With plenty to do for families along the East Sussex coast, the Coastal Cultural trail is great for a weekend away with the kids. All three galleries offer a wide range of activities to help children get creative. Be sure to head to the gallery websites to find the most up to date visitor information.
If you start the trail in Eastbourne, be sure to check out Towner’s families and children activities – a constant changing range of activities for families of all ages. Families can spend the day getting creative and making art of their own in Towner’s ground floor lobby, then check out the free exhibitions for inspiration. Eastbourne is also a short distance from Birling Gap beach and the stunning countryside of the South Downs. Seven Sisters Sheep Centre is worth a visit, especially during lambing season and Prince’s Park in Eastbourne, with its kids’ playground, is a great spot for children to enjoy the great outdoors as is Treasure Island Adventure on the seafront.
Heading to Bexhill, children can take part in a wide range of activities at the De La Warr Pavilion, from creative workshops and family drop-ins to stories for toddlers. The Pavilion is located right on Bexhill seafront, so once you have had a look at the free exhibitions and made your own masterpieces, you can explore the beach and near by Egerton Park, with a large play area, duck pond, and cafe kiosk.
Hastings has a great variety of attractions for children. Be sure to look out for family creative drop-ins and workshops at Hastings Contemporary and explore the exhibitions with a free children’s trail. Just along the road from the gallery are the Fisherman’s and Shipwreck Museums, which tell the story of the fishing heritage of the Stade, originally the landing place for the Norman invasion. The Smuggler’s Caves up the hill are worth a visit, but not for the faint hearted! The Blue Reef Aquarium is just a short walk from the gallery or you could test your skill at Hastings Adventure Golf.
A 15-minute drive outside of Hastings is the historic town of Battle. There you can explore Battle Abbey and Battlefield, the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings and find out more about the most famous date in English history. Hastings has a number of events throughout the year from Jack in the Green May Day celebrations to Hastings Bonfire, so be sure to visit visit1066country.com before you visit to find out what’s on.
Photos by Matthew Harmer
But don’t just take our word for it, see the trail from a child’s perspective in this film by Beatrice Rapley:
Photo by Avant Photographic