Chichester Canal Basin

The canal basin sits right at the heart of Chichester, where the old waterway widens into a proper little lake. It's the sort of place locals actually use rather than somewhere you're herded through with a guidebook. The water is calm, ringed with Georgian and Victorian buildings that reflect nicely on a still morning. You can walk the towpath for miles if you fancy it, rent a boat, or just sit on one of the benches with a coffee and watch the narrowboats potter about.

This works brilliantly if you're staying at Chichester Lakeside Holiday Park just down the road - you're literally minutes from the action without feeling like you're in a theme park setting. Walkers will appreciate the network of paths radiating outward; families with young kids won't be glued to screens here, which is rare enough to mention. The basin itself is free to access and explore, though hiring a boat obviously costs. Thirty minutes gives you the gist of it, but if you've got time to kill before heading to Butlins Bognor Regis or Haven Church Farm, it's a genuinely pleasant spot to linger.

Best visited when the sun's cooperating - grey days rob it of its charm a bit. The surrounding streets have decent pubs and restaurants if you're after something more than just the view. Not groundbreaking as attractions go, but honest and unpretentious. Worth the wander if you're in the area.