Wilmington
Take a trip to discover this incredible figure situated on the South Downs, near Eastbourne.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Cycle and canoe in the iconic Seven Sisters Country Park
Explore the South Downs Way, near Eastbourne, discovering Seven Sisters Country Park by bicycle and the Cuckmere Valley by canoe.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Channel your inner artist in the South Downs
Create your own artistic masterpiece at one of the South Downs’ most scenic locations, with stunning views of the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Valley.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Follow Sussex’s Coastal Culture Trail
Discover contemporary art at three leading coastal galleries, all linked by a scenic and historic cycle route though Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Go on a ‘legless ramble’ through East Sussex’s countryside
Escape to the English countryside and explore Beachy Head in East Sussex, first on a brewery tour and then on foot.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Soar above England’s highest chalk sea cliff
Work up the courage for a unique, exhilarating way to take in the iconic scenery of East Sussex’s famous Beachy Head, near Eastbourne.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Explore Brighton and Hove’s wartime heritage
Commemorate the First World War with a cultural holiday in Brighton and Hove, roaming around the city’s lively cultural quarter.
Location: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex
Unwind and detox by the sea in grand five start luxury
Escape for a relaxing spa day at the UK’s only 5 star seaside hotel and revive the soul with beach-side yoga and devour wholesome vegetarian delights.
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
Retail therapy in Eastbourne’s pretty little Chelsea
Explore over 50 independent retailers in Eastbourne’s quaint Little Chelsea and find everything from contemporary art to chic home ware and more.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
UK breaks: 24 hours in Hastings
Head down south to this arty East Sussex enclave for super-cool galleries, cute boutiques, excellent coffee shops and superb sea views.
