You don’t need to fly to France to visit vineyards with world-class wine, or be intrepid in India to see opulent architecture; there are so many places in Sussex that offer the same (or even better) experience.
Save the travel time, escape the crowds, and explore these Sussex destination dupes instead.
Sussex vineyards: dupe for Champagne, France
The warm climate and chalky terrain of Sussex have such a similar terroir to that of the Champagne region 50 years ago that Sussex sparkling now often surpasses its French counterparts in tastings and awards.
Sussex is the most renowned wine region in England and home to over a quarter of the country’s vineyards, making it the perfect destination for a vineyard vacation.
©JOHNRI - Tinwood
Royal Pavillion, Brighton: dupe for the Taj Mahal, India
The Royal Pavillion in Brighton, designed in the early 19th century as a seaside retreat for King George IV, has several striking similarities to the earlier 17th-century Taj Mahal in India.
John Nash, the architect of the Royal Pavillion was influenced and inspired by Indo-Islamic architecture, like that of the Taj Mahal, and the extraordinary palace has many similar elements, including its domes, minarets, ornate details, and opulent interiors.
Eastbourne Pier: dupe for Santa Monica Pier, California, USA
From this side of the Atlantic to the other, piers have been bringing people together in the UK and the USA for well over 100 years.
The concept of pleasure piers originated in Victorian Britain, and the original seaside piers of the UK, like those found in Sussex, influenced American amusement piers like the one in Santa Monica, California.
Sussex has no shortage of standout piers to stroll upon, each with its fair share of seaside nostalgia. At Eastbourne Pier, visitors can enjoy traditional English afternoon tea in the Victorian tea rooms.
Whilst the Santa Monica Pier marks the end of the coast-to-coast US highway Route 66, Eastbourne has its own famous finishing line as the final point of the 100-mile South Downs Way.
Other wonderful piers to visit in Sussex are Brighton Palace Pier, Worthing Pier, Hastings Pier, and Bognor Regis Pier.
Tulleys Farm, Crawley: dupe for Holland
Filling its fields with a kaleidoscope of vibrant blooms in spring, the annual Tulleys Tulip Fest is fast becoming renowned as the UK’s answer to Holland’s famous tulip fields.
Visitors can walk amongst the 1.5 million tulips neatly planted in rows around the Netherlands-esque Whispering Windmill and enjoy a taste of Holland with Dutch-inspired street food.
Chichester: dupe for The Hamptons, Long Island, USA
With its pretty jetties, waterfront houses, and meandering marinas, Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has been compared to The Hamptons in the USA by The Telegraph.
To feel like a Hamptonite in Sussex, have a beach day on the sweeping sands of West Wittering, then sip a sundown rosé and savour fresh seafood from the Lobster Hatch on the terrace of the Boathouse at Chichester Marina.
Littlehampton: dupe for Venice Beach, California, USA
Bringing a new era of fun and play to the seafront, Littlehampton is currently undergoing a major coastal rejuvenation project that promises to make this Sussex seaside town a buzzing hub of outdoor activities.
Much like Venice Beach in California, the local community and visitors will be able to come together to enjoy skateboarding, basketball, and beach volleyball in the new activity hub.
Arundel Castle: dupe for Windsor Castle
Both magnificent Norman fortifications built at a similar time, Arundel Castle and Windsor Castle share many architectural resemblances, most notably their motte-and-bailey design featuring a central motte (hill) and surrounding bailey walls.
So alike are the castles that Arundel has been used as a stand-in for Windsor in movies like The Young Victoria and The Madness of King George.
Wakehurst: dupe for Kew Gardens
Escape the London crowds and explore Kew Gardens’ Sussex sister at Wakehurst, a wild botanic garden with 500 acres of diverse landscapes and plants from across the globe.
Don’t miss Wakehurst’s Millennium Seed Bank, a huge conservation project holding a collection of over 2.4 billion seeds from around the world, helping to protect the future of wild plant biodiversity.
