Thinking about going for a day trip to Rye? Here are some fun ideas of things to do on a trip to one of the most prettiest towns on the Sussex coast.

If you’re on the hunt for places to visit this Summer, one place that I always recommend to explorers is Rye, Sussex. Located on the Sussex coastline Rye is a beautiful harbour town with a rich history in smuggling and royal guests. It’s home to the Mermaid Inn which is said to be one of the most haunted inns in Britain. With its idyllic cobbled streets and old buildings its no wonder its appeared so many times as a backdrop for period dramas.

Rye is definitely the place to visit for Instagrammers, history lovers and people seeking some British charm. It’s within easy reach of London by train from Ashford International and the great thing is that the town is very compact so you can easily fit everything in within a day. But equally there are some beautiful places to stay if you want to spend a weekend exploring neighbouring places like Camber and Winchelsea.

Tour the town

Take a walking tour of Rye, either self guided or on a guided tour of Rye and see some of Rye’s beautiful streets with buildings dating back to the 13th century.You can easily cover everything in an hour or longer if you want to take a more leisurely pace.

Tour Rye’s streets

Stop to see Rye’s St Mary church and take a walk through Rye’s many old, narrow passageways to find some really unusual spots. One thing Rye has in abundance is quirky old streets with plenty of photo opportunities.

Mermaid Street is one of the most famous streets in Britain and for good reason. It’s a cobbled street lined with old houses on either side. One of its most famous buildings is The Mermaid Inn which dates back to the 13th century. It’s a very popular photo spot for Instagrammers, so be prepared for a lot of people with their cameras too. It’s an incredibly beautiful street and somewhere you have to see if you want to see some of that old British charm that this smugglers town has to offer.

Have some lunch in the Cobbles Tea Room

The Cobbles Tea Room is without a doubt one of the most adorable, postcard perfect tea rooms you’ll find in Sussex. The white picket fence and teapot shaped sign makes it look like something you would find in a dolls house shop. This tea room is nestled in a small, residential side street and they offer an array of sweet and savoury foods from cream tea to a Ploughman’s lunch.

Keep in mind is a very popular eating spot in Rye so be prepared to wait for a table, especially if you want one of the few tables outside at the front. You can’t book in advance so it is very much a case of turning up and waiting for a table to open up on a first come, first served basis.

Visit Lamb House

If you are a National Trust member then you can visit Lamb House which is a stones throw away from Mermaid Street. This small but interesting Georgian home has an interesting history of Royal guests and was once the home of American writer, Henry James.

Lamb House

It was visited by a number of famous writers and plays a key part in showcasing Rye’s literary connections.The house is small, so expect to get around the room quickly. But the house also has a very scenic garden which has lots of interesting knocks and is bursting with lots of seasonal blooms and produce.

If you fancy seeing Rye from a different vantage point then you should head on over to the Ypres Tower. This once served as Rye’s only jail before it was turned into a museum. But there are still plenty of nods to the towers former use which you can see during your visit.

Ypres Tower

There are also plenty of interesting exhibits on Rye’s naval history and it’s past with smugglers. When you get up to the tower you will have a wonderful view of the town, Rye harbour and the surrounding Sussex countryside.

It makes for a great way to spend some time to see Rye from above. You can purchase an adult ticket for £4, a concession ticket for £3 and children under the age of 16 can go free.

All in all, Rye makes for a great day trip if you are looking for a relaxing and yet fun day out in Sussex.