Horley Library

A proper local library in Horley, just outside Crawley, that pulls double duty as a genuine community hub. The kind of place where you'd actually want to spend an afternoon if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Gatwick Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is barely three miles away, making this a solid rainy-day option.

What you get is a solid small-town collection: lending library, reading areas, and the sort of quiet study space that's worth its weight in gold when you're travelling with kids who need a break from the usual attractions. Free entry, opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am, so it's accessible without faffing about. The staff are helpful without being intrusive - proper library people, not the sort to make you feel rushed.

It's not a destination in itself, mind. Don't drive across Surrey specifically for it. But if you're staying at Long Acres or Henfold Lakes for a week and fancy a morning that doesn't revolve around ice cream vans and play parks, this does the job. Families with younger children often appreciate the calm; older readers who need decent WiFi and somewhere to settle in will find it straightforward and unpretentious. Worth slotting in alongside a wander round central Horley or a trip into Crawley proper.

Allow an hour or two depending on how long you want to stick around. It's functional rather than fancy, but sometimes that's exactly what you need when you're living out of a caravan.