Crockstead Fields

The classic summer ritual at Glyndebourne (10 minutes’ drive) involves a picnic on the lawn during the interval of whatever opera is being performed in the modern indoor theatre. In addition to the renowned summer festival, Glyndebourne also hosts a six-week season of performances and concerts in the autumn. Lewes (15 minutes) has cobbled streets and pretty cottages like the Anne of Cleves House Museum, a timber-framed house where the kids might like to dress up in Tudor-era outfits. There are views across the town and the surrounding countryside from the top of the keep of Lewes Castle & Museum. For a day at the beach, head to Pevensey Bay Beach (half an hour) or Brighton (45 minutes), where you can have fish and chips on the pebbles, check out the thrill rides at the end of Brighton Palace Pier or fly up the Brighton i360 observation deck. The spectacular Royal Pavilion dazzles with its ornate cupolas and elegant interiors.