Things to do on a rainy day in West Sussex

For families with young children desperate to burn off that excess energy on a rainy day, there’s no better place than Chichester’s Little Street.

This creative play centre is designed to support and awake your child’s imagination, with props and enriching educational play. Little ones can explore a variety of themed role-play rooms, scaled down to the perfect size. Join your child as they're immersed in the pint-sized café, theatre, beauty salon, supermarket, construction site, post office or medical centre. For aspiring drivers and farmers, there’s also a little road area with ride-on vehicles and large tractor too.

When you need to take a break from all the little activities, there’s an adult-sized café to enjoy, with hot drinks, snacks and sandwiches to re-energise you for more play.

Hit the high seas without getting wet at Selsey Lifeboat Station, located in the Boathouse on Kingsway in Selsey, is one of the areas hidden gems when it comes to entertainment for children, especially on a rainy day. The impressive Shannon class lifeboat can be viewed from the gallery. This is the RNLIs first modern all-weather lifeboat to be propelled by waterjets instead of traditional propellers. Take a moment to admire this manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat and hear remarkable stories from the on-hand volunteers of its launches and experiences out at sea.

When exploring the rest of the station, you’ll learn all about its history and the lives that have been saved at sea since 1861, when volunteers first started rescuing people. With the crews having received an incredible 10 awards for gallantry, the whole family is sure to be impressed. Young children can also enjoy a great range of fun and interactive games the Visits Room here too.

Dodge the rain, have fun as a family and support a really special local, independent business. We’re all in for that! Kick back, relax and unwind - popcorn in hand - at one of the country’s most respected independent cinemas: Chichester Cinema at New Park.

Having been in operation since the late 1970’s, families have been enjoying this traditional cinema for generations. Showing national and international current releases, classics and foreign language films, as well as live performances, this one-screen cinema aims to screen a high-quality programme of films across the world that engage diverse audiences and promote the enjoyment of film.

What’s better on a rainy day than to snuggle down with the family, while visiting somewhere new at the same time. What’s more, if you’re visiting between the 9 and 25 August, check out the record-breaking Chichester International Film Festival which includes a huge programme of films including open air screenings.

Transport yourselves back in time as you explore a medieval castle or cathedral.

Arundel Castle and Arundel Cathedral are home to a thousand years of history waiting to be explored, offering immersive experiences for older children, teens and adults alike. With each attraction having its own ties to some of Britain’s most important characters (the Castle was founded by one of the greatest magnates in England during William the Conqueror’s reign, while the Cathedral was commissioned by Henry, 15th Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal) you’ll leave inspired, excited and with a few extra facts up your sleeves.

Inside Arundel Castle you’ll find a Norman Keep, medieval Gatehouse and Barbican, Baron's Hall, 14th Century Catholic Fitzalan Chapel, Regency Library and Victorian bedrooms to name just a few of the highlights. It’s well worth packing your waterproof so you can explore Arundel Castle gardens – these are a must-visit for garden lovers and horticulturalists.

Meanwhile, French Gothic architecture, beautiful stained-glass windows and a shrine of St. Philip Howard await at the impressive Arundel Cathedral.

Take a brisk nine-minute walk from the Castle to the Cathedral – you can even stop at one of Arundel's many cafes, coffee shops, bookshops and antique shops along the route to dart into, breaking up any time in the rain.

The historic city of Chichester is bursting with art galleries, waiting to inspire your creative side. In fact, it’s gaining quite the reputation for the quality of its art.

In East Street you’ll find Oxmarket Contemporary, a one-of-a-kind gallery housed within a Grade II listed, deconsecrated medieval church. Run by volunteers, this must-visit a hub for artists, art lovers, designers and makers of all kinds, with over 150 high-quality exhibitions a year.

Also located within Chichester City Centre is one of Britain’s most distinctive modern art museums, Pallant House Gallery, which, for good reason, draws in crowds from afar. Tellling the story of British art from 1900 to today through original exhibitions and a world-class collection, you can admire work by Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, John Piper and Eduardo Paolozzi to name just a few of the greats from the history of modern art across 20 incredible galleries within the regency townhouse and modern extension.

If you want to stop for lunch during your rainy-day art tour, Pallant House Gallery has its own restaurant serving delicious lunches and afternoon tea too.

Did you know that one of the UK's leading aviation museums are located on the outskirts of Chichester? Offering the perfect family day out come rain or shine, Tangmere Military Aviation Museum is home to an impressive display of historic aircraft as well as a unique collection of aviation memorabilia from WWI to the Cold War.

Located on the edge of the former airfield of RAF Tangmere which was operational between 1918 and 1970 and is well-known for the important role it played during the Battle of Britain. Many famous aviators flew from Tangmere during WW2 including Douglas Bader and Billy Fiske.

Inside the museum, you’ll find fascinating artefacts and impressive exhibits to explore, including an excavated Hurricane shot down during battle, aircraft from WW2 and the Cold War Era, the red Hawker Hunter in which Neville Duke set the world airspeed record in 1953, a McDonnell Douglas Phantom and one of the pair of Harriers which took part in the Daily Mail transatlantic air race in 1969.

With many interactive displays, simulators and a café serving great coffee and freshly made food, this is a gem of a day out. 

One of the largest villas open to the public in Great Britain, Bignor Roman Villa is a must-visit for every family, whatever the weather. All undercover and offering a safe sanctuary from the elements however, it’s the perfect rainy-day activity too.

At Bignor Roman Villa you’ll find the stunning remains of a Roman home with world-class mosaic floors to be discovered. Bignor’s Roman floors, which date back to 350AD, were first discovered by George Tupper who in 1811 uncovered the Summer Dining Room Fountain after striking it with his plough. Now covered by unique Georgian buildings that have protected the site for over 200 years, the buildings are historically important in their own right.

Walk on the original floors, admire the buildings, dress as a Roman or enjoy the museum tearoom. With exquisite views of the South Downs and miles of uninterrupted countryside surrounding the site, this is the perfect place to unwind and connect with the past - even on a rainy day.

This is one for the grown-ups. It’s been named as the ‘Best Place to Live’ in the south east (Sunday Times, 2019) and is recognised as a major hub for antiques and the arts in the UK, so what better way to spend your rainy day, than visiting Petworth?

With over 30 dealers trading in close proximity, you can antique-hunt to your hearts content, making your way around the town hopping from one to the next. Be sure to check out John Bird Antiques, Chequers Antiques, Phoenix Antiques, New Street Decorative, BEAR Petworth, Tudor Rose Antiques and Interiors and Petworth Antiques Market. Whether you’re hunting for a one-of-a-kind piece to impress, a valuable item that will stand the test of time, or an affordable treasure, you’ll find them a huge selection of antiques here. 

Sitting sipping award-winning Sussex Wine is one of the best ways we can think of to pass time on a rainy day (this is another one for the grown ups).

Sussex Wine achieved PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status in 2022 in recognition of the unique quality of the wine from our region. Sample some of the best on offer at Tinwood Estate.

Established in 2007, the Tukker family have been growing high-quality grapes and producing wine at Tinwood using the traditional method ever since. Located in an enviable position on the edge of the South Downs and only 10-minutes from Chichester and five-minutes from Goodwood, Tinwood excellent wines in a stunning setting.

Tinwood’s Tasting Room offers the perfect place to watch the weather unfold. Sample a range of sparkling wines produced from Tinwood’s vineyards accompanied by delicious small dishes from the Vineyard Kitchen, or you can add on an afternoon tea or wine tour (weather depending of course) to your experience. Take your time, admire the view and become a Sussex Wine expert along the way too.

Brighten a damp day by stopping for sweet treats in Midhurst's welcoming cafes where afternoon tea, coffee and cake or ice cream and milkshakes await.

Fitzcanes, which is beloved for it's ice cream window - welcomes your dogs too, so you can bring the whole family. Stop at The Midhurst Museum - possibly the smallest museum in the world and a fascinating window into Midhurst’s history - and once you've browsed the artefacts head upstairs to the tearooms.

Take a traditional afternoon tea at The Spread Eagle, enjoy coffee and cake at Comestibles and Tilly's and indulge in ice cream or a smoothie at Kemaelli's, where dogs are also made very welcome.

If you don't have children in tow, why not add a touch of luxury to with a day pass to the spa at The Spread Eagle where you might choose a luxurious treatment or just relax by the heated indoor swimming pool.

The Chapel Cafe at Graylingwell is off the beaten track, a haunt for locals and those who know, but warmly welcomes everyone. Here you'll find Caccia & Tails (also to be found at new opening, The Ghost at the Feast in the city centre) serving great coffee and Italian inspired breakfasts, lunches and sweet treats. During school holidays you can find excellent children's activities, plus you can even bring your dog (on a lead please).