Colonnade House

An 18th-century house turned gallery space, Colonnade House sits just outside Lancing with proper classical bones - you'll spot the columned frontage that gives the place its name. Inside, it functions as a working gallery showcasing contemporary art and craft, though the building itself is arguably the main draw. The rooms retain period features that remind you this was someone's actual home once, which beats a sterile white-walled exhibition space any day.

It's the sort of stop that works brilliantly if you're into art without being a full pilgrimage destination. Allow an hour, maybe ninety minutes if there's a show you want to linger over. Free entry is standard for these independent galleries, though I'd ring ahead as opening hours can be erratic - typical of smaller venues run on enthusiasm rather than corporate scheduling.

Families with older kids who won't spend twenty minutes staring at abstract sculpture will find it tolerable rather than thrilling. Serious art types will appreciate the intimacy of the space. If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Beach Park or The Barn are closest at under three miles - it makes a decent morning outing before heading to the coast. The area around Lancing is rather suburban and unremarkable, if I'm honest, so you're not missing much landscape-wise if the gallery doesn't grab you. That said, it breaks up a holiday with a bit of culture without demanding you sit in traffic to reach a major town.