The great indoors

It wouldn’t be a holiday in the UK without the odd downpour, as much as the newspapers boast about record temperatures on the odd day, the likelihood is there may be a day of two of grey days during your stay, but don’t let this rain on your parade, put a dampener on your mood, or spoil your holiday fun as there are loads of things to do and places to see that don’t require wellies and a raincoat!

To start with, all of our cottages come with Wifi and many have games consoles, dvd’s, books and a selection of board games to keep you – or more importantly the kids – entertained when the heavens open. But you didn’t come on holiday to stay indoors watching tv and check emails, so we have come up with a few of our favourite ‘wet weather’ ideas to help inspire family days out – indoors – to keep everyone entertained during the odd downpour.

Why not take in some history whilst staying dry in some of the oldest fortresses in the world. Explore classic fairytale castles like Bodiam, Dover, Leeds and Hever.

You could discover the many art galleries and antiques shops that Rye has to offer. And whilst you are in Rye you could visit the town model show at the Heritage Centre and the penny slot machines. Grab a bite to eat in one of Ryes many great Inns or tearooms – a cheeky slice of cake and a cuppa – or how about Rye’s superb artisan hot chocolate (and milkshakes and ice-cream) shop Knoops, guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face!

Rye is also home now to a fantastic cinema. The Kino cinema in Rye is not your average cinema, no multiplex here, this two-screen and incredibly comfortable cinema is gorgeous and you can enjoy a lovely bite to eat before or after your film in the lovely seating area inside the foyer – or if the sun does decide to make an appearance, outside the entrance.

Another option is to indulge in a bit of retail therapy, Rye has lots of boutique shops to explore, or for designer labels at fantastic prices, head to the McArthur Glenn outlet centre in Ashford and shop till your drop!

 

If its raining cats and dogs and you don’t fancy a wet walk on Camber Sands then you could still take a trip to the sea and find out what is lurking beneath the waves at Hastings historic old town to visit the Blue Reef Aquarium where you will find over 40 naturally-themed displays, including giant tropical ocean displays, here you can come face to face with everything from seahorses to sharks! The centre piece of the aquarium is the giant underwater tunnel giving you a close encounter with hundreds of tropical fish.

There are many museums to visit in the nearby area should you and your fellow holiday makers enjoy discovering new things and learning about the area your are visiting, such museums include Hastings Museum and Art Gallery which contains a rich mixture of displays relating to local themes and the culture of other lands, a varied and exciting collection spanning many themes and ages with children specifically in mind. Or Yesterday’s World in Battle, where they bring the Past to Life with an amazing journey through history with life-size street scenes and shop displays!  Or for those perhaps interested in the areas smuggling history, the Shipwreck Museum is a fascinating family-friendly exhibit of local historic shipwrecks. Here you will also find a cretaceous gallery with everything from dioramas and footprints to fossils and a preserved 138 million year old fish!

 

Those with younger family members may like to know where their tots can be entertained when the clouds mean no outdoors adventures, and for them there is great kids entertainment in place like Clambers Indoor Soft Play Centre – climbing frames, scramble nets, tarzan ropes, swing bags, ball ponds and a slide with a special play area for the smaller customer. Or Smugglers Adventure, a journey deep into the heart of Hastings’ historic West Hill to discover the fascinating world of the Smugglers Adventure in St Clements Caves. Let your youngsters (and those young at heart) join notorious smuggler ‘Hairy Jack’ as he leads you through acres of underground caverns, passages and tunnels on a voyage back through time to the heyday of smuggling.

The occasional rain shower is part of England’s charm, and as yo can tell, it shouldn’t be allowed to ruin your fun, It’s the reason we have such a great array of things to do indoors, so when a dark cloud appears, some of these attractions might be just the thing to keep the kids (and you) entertained.

Take a break Beside The Sea and enjoy the great indoors!