National Trust Sussex - a Guide for Families
A day out at a National Trust property or garden is great for many reasons, but one thing is for certain, they are consistently well set-up for families. All offer:
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Ample parking
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Good accessibility – smooth paths for wheelchairs, pushchairs and toddlers!
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Large cafes – with bottle/baby food warming facilities
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Excellent toilet facilities
What’s more, they are a great option for days when the weather isn’t up to much – providing easy, mud-free walking as well as places to seek refuge indoors during rain showers.
However, with so many to choose from it can be difficult to know which are best-suited to your family. Since National Trust days out appeal to all ages, it’s not always easy to determine what they have for children, or whether you can take scooters, bikes, dogs etc.
So to save you time and effort, we have visited all the National Trust properties in Sussex and beyond. These are the ones that we recommend for families - read our guides to find out why!
Whilst NT properties/gardens are not free to visit, family membership (for 2 adults and up to 10 children/grandchildren; under 5’s go free) costs just £10.50 per month (£126 per year). That’s amazingly good value by anyone’s standards, and would make a fabulous gift!
As a Member you can also park for free at any National Trust managed countryside or coastal destination. There are quite a number of these listed on our site, which aside from parking charges, are otherwise free to enjoy.
So if you’re looking for a hassle-free, fun day out with the family, you’ve come to the right place!
*This is not an ad, we just love the National Trust!
Westerham, TN16 1PS
Chartwell
Chartwell is Winston Churchill's family home - we loved the woodland activity trail!

Nr. Heathfield, TN19
Batemans
Discover the beautiful 17th-century home of Rudyard Kipling, author of The Jungle Book.

Nr. East Grinstead, RH19
Standen
Delightful Arts & Crafts family home, set in beautiful gardens. Famed for its colourful...

Nr. Wadhurst, TN3
Scotney Castle
Stunning gardens, a fairytale castle and a Victorian country mansion to explore!

Sevenoaks, TN13 1HX
Knole House & Park
A magnificent 15th century palace surrounded by an enormous deer park...

Nr. Haywards Heath, RH17
Nymans
Explore the stunning gardens, set around the romantic house and ruins...

Nr. Uckfield, TN22
Sheffield Park
Stunning at any time of year and truly exceptional in Autumn, when the vivid...

Petworth GU28
Petworth House & Park
17th century Petworth House was built to rival the palaces of Europe and is filled...

Robertsbridge, TN32
Bodiam Castle
This corker of a medieval castle not only looks picture-perfect on the outside...

Nr. Haywards Heath, RH17
Wakehurst
There are over 500 acres to explore at Wakehurst botanic gardens, including...

Nr. Midhurst, GU31
Uppark House & Garden
Today, Uppark House stands proudly on a hill top surrounding by glorious gardens...

Other notable NT-owned countryside sites:
Ditchling Beacon (on the outskirts of Brighton) - Blow away the cobwebs whilst admiring breathtaking 360 degree views from the second highest point in the South Downs National Park.
Petworth Deer Park - See hundreds of fallow deer (honestly) in this 700-acre historic country park (Petworth, West Sussex).