Activities In South East

Salt marsh, chalk down, harbour town and a long ribbon of coastline: the South East wraps around London on three sides and holds 1,254 family attractions, more than any single county could sensibly cover in a childhood of weekends. The shape of a day out here tends to follow the sky. With 740 outdoor venues on the books, a bright forecast opens up sandy afternoons at Seagrove Bay on the Isle of Wight, or a rope-and-harness session with Goodleaf Tree Climbing, where children scale mature oaks instead of climbing frames. A grey forecast costs you little either, because 791 of the region's attractions keep everyone under a roof — among them The Escapement Margate, a puzzle-room favourite that visitors rate a full five stars.

Look past the headline seaside resorts and the catalogue runs deep into the unusual. Families can fly hawks and falcons at TWO Bird Experiences, follow a costumed guide through Southampton's medieval walls, saddle up at a riding school, or try a junior clay-shooting lesson at a ground that welcomes older children. Because the region stretches from the Kent coast across the Surrey hills to Hampshire's chalk streams — and takes in the whole Isle of Wight — the practical trick is to pick a base and search outwards rather than planning a grand tour. Wherever you stay, dozens of options sit inside a short drive. School-holiday crowds pile onto the famous beaches, while term-time weekends and shoulder-season visits hand you the same sand with room to spread a picnic blanket.