Summer Holidays 2026: The Best Things to Do with Kids in West Sussex

Looking for summer holiday activities in West Sussex 2026? West Sussex schools break up on Tuesday 21 July and return on Tuesday 1 September — just over six weeks to fill. The good news is that you are extraordinarily well placed. This is a county with world-class motor racing, medieval jousting, National Trust gardens, Blue Flag beaches, free family festivals, and one of England's finest open-air museums — all within easy reach of each other.

This guide covers the best days out, free activities, summer events, beaches, and holiday clubs across the county. We have organised it by type so you can plan around your family's interests and budget.

Prices and dates are correct at time of writing (February 2026) and will be updated as more 2026 details are confirmed. Always check venue websites before visiting — popular events and parking can sell out weeks in advance.

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Key Dates: Summer 2026 in West Sussex

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Section 1: Summer Events Worth Planning Around

These are the highlights that justify booking well in advance — either because they sell out, require parking pre-booking, or simply deserve a full day.

Arundel Castle: International Medieval Jousting Tournament — Arundel

Eight champion jousting knights from England, Poland, Portugal, and Australia compete across six days in the spectacular grounds of one of England's finest medieval castles. But jousting is only the headline — alongside it you will find falconry displays, fire eating, axe throwing, archery, warrior training, medieval musicians, and a dedicated Arundel Castle Kids Battle where children can try on armour and test their aim.

The setting is exceptional: the castle backdrop, the cathedral spire visible above the trees, the great lawn transformed into a genuine tournament ground. This is not a re-enactment — it is a properly competitive international event, and the atmosphere is electric. Arundel is also one of West Sussex's most beautiful towns; combine the jousting with a walk through the town, lunch by the river, and a look around the Arundel streets and you have a full and memorable day.

:::tip Pre-book and arrive by 10.30am. The grounds get very busy by midday on weekend days. Tickets include all-day re-entry so you can leave for lunch and return. The castle shop sells excellent gifts for children. Car parks fill fast — use the town car parks and walk the short distance up Mill Road. :::

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Glorious Goodwood (Qatar Goodwood Festival) — near Chichester

Often called the most beautiful racecourse in England, Goodwood's hilltop setting with views across the South Downs to the coast is unlike any other. The Qatar Goodwood Festival (formerly the Glorious Goodwood meeting) is five days of top-class flat racing, but for families the draw is as much the atmosphere, the fashion, the food, and the picnicking as the horses themselves.

The Lennox Lawn is the picnic-and-families enclosure — trackside views, relaxed dress code, and a children's adventure playground on the grass. The racing itself is some of the best in the British flat season, making this a genuinely special day out even if your children have never seen a horse race before.

Under 18s go free (maximum four per paying adult), which makes this a realistic family option if you book tickets early.

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Petworth Summer Festival — Petworth

Fifty events across 17 days in one of West Sussex's most atmospheric small towns — classical concerts, jazz, chamber music, and bigger outdoor events in spectacular settings. The 2026 programme includes a Sheku & Isata Kanneh-Mason evening (18 July), a Soul & Motown special with Natalie Williams' Soul Family at Petworth House Stable Yard (25 July), and a Brandenburg concert by the London Handel Players (20 July).

Petworth itself is worth the trip at any time of year — the NT estate at Petworth House is one of the grandest deer parks in England, and the town's independent shops and restaurants are excellent. Combine a concert evening with a daytime visit to the park and the National Trust house.

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Arundel Festival of the Arts — Arundel

Ten days, 200+ events. The Arundel Festival is one of the most welcoming community arts festivals in the South East — a gallery trail, theatre trail, street performances, music from jazz to folk to classical, children's workshops, a Scout 10k run, and outdoor Shakespeare in the castle grounds. Most of the street events and gallery trail are completely free, making this one of the best value days out of the whole summer.

The Shakespeare open-air performances in the castle grounds (performed by Illyria company) are a particular highlight — an atmospheric evening with the castle lit behind the stage. In 2026 Illyria performs As You Like It and The Merry Wives of Windsor (check arundelcastle.org for exact dates). Tickets sell quickly.

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Into the Wild Family Festival — West Hoathly

A multi-day family festival set in the ancient meadows, Sequoia groves, and woodland of the Chiddinglye Estate near East Grinstead — world music, wild arts, nature crafts, storytelling, and a pace of life that feels genuinely different from a mainstream festival. The children's area is thoughtfully designed for younger ones: nature-based, creative, and calm rather than overstimulating. This is not a fairground in a field — it is closer to a summer camp in a spectacular place.

Over August Bank Holiday weekend, with school about to start and summer winding down, this makes for a memorable final send-off.

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Wakehurst: Henry Moore and More — Ardingly

Wakehurst — Kew's 500-acre country estate near Haywards Heath — hosts one of the summer's most quietly spectacular cultural events: four iconic Henry Moore sculptures placed among the ornamental gardens, ancient woodland, and meadows, alongside new commissions by contemporary artists. It is included with standard admission, which makes it exceptional value for families — children 16 and under are free, meaning a family of two adults and two children pays £37 in total.

Beyond the exhibition, Wakehurst does summer well. The Latehurst sunset series runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through July — live music and evening access across the estate (separate ticketed event). Bat walks run on selected evenings. And throughout the school holidays the Children's & Community Garden offers messy play and nature-based activities included with admission.

:::tip Sustainable travel discount. If you arrive on foot, by bike, or by bus you pay just £9.25 (adult). The 261 bus from Haywards Heath station runs to Ardingly — a rare chance to make a genuinely car-free day of it. :::

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Weald & Downland Living Museum: Toys Through Time — Singleton

Forty acres of Sussex countryside, 50 rescued historic buildings spanning 500 years, living history demonstrations, farm animals, working craftspeople — and this summer, a dedicated school holiday activity exploring how children's toys have evolved from Medieval to Victorian times. Toys Through Time is included with admission and runs throughout the entire summer holiday period.

The museum also hosts Open-Air Shakespeare this summer — Illyria performs As You Like It from 14 July, with performances in the spectacular open-air setting of the museum grounds. This is a separately ticketed event; no door sales and it sells out. Pre-book at wealddown.co.uk/whats-on.

The Weald & Downland is near Chichester and makes an excellent pairing with West Wittering beach — it is worth arriving for opening and spending the morning here, then driving the 20 minutes to the coast for the afternoon.

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Section 2: Best Beaches for Families

West Sussex has roughly 50 miles of coastline and the quality varies enormously. Here are the beaches that are genuinely worth the trip.

West Wittering — the standout pick

Blue Flag award-winning and, by some considerable distance, the best family beach in the county. Wide, clean sand, spectacular dune system, and shallow lagoons that form at low tide — perfect for very young children who can paddle safely with adults nearby. Lifeguards patrol in summer. Deck chairs, surfboard hire, and a good café on site.

The only catch is popularity: on a hot August weekend West Wittering is absolutely rammed. The car park fills early — arriving by 10am is genuine advice, not a polite suggestion. The pre-booking system means you at least know you have a space; turning up on spec on a hot day risks being turned away entirely.

:::tip Check the tide times. The dune lagoons that make West Wittering magical for young children only form at low tide. tidetimes.org.uk gives the exact times. Aim to arrive 1–2 hours before low tide. :::

Littlehampton East Beach

RNLI Blue Flag, lifeguard-patrolled, flat sand and good facilities. The beach itself is lovely, but what makes Littlehampton exceptional for families is everything around it: Harbour Park amusements (old-school fairground rides, mini golf, and a miniature railway), a Sea Life Centre, and the extraordinary East Beach Café — a celebrated piece of architecture that looks like a rolling sand dune and serves good food from morning to evening.

In summer 2026, the Love Local Wednesdays series runs every Wednesday of the school holidays on the High Street: free live music, fairground rides, a pop-up petting farm, character meet-and-greets, and arts and craft workshops for children. Completely free to attend.

Bracklesham Bay — the fossil hunter's beach

Bracklesham Bay looks unremarkable at first glance — but it is one of the best fossil-hunting beaches in southern England. Sharks' teeth, ray dental plates, and 55-million-year-old Eocene shells wash out of the cliffs and ledges on every tide. Give a child a small mesh bag and a purpose and you will have a happy afternoon.

The Bay also has a watersports school offering windsurfing, kitesurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding for older children and adults. Less crowded than West Wittering, which is a genuine summer advantage.

Worthing Beach

A long, clean, accessible beach with a proper Edwardian pier, good swimming, and all the facilities you would expect from a traditional Sussex seaside town. Less dramatic than West Wittering but far easier to reach by train (Worthing station is a 10-minute walk) and significantly less crowded. A very solid choice for a last-minute summer day out, especially if you are not planning around the dunes.

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Section 3: Bigger Days Out

Fishers Farm Park — near Horsham

A large, full-day adventure farm on a working farm near Horsham, with 40+ rides and attractions across the site. The summer draw is the Splash Attack water zone — interactive water jets, tree showers, and water cannons that children of all ages treat as their personal playground for hours. Beyond the water, there is a log flume, toboggan runs, pony rides, Skyfall drop ride, quad bikes, bumper boats, ghost tunnel, cinema, adventure golf, and a maze, plus genuine farm animals (Shire horses, alpacas, highland cows, tortoises, lambs).

Pre-book online — peak summer weekends sell out — and build in a full day. This is not a two-hour visit. For more ideas near Horsham, see our Horsham events page.

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Go Ape Treetop Challenge — Crawley

High-ropes and zip-wire adventures in the woodland above Tilgate Park. The Treetop Challenge is a proper test for older children and adults — five loops of increasingly challenging high-ropes courses culminating in a 146m Tarzan Swing and five zip wires. The Treetop Adventure is designed for younger children. Both require advance booking; the £3.95 transaction fee is unavoidable online but it saves the hassle of queuing at the gate.

Tilgate Park itself is one of West Sussex's best free parks — 700 acres of woodland and lakes with a free dinosaur trail (39 life-size creatures), two large play areas, and a nature centre. You could easily make a full day of Go Ape in the morning and the park in the afternoon. See our Crawley events page for more nearby ideas.

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Drusillas Park — Alfriston (East Sussex border)

Technically in East Sussex but only 20 minutes from Worthing and one of the best small zoos in the South East for families with under-10s. Over 100 species, dedicated splash zones and water play, miniature railway, rides, and well-designed zoo enclosures that bring children close to the animals. It is not Whipsnade, but that is the point — it is perfectly scaled for young children who get tired at big attractions.

The Kids for £1 offer (19 July – 10 August) is genuinely exceptional value — if you have the dates free, book immediately. It sells out every year.

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Bignor Roman Villa — near Pulborough

One of Britain's finest Roman villas — discovered by a farmer in 1811 — with the longest known mosaic corridor in England (24.6m) and exceptional floor mosaics that survived 1,600 years under Sussex soil. The thatched-roof protective buildings over the excavated floors are unique and atmospheric. In August, a hedge maze opens on the grounds (small additional charge).

This is a quieter, more thoughtful kind of day out — ideal for children who are history-curious or who have been studying the Romans at school. The setting in the South Downs is beautiful, and a walk on the Stane Street Roman road nearby extends the experience nicely.

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Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre — near Arundel

A 36-acre open-air industrial heritage museum in a chalk quarry near the Arundel area — working narrow-gauge railway, historic buses, working craftspeople, and 50+ event days across the year. It covers the industrial history of the South East from the Industrial Revolution through to the twentieth century, and the working nature of it — you can ride the railway, watch the potters, talk to the blacksmiths — makes it genuinely engaging rather than a passive museum visit.

Check their events calendar for summer 2026 special days — they run 50+ event days per year and summer typically includes transport rally days, living history weekends, and children's craft activities.

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Section 4: Free and Cheap Days Out

Not every summer day needs to cost £80. West Sussex has a remarkable amount to offer for free.

Tilgate Park, Crawley

Seven hundred acres of ancient woodland, parkland, and three lakes. The dinosaur trail — 39 life-size dinosaur sculptures hidden through the woodland — is free and brilliant for 4–10 year olds. Two large play areas. Café. Boating in summer. Go Ape on site (paid). One of the best free parks in the county.

Cissbury Ring, near Worthing

An Iron Age hill fort and Neolithic flint mines — one of the most important prehistoric sites in England — and one of West Sussex's best free walks. The circular route from Findon village is approximately 4 miles and takes around 1.5 hours at a family pace. The views from the top over the Weald to the north and the sea to the south are among the best in the county. A good place to talk to older children about the people who shaped this landscape 4,000 years ago.

The South Downs National Park — anywhere

The South Downs National Park runs through West Sussex from Petersfield in the west to Eastbourne in the east, and virtually all of it is free to walk. The Great Sussex Way is a 250-mile circular walking route with shorter sections ideal for families. For the best family routes, see our South Downs family walks guide.

Littlehampton Love Local Wednesdays — free events

Every Wednesday of the school summer holidays (22 July – 26 August), Littlehampton High Street hosts Love Local Wednesdays: free live music, funfair rides, a pop-up petting farm, character meet-and-greets, and children's art and craft workshops. Completely free. A surprisingly good community event and a good reason to visit the beach too.

West Sussex Playgrounds and Parks

For younger children, the county's playgrounds are among the best around. Our best playgrounds guide covers the ones worth the drive, including the excellent Horsham Park play area, Hotham Park in Bognor Regis, and the adventure playground at Tilgate Park.

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Section 5: Summer Culture and Arts

Chichester Festival Theatre: My Fair Lady — Chichester

The Chichester Festival Theatre's summer centrepiece — My Fair Lady in CFT's first-ever production of the Lerner & Loewe classic, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with choreography by Stephen Mear. The CFT summer season is one of the most respected in British theatre, and the introduction of 21,000 tickets at £10 and £15 (booking from 28 February online) makes it genuinely accessible for families.

For older children with a taste for theatre, this is the kind of experience that makes an impression. CFT also runs excellent youth and education programmes across the summer — check the website for children's workshops and young person events.

Festival of Chichester — Chichester

A month-long arts and music festival across Chichester's venues. Strong programming for families alongside classical, folk, and jazz concerts. Events held at the Cathedral, Weald & Downland Living Museum, and across the city.

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Section 6: A Note on Holiday Clubs

Six weeks is a long time and holiday childcare is a genuine challenge. West Sussex has good provision:

Free places (HAF Programme): The government's Holiday Activities and Food programme offers up to 16 free summer sessions for children on benefits-related free school meals — including meals. West Sussex County Council administers the programme; providers include sports camps, arts clubs, and nature activities. Details at westsussex.gov.uk/haf.

Commercial options to explore:

• The Outdoors Project — outdoor activity holiday clubs across multiple West Sussex locations
• Active Me 360 — multi-sports camps, South East England
• Freedom Leisure — leisure centre holiday clubs at council-funded sites
• Fishers Farm Park and Weald & Downland also offer holiday activity programming

For the full year-round picture — including October and February half term — see our holiday clubs guide and our May half term guide.

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Planning Tips for Summer 2026

Book parking for beaches early. West Wittering parking pre-booking opens weeks in advance and peak dates genuinely sell out. Check westwitteringestate.co.uk — you must pre-book by 11pm the night before.

Build in rainy day options. West Sussex summers are not guaranteed sunshine. We have a comprehensive rainy day activities guide covering soft play, indoor climbing, bowling, cinemas, and covered attractions for when the weather turns.

Mix paid and free. A week of major paid attractions adds up fast. Alternate a day at Fishers Farm or the castle with a day at Tilgate Park, the South Downs, or Littlehampton beach. The free options in this county are genuinely good.

Consider the Goodwood Revival (September). If the summer fills up, the Goodwood Revival (18–20 September) is one of the most atmospheric family days out in England. Under 13s free, under 21s half price. It is technically outside the school summer holidays but close enough to plan around.

Teenagers can be harder to please — our things to do with teenagers in West Sussex guide covers adventure activities, watersports, go-karting, and more for 10–18s across the county.

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All dates, prices and details are correct at time of writing (February 2026). This guide will be updated as more 2026 summer events confirm their dates. Always check venue websites directly before visiting — popular venues and car parks can sell out well in advance. For live events happening across the county this summer, browse our West Sussex events listings.