Independent local guide
Days out, Christmas events, walks, food and places to stay across Sussex. Every listing links to the official source, with the date we last checked it.
October half-term is 26 to 30 October. Here is what is on, with Halloween on the Saturday and Bonfire Night the week after.
Turners Hill
Tulleys bills its daytime festival as Europe's largest, with 1.5 million pumpkins and gourds to pick from by wheelbarrow. New for 2026 is the Pumpkin Valley, an area of giant pumpkin sculptures and ponds.
Sompting
A family-run pumpkin patch across 15 acres beside the A27, with free entry and no need to book. Resident sheep, tractor rides and a pumpkin-themed food menu make it more than a quick pick.
Turners Hill
The after-dark version of the Tulleys festival, with lit-up pumpkin fields, two live music stages and a bar. It works as a date night or a night out with friends as much as a family trip.
Brighton
An after-dark ghost tour of Preston Manor, said to be one of Brighton's most haunted houses. Guests start with a glass of wine and nibbles before an expert guide leads them through the house's secrets.
Hastings
Hastings Borough Bonfire Society's torchlit procession winds through the town before a bonfire and a grand finale firework display on the beach. Torches are brought down from the East Hill Beacon to light the procession.
Seaford
Seaford Bonfire Society holds its annual bonfire night on the same Saturday as Hastings, with an evening start at 7pm. It is a smaller, local alternative to the big East Sussex processions.
Santa experiences, light trails, markets and pantomimes with confirmed 2026 dates.
Alfriston
Drusillas adds a festive layer to its family zoo, with Santa in his cottage, a singing reindeer trio and a 24ft Christmas tree. The Santa Experience includes a one-to-one visit, a photo opportunity and a gift.
Sheffield Park
An after-dark steam train ride past bright lineside light displays themed on the four seasons, with a narrated story and music in every carriage. The train makes a short stop at Horsted Keynes before returning to Sheffield Park.
Near Crawley
A full Christmas day out on Tulleys Farm, with a tractor sleigh ride to Father Christmas, shows, crafts and a real ice rink. Allow four to five hours to do everything.
Ardingly
Wakehurst's winter light trail winds for just over a mile through the botanic garden after dark, lit by lanterns and large installations. Allow about an hour, and book ahead because every visitor needs a timed ticket.
Lower Beeding
A winter light trail through Leonardslee's Grade I listed woodland gardens, taking 60 to 90 minutes on foot. Afterwards, Leonardslee Village serves mulled wine, doughnuts and local food until 10pm, with fire pits for toasting marshmallows.
West Dean, near Chichester
A makers' market spread through the estate rooms of West Dean House and its front lawn, with art, crafts, food and drink from more than 45 stalls. Carol singing, live music and demonstrations from West Dean tutors add to the atmosphere.
A few favourites to start with.
Lamberhurst
Bewl Water is the South East's largest reservoir, set in the High Weald on the Kent and Sussex border with 13 miles of shoreline. Come for a lakeside walk or bike ride, a watersports session or a summer day on the inflatable Aqua Park, then refuel at the Waterfront Café. It suits families, active groups and dog walkers, and can easily fill a day.
Battle
The place where the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066, with the abbey William the Conqueror built on the spot where Harold is said to have fallen. Walk the battlefield with an audio tour, climb the gatehouse for views and finish at the playground by the café.
Arundel
A vast castle above the River Arun, home of the Dukes of Norfolk for nearly a thousand years, with a Norman keep, state rooms and celebrated formal gardens. Go before the season closes on 1 November, then return in spring.
Forest Row
Open heathland and woodland that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. Big skies, long views and miles of paths make it a favourite for dog walks and family rambles, with Poohsticks Bridge an easy target for younger children.
Burwash
Rudyard Kipling's 17th-century Jacobean home, with his study and rooms kept much as he left them. Outside there is a quiet garden, a working watermill he wrote about and 300 acres of High Weald countryside to walk.
Eastbourne
Britain's highest chalk sea cliff, rising 162 metres above the lighthouse and the Channel. Walk up from the western end of Eastbourne seafront on the South Downs Way, or park at the top and stroll towards Belle Tout.
Meet Bramble, our local guide
Two kids, a rainy Saturday and about £50? Bramble searches our checked listings and suggests what suits you, with links to book. It never makes up opening times or prices.
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The charity we champion
Founded in Tunbridge Wells in 2014, Taylor-Made Dreams brings dreams to life for children with shorter lives and supports their families across Kent, Essex, Surrey and Sussex.