Coombes Farm Tours

Coombes Farm sits just outside Lancing in Sussex, offering a proper working farm experience rather than the sanitised petting zoo variety. This is the real deal - you're walking around an actual operational farm, seeing how things actually run rather than posing for Instagram shots with hand-reared rabbits.

The tours take you through the working areas where you can watch the animals being cared for and learn how a Sussex farm functions day to day. It's the sort of place where kids genuinely understand where their food comes from, which tends to hit home more than any classroom lesson. The farm's unpretentious approach means you're not paying through the nose for the privilege either.

Family groups with primary-school-age children will get the most from this - old enough to take in what's happening, young enough to find it genuinely engaging. It's worth allowing a couple of hours if you're doing a proper tour rather than a quick wander. Check ahead for opening times and what the current admission setup is, as these things change seasonally.

If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - The Barn, Beach Park or Eastern Sands are all within three miles - this makes a solid half-day activity without the drive. It breaks up the typical seaside routine and sits nicely between beach days if you're in the area for a fortnight.