Rye Harbour

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex. Sir Edward Dalyngrigge built it in 1385 with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. It has no keep. Instead, the chambers were built around the outer walls and inner courts, with towers at the corners and the entrance, topped by battlements.

Tip: You don't need to book in advance, but the car park uses the JustPark app, so download it and set up an account before you arrive. The towers are reached by steep spiral staircases.

Battle Abbey, run by English Heritage as 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, is the site where William the Conqueror's Normans met King Harold's English army. The abbey was founded by William soon after the conquest, said to be on the spot where Harold died.

Tip: Head to the visitor centre first to get the story of the battle, then take the audio tour round the battlefield.

Camber Castle is an unusually unaltered artillery fort, built by Henry VIII to guard the port of Rye. It sits between Rye and Winchelsea, and its concentric design has a central keep surrounded by round bastions. The coastline has since receded, leaving the fort well inland. J. M. W. Turner once painted it, and it is a Grade I listed building.

Tip: The nearest car park is on Winchelsea Road in Rye, about a mile from the castle, so wear walking shoes.

Lamb House is a red-brick Georgian house in the old town of Rye, built in 1722 and now run by the National Trust as a writer's house museum. Henry James lived here from 1897 to 1914, and E. F. Benson and Rumer Godden also made it their home. Some of James's personal possessions are on display, and you can step inside a favourite writing room.

Tip: There's no onsite parking. Rye station is a short walk, uphill, from the house on West Street.

Howletts is a wild animal park in the parish of Bekesbourne, near Canterbury, set in about 90 acres of ancient parkland. It opened to the public in 1975 and is run by a charity, the Aspinall Foundation, so your ticket goes towards its conservation work.

Tip: Book online in advance: it gives you access to the park's wet weather policy. Check the talk and feeding boards by the gatehouse when you arrive.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden was created by the writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson, who bought the run-down farmstead in 1930. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is Grade I listed. The design is a series of enclosed "garden rooms" linked by straight walks, and the White Garden is the best known of them.

Tip: Pushchairs aren't allowed in the main garden because of narrow paths, but baby carriers are fine. Dogs on leads can use the wider estate but not the formal garden. Check the National Trust page for opening times and any closures before you go.

Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England. It stands on the site of one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site, along with St Augustine's Abbey and the ancient Church of St Martin.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is housed in John's Place, a red-brick building designed as a private house, with a crenelated roofline, columned loggia and studded oak doors. Inside, the early local history gallery tells the story of the area from prehistory to the Saxons. Local wildlife is shown in dioramas of different habitats, and there is a dinosaur gallery too.