The Spitfire Experience

A chance to sit in the cockpit of an actual Spitfire - that's the draw here, and it's genuinely brilliant if you've got any interest in warbirds or aviation history. The Spitfire Experience, based near Pulborough in Sussex, lets you get hands-on with a real aircraft rather than just gawping at it behind velvet rope. You'll find yourself in the pilot's seat, understanding the layout of controls and instruments that defined a generation of fighter pilots. It's tactile, immediate, and far more memorable than reading about it in a museum.

This appeals most to aviation enthusiasts and military history types, though curious kids tend to find it absorbing too - there's something about actually sitting where a pilot sat that makes history click into place. Expect to spend a couple of hours if you're doing this properly, including any briefing or chat with knowledgeable staff.

The area around Pulborough works well for a camping holiday - several solid options within a few miles, including Wakestone & Wild Glamping just over three miles away and Sumners Ponds Fishery & Campsite at under five. Sussex has decent walking country, so you can easily build a few days around the Spitfire visit without feeling like you've made a detour just for one attraction. Worth checking opening hours and admission prices before you head out - it's not staffed every day - but if you time it right, it's a proper highlight for anyone who gets excited about 1940s engineering.