Haywards Heath is a Mid Sussex town surrounded by gardens, vineyards and heritage railway days out, including Borde Hill, Sheffield Park and the Bluebell Railway.
Image: Borde Hill GardenA botanically rich garden of outdoor garden rooms and champion trees, set in Grade II* listed parkland with woodland walks and an adventure playground with a zip wire. Winter half-price entry makes it a good-value walk from November.
Photo: User:Paste, Public domain188 acres of common east of Burgess Hill, made a country park by East Sussex County Council in 1974. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, valued for its wildlife and plants.
Image: RidgeviewOne of the pioneers of English sparkling wine, making wine near Ditchling for more than 25 years. Join a tour and tasting, eat at The Rows and Vine restaurant overlooking the vines, or pick up a bottle at the Wine Bar and Shop.
Image: Bluebell RailwayA heritage steam railway running between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, with a Rover ticket that lets you hop on and off all day. The £1 child fare at weekends and in holidays makes it good value for families.
Image: Bolney Wine EstateBolney Wine Estate has been growing vines in the Sussex countryside since 1972 and now farms 18 acres. Its three-hour guided tour and tasting walks the vineyard before sampling award-winning still and sparkling wines with food pairings. The estate also makes English gin and vermouth.
Image: National TrustA Grade I listed landscape garden built around five lakes linked by cascades, shaped by 'Capability' Brown and Humphry Repton. The wider parkland and East Park suit a longer walk with the dog.
Image: Wakehurst (RBG Kew)Kew's wild botanic garden in the High Weald, home to the Millennium Seed Bank and big swathes of woodland, wetland and meadow. It suits a long family walk, and children's tickets are cheap.
Image: Wings Aviation MuseumA volunteer-run Second World War aviation museum in a hangar-style building near Balcombe, close to Gatwick. It is packed with aero engines, cockpits, gun turrets, uniforms and personal stories, with displays on the Home Front, the Blitz, Bomber Command and D-Day.
Image: Tates of SussexA free museum of gardening history at Tates' South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks, set up by the Budding Foundation and named after Edwin Beard Budding, who invented the lawnmower in 1830. The heritage centre also houses The Cube art gallery, the Sussex Food Hall and a craft studio, so it pairs easily with lunch and a browse.
Image: National TrustA romantic garden wrapped around a house that is part home and part dramatic ruin. Rare plant collections fill the garden, and beyond it ancient woodland leads down to a lake and cascades.
Image: High Beeches Woodland & Water GardenA 27 acre woodland and water garden near Handcross in the High Weald, with a collection of rare, exotic and award-winning plants from many parts of the world. Paths wind through glades, meadow and water gardens, with bluebells in spring and spectacular colour in autumn.
Image: Leonardslee Lakes and GardensA 240-acre Grade I listed woodland garden set around a chain of seven lakes in a steep valley. Free-roaming wallabies, a sculpture park and a dolls' house museum give children plenty to find as they explore.
Image: Albourne EstateA family-owned vineyard and winery overlooking the South Downs, about eight miles from Brighton, making still and sparkling wine from its own grapes. In season you can book a vineyard tour with wine and cheese, a guided tasting or a self-guided walk through the vines.
Photo: Chris Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0A 623-acre stretch of the South Downs ridge just west of Lewes, with views north across the Weald and south towards the coast. Sunken droveways, burial mounds and the route Simon de Montfort is said to have taken to the Battle of Lewes in 1264 give it plenty of history. Bracky Bottom, a secluded coombe, is a lovely spot on a summer evening.
Image: HHTCHaywards Heath Town Council's Christmas afternoon, with festive shopping, balloon modelling, face painting, a Christmas trail and a chance to meet the elves, ending with a lantern parade and the lights switch-on.
Image: Hart Country StoresHart Country Stores in Haywards Heath hosts an afternoon with Santa on 13 December 2026, from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Children receive a gift and a timed five-minute visit with Santa, alongside hot chocolate, festive treats, games and entertainment. Booking is required, and the afternoon suits families, with a full bar and mulled wine available for adults.
Image: Haywards Heath Town HallNew Leaf is a free community event at Haywards Heath Town Hall on Friday 24 October 2026, from 10am to 12pm. Residents can learn about new ways to live more sustainably, and it suits families and anyone interested in eco-friendly living. Booking is recommended.
Image: Lindfield Primary AcademyLindfield Primary Academy is holding an open day on 3 November 2026 for families of children starting in September 2027. Visitors hear from the senior leadership team and take a tour led by Year 6 pupils. The event suits parents and carers considering the school for their child.
Image: Lindfield Bonfire SocietyLindfield Bonfire Society marks 5 November on the night itself in the village near Haywards Heath. For many in Mid Sussex it is the local alternative to travelling to Lewes.
Image: Borde Hill GardenBorde Hill's Halloween trail, The Owl Who Stole Halloween, follows mischievous owl Morticus Moonfeather as he bewitches the scarecrows in Pumpkin Patch Meadow. Children meet the enchanted scarecrows and complete games and challenges to break the spell. Over half term there are daily extras, from magic shows to wand making.
Image: Borde Hill GardenProfessor Hiccup performs a magic show with tricks and visual effects at Borde Hill Garden near Haywards Heath on Monday 26 October 2026, during half-term. Sessions run for 30 minutes at 10.45am, 11.45am, 1.45pm and 2.45pm inside the Garden Marquee. The show suits families visiting the garden for Halloween activities.
Image: Borde Hill GardenChildren craft and decorate their own wooden wand to use for spooky spells during Halloween half-term. The session runs in the Garden Marquee at Borde Hill Garden in Haywards Heath on Tuesday 27 October 2026, in 45-minute slots. It suits families with children looking for a seasonal craft activity.
Image: Borde Hill GardenTomfoolery brings a family magic and comedy show to the Garden Marquee at Borde Hill Garden in Haywards Heath on Wednesday 28 October 2026, during half term. Shows run for 30 minutes at 10.30am, 11.45am, 1.30pm and 2.45pm. It suits families with young children, and booking is recommended.
Image: RidgeviewOne of the pioneers of English sparkling wine, making wine near Ditchling for more than 25 years. Join a tour and tasting, eat at The Rows and Vine restaurant overlooking the vines, or pick up a bottle at the Wine Bar and Shop.
Image: Bluebell RailwayA heritage steam railway running between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, with a Rover ticket that lets you hop on and off all day. The £1 child fare at weekends and in holidays makes it good value for families.
Image: Bolney Wine EstateBolney Wine Estate has been growing vines in the Sussex countryside since 1972 and now farms 18 acres. Its three-hour guided tour and tasting walks the vineyard before sampling award-winning still and sparkling wines with food pairings. The estate also makes English gin and vermouth.
Image: Wings Aviation MuseumA volunteer-run Second World War aviation museum in a hangar-style building near Balcombe, close to Gatwick. It is packed with aero engines, cockpits, gun turrets, uniforms and personal stories, with displays on the Home Front, the Blitz, Bomber Command and D-Day.
Image: Tates of SussexA free museum of gardening history at Tates' South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks, set up by the Budding Foundation and named after Edwin Beard Budding, who invented the lawnmower in 1830. The heritage centre also houses The Cube art gallery, the Sussex Food Hall and a craft studio, so it pairs easily with lunch and a browse.
Image: National TrustA romantic garden wrapped around a house that is part home and part dramatic ruin. Rare plant collections fill the garden, and beyond it ancient woodland leads down to a lake and cascades.
Photo: User:Paste, Public domain188 acres of common east of Burgess Hill, made a country park by East Sussex County Council in 1974. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, valued for its wildlife and plants.
Image: Tates of SussexA free museum of gardening history at Tates' South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks, set up by the Budding Foundation and named after Edwin Beard Budding, who invented the lawnmower in 1830. The heritage centre also houses The Cube art gallery, the Sussex Food Hall and a craft studio, so it pairs easily with lunch and a browse.
Photo: Chris Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0A 623-acre stretch of the South Downs ridge just west of Lewes, with views north across the Weald and south towards the coast. Sunken droveways, burial mounds and the route Simon de Montfort is said to have taken to the Battle of Lewes in 1264 give it plenty of history. Bracky Bottom, a secluded coombe, is a lovely spot on a summer evening.
