Looking for things to do in Worthing with kids? This beautiful West Sussex seaside town makes for a brilliant family day out, with plenty to keep children entertained both outdoors on sunny days and indoors on rainy ones.
You can spend the day exploring Worthing Pier, playing mini golf, burning off energy at one of the town's playgrounds, or cooling off with one of the many water-based family activities. If the weather is behaving in a classically British way, there are indoor options too, including swimming, the cinema, and Worthing Museum & Art Gallery.
Whether you're visiting Worthing for the day, enjoying a seaside staycation, or looking for ideas for the school holidays, here are some of the best family-friendly things to do in Worthing.
Ideas for family days out in Worthing
| If you're looking for... | You should try... |
| Plenty of open space for walking, playing and exploring | Worthing beach and seafront |
| A classic seaside experience | Worthing Pier |
| A fun activity for older children and the whole family | Splash Point mini golf |
| A playground for younger children | Gull Island Beach Playground |
| Free water play on a hot day | Splash Pad at the Gap |
| A seaside-themed playground | Waterwise Playground |
| An indoor activity for a rainy day | Splashpoint Leisure Centre |
| Museums, local history, and art | Waterwise Playground |
| An indoor activity for a rainy day | Worthing Museum & Art Gallery |
10 of the best family-friendly things to do in Worthing
1. Discover Worthing beach and seafront
Best for: All ages
Cost: Free
Location: Worthing seafront
Good for: Walking, playing and combining several attractions
Nearest station: Worthing
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. Worthing's seafront gives children plenty of room to run around, while the long promenade makes it easy to combine several activities into one family day out.
The seafront is particularly useful if you're travelling with children of different ages. Younger children can play on the beach or at one of the dedicated play areas, while older children might enjoy walking or cycling along the promenade.
Worthing's seafront also gives you an easy way to move between several of the town's family attractions. You can walk along the promenade to Worthing Pier, stop for a game of mini golf at Denton Gardens, or continue west towards Waterwise Playground.
2. Walk along Worthing Pier
Best for: All ages
Cost: Free to visit
Location: Marine Parade
Nearest station: Worthing
No family day out in Worthing would be complete without a walk along Worthing Pier. The Grade II listed pier dates back to 1862 and remains one of the town's most recognisable landmarks. Today, families can walk above the waves, enjoy the views along the coast, and explore the free Art on the Pier outdoor gallery. The pier is also home to an amusement arcade and the beautiful Art Deco Southern Pavilion.
3. Play a round of seaside mini golf
Best for: Families with older children
Cost: Paid activity
Location: Denton Gardens, off Marine Parade
Nearest station: Worthing
For a classic family seaside activity, head to Splash Point Mini Golf at Denton Gardens, which is just a few minutes’ walk from the pier and beach. This 18-hole course has a series of themed obstacles, including a windmill, Loop-The-Loop and Secret Tunnel, making it one of the most fun things to do in Worthing with kids.
4. Burn off some energy at Gull Island
Image credit: Worthing Town Centre BID
Best for: Younger children
Cost: Free
Location: Just behind Denton Gardens
Nearest station: Worthing
If you're looking for things to do in Worthing with young children, Gull Island Beach Playground is one of my top recommendations. You’ll find the playground at the Beach House Grounds and it’s aimed at children aged eight and under. It's close to lots of other family activities in Worthing, like the pier, Splashpoint Leisure Centre, and Denton Gardens.
5. Cool off at the Splash Pad at the Gap
Image credit: Worthing Town Centre BID
Best for: Younger children
Cost: Free
Location: Beach House Grounds
Nearest station: Worthing
On warm days, the Splash Pad at the Gap is one of the easiest ways to entertain younger children. This free wet-play facility is right by the beach and next to Gull Island Playground. Because it's outdoors, this is one to bookmark for warmer weather. Bring a change of clothes and you can easily combine it with the playground, beach and a walk along the seafront.
6. Visit Waterwise Playground
Best for: Younger children
Cost: Free
Location: West Parade
Nearest station: West Worthing
Another option for younger children is Waterwise Playground in West Worthing. The seaside-themed play area includes a shipwreck, seesaw, sandpit and rope and pendulum swings. It's located directly along the promenade, so it's easy to combine with a walk or cycle ride along the seafront.
7. Go swimming at Splashpoint Leisure Centre
Best for: Swimming and rainy days
Location: 60 Brighton Road, Worthing ,BN11 2EN
Facilities: Competition pool, learner/diving pool and leisure pool with flume
Nearest station: Worthing
If you're looking for things to do in Worthing with kids when it rains, head to Splashpoint Leisure Centre. The centre has a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool, a learner/diving pool, and an indoor leisure pool with a flume.
8. Explore Worthing Museum & Art Gallery
Best for: Curious children and rainy days
Cost: Free
Location: Chapel Road, Worthing, BN11 1HP
Nearest station: Worthing
For something quieter, spend some time at Worthing Museum & Art Gallery. The museum has recently undergone major improvement works and reopened in March 2026. Its collections cover areas including archaeology, costume, art and local history, while the museum's reopening programme has included exhibitions celebrating artists and communities from Worthing and Sussex. It's a particularly useful option for families looking for free things to do in Worthing with kids.
9. Watch a family film at the Dome Cinema
Best for: Film fans and rainy days
Location: 21-22 Marine Parade, Worthing, BN11 3PT
Nearest station: Worthing
One of the best family activities in Worthing when it’s raining is to settle in for a film at The Dome Cinema. This historic Worthing cinema is a Grade II listed building and offers a programme that includes dedicated family-friendly screenings, such as Weekend Morning Movies, Parent & Baby screenings, SEND screenings and more.
10. Let loose at Brooklands Park
Best for: Active families
Cost: Free
Location: Brooklands Park, Western Road
Highlights: Adventure play area, lake, accessible path and fitness trail
Nearest station: Lancing or East Worthing
For families who want plenty of space and somewhere to let the children run, Brooklands Park is a great option.
The park has undergone restoration, with new facilities including an adventure play area containing 30 pieces of equipment, two climbing frames more than four metres high, a multi-use outdoor space and an accessible pathway around the lake. There's also a 2.5km fitness trail.
How to plan a family day out in Worthing
Worthing is served by several Southern stations, so you can choose the one that's most convenient for your day out. Durrington-on-Sea, West Worthing, Worthing, and East Worthing all serve the town, while Goring-by-Sea is a useful stop towards the west with Lancing in the east.
If you're planning to explore more than one part of the area, a Southern DaySave ticket can make getting around easier, giving you unlimited travel on eligible Southern services for the day. That means you can hop on and off the train as you explore, rather than having to plan your day around a single station.
For a sunny day, you could start with a walk along the seafront before heading to Worthing Pier. From there, play a round of mini golf and continue towards Beach House Grounds, where younger children can use Gull Island Playground and, during summer, the Splash Pad at the Gap.
For a rainy day, combine the museum with a film at the Dome or a swimming session at Splashpoint Leisure Centre.
How to get to Worthing by train
Travelling to Worthing by train is a convenient option for a family day out, particularly if you don't want to worry about parking.
Worthing station is managed by Southern and has step-free access to all platforms, lifts, toilets, baby changing facilities and Changing Places facilities. Don’t forget that children aged 5 to 15 are able to travel for only £2 each way when travelling with a paying adult, while children under 5 travel for free.
Southern runs direct services from London Victoria to Worthing, with the journey taking around 1 hour 15 minutes. There are also direct trains from Brighton to Worthing, taking around 25 minutes. Worthing station is around a 15-minute walk from the seafront.
