We visited East Sussex for one week. I had never been to the U.K. before and since Maxâs parents live relatively close to it, we decided to all take a trip together.
Recently Iâve been really into Downtown Abbey, so I was super excited to get the real British experience. I got the rain, the sheep and even though the U.K. is not renown for its food, we were not disappointed. Our missions: fish and chips, full English breakfast and High Tea.
Here are my recommendations:
Where to stay (for a family of 4-5): Rye House
Fish and Chips from Marinoâs (Rye)
Full English Breakfast from The Old Grain Store (Rye)
High Tea from The Singing Kettle (Alfriston)
BONUS: Hot chocolate from Knoops (Rye)
That hot chocolate is the best Iâve had in my life! You can have different percentages of cacao, different kinds of milk and so many kinds of spices to enhance the flavor! Make sure to ask Mr. Knoop himself for recommendations!
The architecture and streets were full of charm. Sometimes, under the rain, Rye felt a bit eerie. Itâs not a surprise given its long history of smuggling. We found out there were more than a few haunted places. One of those places is Mermaid Street, with its old and quirky houses.
Rye Castle is also known to be haunted, but it is open to the public and for only 4ÂŁ, you can take a tour of the castle and the medieval garden next to it. Inside youâll find 3 floors that recount the castleâs history: from its medieval days of the castle, to when it was a prison and a hot spot for smugglers.
We loved the ceramic house plaques that decorated cottages, houses and gardens all around the town. They were all custom-made by local artisans. This place was full of antique shops and potteries. Itâs hard to leave empty-handed when you walk around Rye Pottery.
One of the best things about staying in Rye is that we were close to Hastings, Eastbourne, Alfriston and Brighton. It is also one of the Cinque Ports, a confederation of historic towns in Sussex. While we visited Alfriston, we found a wandering dog with a bright yellow vest. Apparently, Doris likes to wander, so the owner attached a flashlight, address and note so that she never goes too far!
Doris was the cutest adventurer we met during our trip!
 What places would you recommend in East Sussex? I know if I visit again, Iâd love to check out Camber Sands.
East Sussex: Rye We visited East Sussex for one week. I had never been to the U.K. before and since Max's parents live relatively close to it, we decided to all take a trip together.
