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IF you’re off on a £9.50 Holiday with the family to Sussex, you’ll be happy to hear that there’s plenty to keep your whole crew entertained.

Of course, you can easily spend your time on the beaches, which don’t cost a penny to visit.

West Wittering, Brighton Beach and Camber Sands are among the top-rated beaches for families.

But if the weather doesn’t play ball, or if you’ve already had your fill of sandcastle building, then there’s a whole raft of family-friendly activities near your holiday park by the coast.

Maybe the arcades and fun fair rides of Brighton Palace Pier are calling you, or perhaps it’s the animals and all-ages play areas at the top-rated Drusillas Park. 

We’ve chatted to local experts and Sun readers who have already enjoyed a £9.50 Holiday in Sussex to get their top tips on the family attractions that are worth visiting. 

From thrilling water parks to pirate festivals, here’s what they recommend… 

Make a splash

If you have older kids in tow, why not let them burn off steam with something that will really get their adrenaline pumping?

Georgie Radford-Brown, Assistant Guest Experience Manager at Camber Sands Holiday Park recommends Rye Water Sports.

She said: “It’s an action water park that’s really close to us. They have a variety of water sports, like sailing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding.”

The location will also put parents’ minds at ease – lessons take place on a safe inland lake between Rye and Camber Sands.

The centre runs everything from board hire (from £20) to holiday clubs for children aged eight to 15 (one day from £85 including sailing, windsurfing and paddle boarding).

Meanwhile, in West Sussex, Chichester Watersports has an aqua park, complete with inflatable slides and jumps in the water. Suitable from age seven, a 50-minute session costs £20. 

Get on your bike

For something that will burn energy without burning a hole in your pocket, head to one of the brilliant cycle paths in Sussex.

If you have your own bike, they are also completely free to explore, and the traffic-free terrain also works well for families with prams.

The South Coast East route takes you along the seafront – you could start at Worthing and extend it to Shoreham, Lancing or Brighton depending on how far you want to go.

Alternatively, start at Shoreham-by-Sea and head inland past woods, streams and rivers on the Downs Link.

For a quick trip, you can hire a Donkey Bike via the app (from £1.80 for 30 minutes), or try Riverside South Downs who rent bikes from £20 for two hours.

Meet pirates in Hastings 

Sun reader Nora Hinds, 69, from Hounslow, recommends visiting Hastings during the annual Pirate Festival.

She said: “Hastings is brilliant for live music, with lots of events on the seafront like the pirate festival.

“It’s very popular, and you can pop into one of the nice pubs along the front – the best are located in the Old Town like The Crown and Ye Old Pumphouse.

“Some of the pirate events happen in these pubs like live music and themed roast dinners.”

Hastings Pirate Weekend is packed with family-friendly activities, like a treasure hunt, free kids’ tattoos and craft workshops.

To learn more about pirates, head to The Shipwreck Museum. It’s free to enter and kids will love touching artefacts from many ships wrecked in the English Channel.

Spark their curiosity

Museums don’t have to be boring – especially if they have children’s activities on tap. Sue Mercer, 62, from Pagham recommends The Novium Museum for families.

Built on top of the remains of a Roman bathhouse in Chichester, it’s free to enter (though donations are welcome) and has oodles to make learning fun, such as hands-on workshops about everything from the Stone Ages to the Saxons.

Kids can try on costumes, handle real artefacts and even join in organised sleepovers at the museums, complete with torchlit treasure hunts and bedtime stories.

Sue said: “There are also brilliant children’s activities at the Aldingbourne Country Centre and Pallant House Gallery.”

Ride the railways

There’s nothing like a train ride to keep the kids entertained.

And there’s a whole host of options near your £9.50 Holiday in Sussex.

Sue Mercer recommends taking the kids to Hotham Park in Bognor Regis, which has a miniature railway, plus a boating lake, crazy golf and Alice in Wonderland wooden sculptures.

Meanwhile, in East Sussex, take the family for a ride on a railway that’s been in use for over 100 years, the Kent and East Sussex Railway (£53 for a family of four).

EVERY family hopes for a stress-free holiday and this hotel gives you the best chance of that.

From kids clubs to complimentary baby equipment, a hotel in the Algarve has incredible children’s facilities not to mention beautiful nearby beaches.

The Telegraph named the Martinhal Sagres as being the hotel that’s ‘Best for Families’ in its world’s 50 greatest hotels.

The publication said that one reason is thanks to the staff who “set up colouring stations to allow parents to finish their food peacefully to playing football with junior guests on the beach.”

The hotel states on its website that “everything about Martinhal Sagres is designed with families in mind. Stylish and design-oriented.

“Martinhal Sagres offers families a luxury beach holiday experience with high-class family-friendly accommodation, restaurants and bars, kids’ and leisure services to suit the needs of each family member.”

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The hotel even offers family and baby concierges which give personal assistance for families and their little ones.

With them you can get expert advice on childcare and family-friendly activities.

You can also pre-book complimentary baby equipment – from small items like door protectors, potties, bottle sterilizers and warmers, to cots, baby baths and pushchairs.

The hotel has its own crèche for children between six and 23 months which has activities like hand and foot painting.

Raposinhos is a club for two to five-year-olds with story time, puppet shows as well as arts and crafts – and time outside in the playground and on tricycles.

The Fox Club is for six to eight-year-olds where they can play football and play games outside, as well as explore the small on-site forest.

Other leisure activities that children can join in with include horse riding, tennis or head to the watersport academy for fun on inflatables.

Other facilities include a spa, gym, heated indoor pool, games room with play corners, pool table, Xbox and PlayStation.

Outside of the hotel are plenty of the Algarve’s beaches, the nearest being Praia do Martinhal.

When it comes to food, there’s a family-friendly restaurant called Quinta do Lago which has a special children’s menu and fresh purees for babies.

Accommodation varies from a stay in one of the main hotel rooms, as well as houses with two or three bedrooms all the way up to its luxury villas.

It even has a ‘Baby’s First Holiday package’ which is four nights in a Beach Room or 1-bedroom apartment with breakfast included.

It includes a baby welcome pack upon arrival, a first water experience, one session in the crèche each day, a spa treatment for parents and a dinner where a hotel babysitter will take care of the little one.

This offer is €129 (£112.64) per adult per night for two adults and one baby (from 6 months up to 23 months).

This English hotel was named the best for families with ‘milk butlers’, film screenings and cookies at bedtime…

This plush hotel in the New Forest is every parent’s dream.

With lots of children’s activities and even complimentary daycare, it’s the ideal hotel for both kids and parents.

New Park Manor in Brockenhurst has everything for families to have fun, but also experience a relaxing break altogether.

It was even awarded the title of “best family-friendly hotel” by The Times in its 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK for 2025.

The hotel offers many ways for a family-friendly break including a “milk butler service”.

Front of house staff will prepare little ones a bottle of warm milk whether it’s day or night, and they get a choice of cow’s, soya, and oat milk.

What was described as a “game changer” is the complimentary time at the kids’ club.

The hotel offers all guests a free two hour session per night’s stay.

The Four Bears Den is an Ofsted-registered kids’ club within the hotel and has entertainment for children aged 3 months to 8 years.

Some adults even said they took the time away from their children to “sneak off to the spa” in their Tripadvisor review.

For adults, there’s a heated pool, steam room, spa and adults-only sun terrace with two outdoor hot tubs.

For more on the Algarve, check out what Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski, made of her trip – from where to eat to finding hidden coves.

Plus, discover the countryside spa hotel with outdoor hot tubs overlooking Highland cows.