Sussex is undoubtedly a glorious county and as we reach the end of another year, it seems a good idea to reflect on the best of Sussex, the places we’ve enjoyed the most and the places we would recommend. We have chosen at least three in each category based on our experiences this year and those places that have given us the wow factor. We have visited most (but not quite all) of the places mentioned within the last 12 months. So, buckle up and enjoy.
Best places to eat in Sussex
We’ve munched, slurped and masticated our way around Sussex. We’ve eaten in some amazing places. But here is our top three.
Crab and Lobster, Sidlesham Harbour
In June, we went exploring Pagham Harbour and at sunset we found ourselves at the Crab and Lobster, right at the edge of the harbour and nature reserve. We enjoyed a fabulous seafood menu and some equally good wine. In fact, we could have stayed all night, and if you fancy doing that, they have rooms. The Crab & Lobster has a sister restaurant (The Halfway House near Petworth) where we recently spent a long afternoon checking out their wine menu!
Rathfinny Vineyard Restaurant, near Eastbourne
Back in May, we made our way to Rathfinny just south of Alfriston. One of the reasons we love it there is that when you get out of the car, right up on the South Downs, you can smell the sea, and it transports you to southern France. The year before last, they had an open air kitchen which was fabulous but this year we ate in their main restaurant with views over the Downs and the vines. If you are looking for somewhere for that special occasion, this is a great choice, and you can walk around the vineyards after lunch.
Terra Restaurant, near Henfield
We fell in love with this recently refurbished restaurant near Henfield, in part due to its great location at the foot of the Downs, in part because of the chef’s dedication to local ingredients and in part because they have an interesting menu that serves great food.
Special mention also goes to the Brussels sprout dish from Camelia Restaurant at South Lodge. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, it was that utterly sublime and completely unexpectedly the best dish we had had in ages!
Best Sussex sculpture trails
Sussex is a little short of sculpture trails, but to be recommended are:
Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, Horsham
During Lockdown, Leonardslee installed a series of large sculptures by Anton Smit around the grounds (with smaller pieces and art in the house). More recently, they have collaborated with the Surrey Sculpture Society and created a second (everchanging) sculpture trail. Showcasing a diverse array of talent, it’s a beautiful walk.
Philip Jackson
Philip Jackson’s extraordinary sculpture garden opens each summer and (having seen some of his work at Chichester Cathedral and at Itchenor), a trip back to his studio this year was irresistible. His work is intriguing, dramatic and compelling set against the backdrop of a beautiful garden.
Farley House
It all gets a little surreal at Farley House in East Sussex, former home of Lee Miller and Roland Penrose. In the gardens, they have a permanent collection of works chosen by Lee Miller and Roland Penrose as well as works by contemporary guest sculptors. They have a number of Picasso pieces in the house and you can even buy Miller’s Surrealist cookery book.
Best places to stay in Sussex
We’ve stayed at or visited some fabulous venues this year as we’ve travelled around the county. Of course, this is often by way of press invitation, but we have nearly always been completely wowed!
The Gallivant, Camber Sands
The Gallivant is just metres away from the sand dunes and sandy beaches at Camber. It has a uber chic and stylish seaside vibe with just the right doses of luxury and relaxation, and some fabulous finishing touches. In short, we loved it!
Buxted Park Hotel, Uckfield
Buxted Park won our hearts for the sheer opulence and extravagance of the Great Gatsby weekend break. Every little detail had been thought of and we enjoyed learning the Charleston, oysters and a champagne fountain, gambling, dancing and fireworks on the the lawn!
South Lodge
On a fresh but sunny autumn morning, I dived into a lake at South Lodge. It was all part of a sneak preview of the new Lakeside Lodges. After the swim (not compulsory), we had a look around the gorgeous lodges that hover over the water with fabulous views, all mod cons and a chance to completely escape for a while. Not cheap but very special.
Best Sussex walks
Always up for a walk, short or long, we’ve covered more than a few miles this year.
Hastings Country Park
The joy of walks in Hastings Country Park is that you have so many choices and each walk seems to be matched with great views and landscape. We’ve done a few walks here but in early September we set off from Rye Harbour to walk to Old Town Hastings. Coastal paths, stunning cliff top views and lots of wildlife were the order of the day, along with twisting, winding paths and hidden coves. Oh, and a nudist beach.
Blackdown to Lurgashall
Having walked the Serpent Trail earlier this year with the ladies of Rural Strides, Friends of the South Downs and Langham Brewery, we didn’t want to stop, so we carried on. Which meant back in late September, we found ourselves descending from Blackdown past the Weyborne Vineyard and through ancient orchards. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the descent is truly magical. It’s part of a new route from Haslemere to Arundel via Petworth. In fact, it’s so new, that it hasn’t got a name yet!
Wolstonbury
A South Downs outlier, Wolstonbury Hill involves a steep climb but rewards you with views of the Jack and Jill windmills, the Weald and the South Downs. It also has a Bronze Age enclosure, a trig point and a very spiritual vibe.
A special mention also goes to the coastal footpath from East Head to Itchenor in West Sussex which we walked back in June. Remote, wild and tranquil, we loved it.
Best Sussex producer
We do love local produce here at Sussex Exclusive and it’s been particularly hard to choose favourites. We have some superb local produce and our Sussex drinks scene is second to none.
Balcombe Dairy
Balance Dairy and their Blue Cloud cheese is very moreish. They also have an interesting back story and make their cheese just feet away from where the cows graze.
Sky Park Farm Venison
We stumbled into Sky Park Farm on the West Sussex border on a hot day and at the end of a 20 km walk. They produce their own venison and cook it in their own bar and grill. If you’re not sure about venison, this is the place to go and try it.
Harley, Slake and Coolhurst
With well over 200 vineyards and distilleries in Sussex, choosing the best of Sussex was always going to be impossible! But, for gin we’ve chosen Slake Spirits (Worthing) and for rum, Harley House Distillery (Seaford). Both produce amazing spirits and the quality is evident from the first mouthful (trust me, we have tested this very thoroughly) but we also love how they champion local ingredients. The wine we have enjoyed the most this year (and we’ve put a lot of work into this too!) is Coolhurst (Horsham).
Best Sussex attraction
Brighton is always a winner when it comes to quirky attractions but we’ve cast our net a bit wider.
Butlins, Bognor Regis
This year, Butlins in Bognor opened a new multi million pound PLAYXPERIENCE. Visiting on their press day, I wasn’t expecting to like it but quickly realised that it is a fantastic facility with escape rooms, neon golf and ping pong, virtual games and lots more. If families are looking for something to do, there is nothing else like it in the county.
Drusillas Zoo
It’s been a while since we visited Drusillas but as a family day out, it was always a winner with our children. Educational, interesting and wholesome. What’s not to love?
Tulleys Farm
Tulleys Farm has gone from strength to strength in recent years and they have everything now from escape rooms to tulip festivals, fright nights and drive through cinema experiences. The folk at the farm are always innovating and for a family day (or night) out, it’s a great choice.
And before we leave this section, let’s give a quick nod to the Brighton i360 whose future, at the time of writing, hangs in the balance.
Best museums and art galleries
Sussex is awash with outstanding museums, with one in almost every town. From very small to very large, you have a lot of choice and it’s been particularly hard to choose this year’s favourites.
Royal Pavilion, Brighton
You cannot visit Sussex without a visit to the Royal Pavilion. It is exotic, iconic and fabulously opulent. They host a range of different exhibitions during the year and whilst there, it is worth a visit to the museum just on the other side of the gardens. We love it more every time we visit.
Weald & Downland Living Museum
Tucked away in the countryside near Chichester, the Weald and Downland Museum has something for everyone. It covers over 1,000 years of history and has over 50 relocated historic houses on its 40 acre site. There is always something going on and they have seasonal activities, demonstrations and activities and even an open air theatre in the summer.
Hastings Smugglers Adventure
Hastings has a number of great museums, so picking a favourite was hard. The Smugglers Adventure is inside St Clements Caves and is a bit of a bone shaker with spooky lighting and larger than life (and noisier than life too) displays. It’s part of three attractions, the other two being Hastings Aquarium and Hastings Castle.
Best Sussex garden
Geoff Stonebanks is really the man to ask for this one, with his encyclopedic knowledge of NGS gardens, and of course with his own stunning garden. But of the ones we’ve visited, our favourites have been:
Borde Hill, Haywards Heath
We visited Borde Hill in early summer to see a new (but temporary) sculpture installation. It was a beautiful sunny day, the sculptures were lovely and the gardens were popping with colour. Each corner offered a new delight from the Italianate garden to the fountains and a bright pink rhododendron tunnel.
Arundel Castle
The grounds at Arundel Castle are lovely but it’s their tulip festival that wins them a place in this category. It is a veritable tulip extravaganza against the backdrop of the caste, the cathedral and the stunning garden architecture.
Sussex Prairie Garden
Just outside Henfield, there is something very special about Sussex Prairie Garden. The garden only opened in 2009, a year after it was planted. It was designed and created by Paul and Pauline McBride who have designed gardens as far afield as Scotland, Luxembourg and India! Described as a “naturalistic” garden, it covers eight acres and is home to some 35,000 plants. Expect all sorts of delightful surprises.
Best historic buildings
Sussex is known for its many historic buildings which range from Medieval castles, ruins and National Trust homes to private homes and fascinating churches. Our winners are:
Chichester Cathedral
In 2025, Chichester Cathedral will celebrate its 950th anniversary and will be hosting many events including a fascinating exhibition. You can now also do roof top tours. It’s a fascinating, beautiful and evocative building whatever your faith.
Lewes Castle and Priory
OK, so this is two buildings, but if you want oodles of history, ruins and history, then you really have to head to Lewes. Lewes Castle is a Norman castle built just after the Norman conquest. You can climb up the keep for amazing views across the county and there is a museum attached to the castle too. A short walk away are the ruins of a Medieval priory which is free to visit, has helpful information boards and lots of atmosphere.
Bignor Roman Villa
It can’t be all about the Normans and if you want to go big on Romans then you can head east to Pevensey Castle (a Roman fort long before the Normans got there) or visit Bignor in the west. Bignor Roman Villa is a large Roman courtyard villa. You can see a number of rooms and some of the best preserved Roman mosaics in England. There are also some wonderful artefacts on display, all at the very foot of the South Downs.
Best Sussex Christmas experience
Sussex knows how to do Christmas in style and there are now a growing number of fantastic light shows and Christmas experiences.
Glow Wild
From Battle Abbey in the east to Leonardslee in the west, the light shows on offer in Sussex are outstanding. This year, Gl0w Wild at Wakehurst really pulled out all the stops and put on a display that was magical, enchanting, reflective and stunning. Look out for the little people of the forest and lose yourself in the mystic. So good, we went twice!
Burning the Clocks
Burning the Clocks is held on the night of the winter solstice and involves an enormous parade through the streets of Brighton and some amazingly creative lanterns before fireworks and dancing on the seafront. It’s quite a festival with thousands turning out to watch.
The Mediaeval Baebes
Last but certainly not least of our best of Sussex round up, the Mediaeval Baebes Christmas concert in St Mary’s Church in Horsham is like no other concert you’ll go to. Spiritual, haunting and magical, at times you feel like their voices could cut glass with their brilliance as they bring together a number of traditional and folk style songs.
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