Rainy day ideas near Brighton

When the seafront's a washout, East Sussex has more indoor options than you'd think — most within an hour of Brighton. Here's what's actually worth the drive. The wind off the Channel has a way of turning a planned beach morning into a quick lap of the Lanes and a soggy walk back to the car. So we've pulled together the properly indoor days out across East Sussex — soft plays, trampoline parks, swim centres with real flumes, museums where the kids' bits aren't an afterthought. Each one is rated by parents, with the sub-scores that matter on a rainy Saturday: whether the café is worth eating in, whether the under-5s area is genuinely separated, whether you'll spend the morning queueing in your coat. We've flagged which venues are pram-friendly, which let you bring your own food, and which are best avoided on the school-holiday rush. Click through any venue for the full review and what other Sussex parents had to say.