A summer weekend at Goodwood: what to do when visiting the Sussex estate’s summer events

Complement the thrill of Goodwood’s summer events with the charm, flavour, and beauty of the surrounding Sussex landscape with this weekend itinerary perfect for making the most of your stay.

Renowned for its prestigious motorsport and horseracing events, Goodwood draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to its acclaimed estate in Sussex.

Whether you're heading to the Festival of Speed (10 to 13 July 2025), the Qatar Goodwood Festival (29 July to 2 August 2025), or Goodwood Revival (12 to 14 September 2025), why not turn your visit into a full weekend escape in Sussex?

Two cars on the start line at the vintage car festival with crowds in pit lane and grandstand, Goodwood Revival

Day one: an action-packed day at Goodwood

Whether it’s feeling the need for speed, reviving nostalgia, or exhilarating horseracing, the Goodwood Estate and its events offer enough action to jam-pack a full day or more.

If you’re visiting the Festival of Speed, make the most of your day by arriving early at Goodwood. Gates open at 7:00am so you can look around the paddocks before the action begins, and at 8:30am the Hillclimb – when the cars race up the Goodwood hill course – is an unmissable start to the day. With interactive maps and personalised timetables, the Goodwood Motorsport App is a great way to plan your day – don’t miss the celebrations for 75 years of Formula 1 in 2025.

Goodwood Revival also starts early with the main event site open to the public from 8:30am. Horseracing events including the Qatar Goodwood Festival tend to start a little later.  

If you’ve exhausted your event capacity and you need a break from the crowds, visit Goodwood House with its elegant stately rooms, racing heritage and art collection, or unwind with a spa treatment at the Goodwood Health Club.

By the time the event ends, you’ll be ready for a rest and recharge – dinner at Farmer, Butcher, Chef is sure to hit the spot with farm-to-fork produce directly from the estate.

Horses racing at Qatar Goodwood Festival

 

Day two: ambling in Arundel and chilling in Chichester

Have a slower-paced day by taking in some Sussex art, history, and coastal charm.

Start the day in serene surroundings with a tranquil brunch at Café 24 in the newly opened Goodwood Art Foundation; take time to admire the art that has been thoughtfully curated to harmonise with its natural setting.

Refuelled, head to nearby Arundel with its magnificent castle – via The Edge Café at Edgcumbes Coffee Roasters if another coffee stop is needed. Spend the day exploring this fairytale town, visiting the majestic Arundel Castle, and meandering cobbled streets bordered by the River Arun.

Still got a taste for transport after the Goodwood Festival of Speed? Visit Arundel’s charming neighbour Amberley where the Amberley Museum specialises in transport history with displays of classic and vintage vehicles.

Later in the day, head to Chichester for sundowners and a relaxed dinner in the harbour at The Boat House Café, or for an evening stroll around Chichester Cathedral followed by drinks at Fernleigh’s Wine and Cocktail Bar and dinner at The Ivy Chichester Brasserie.

Aerial view of the keep at Arundel Castle with Arundel and fields in the distance

More time to explore? Try these other Sussex spots close to Goodwood

  • Wine down after a busy day at Goodwood with a visit to one of Sussex’s outstanding vineyards. The Tinwood Estate is just a five-minute drive from Goodwood where visitors can take a tour or simply sip back on the terrace and enjoy the vineyard views.
     
  • 30 minutes from Goodwood, Petworth House and Park is a stunning 700-acre National Trust estate famous for its fallow deer. Stop by The Hungry Guest in the market town of Petworth to stock up on local produce for your picnic before you visit. Newlands House Gallery, in an 18th-century townhouse in central Petworth, is also well worth a visit.
     
  • Bosham Harbour is a charming coastal village 20 minutes from Goodwood, often described as one of the most photogenic places on the south coast thanks to its scenic shores.
     
  • Goodwood is in the heart of the South Downs National Park and a wonderful location from which to embark on a walk or a bike ride in the rolling Sussex hills. Head up to Iron-Age hillfort The Trundle for panoramic views of Chichester and beyond.
     
  • 10 minutes north of Goodwood, the Weald & Downland Living Museum – home to the BBC’s The Repair Shop series – offers a fascinating insight into rural living over the past 1000 years in its 50 historic buildings.  

Weald & Downland Museum lake with wooden buildings

Where to stay when visiting Goodwood in Sussex

  • The Goodwood Estate has a range of stylish places to stay including The Goodwood Hotel, the ten-bedroom Hound Lodge, and Luxury Goodwood Cottages.
     
  • The Lodges at Tinwood Estate offer eight luxurious lodges with private terraces and South Downs vineyard views.
     
  • The Pig in the South Downs is the Sussex sibling of The Pig’s drift of countryside boutique hotels with a characterful higgledy-piggledy collection of rooms in its house, outbuildings, and wagons.
     
  • The Beach Huts - Madam Green Holidays are charming self‑catering coastal-themed cabins on a family-run farm 10 minutes from Goodwood.
     
  • The Fox Goes Free is a pub with rooms in the pretty village of Charlton just a 10-minute drive away from Goodwood.
     
  • The Spread Eagle Hotel is a 15th-century coaching inn 20 minutes north of Goodwood in the historic town of Midhurst.

Wooden lodge with outdoor terrace set in the trees at Tinwood, Sussex

More places to stay in and around Goodwood