Enjoy an action-packed family staycation to the picturesque Camber Sands in Sussex

AS we drove along the East Sussex coast, 20 bright kitesurfing sails bobbed above the waves in a spectacular display.

We were on our way to Camber Sands — famous for its picturesque sand dunes, stunning sunsets and seven miles of beach — to stay at the Parkdean Resort there following its £3million facelift.

It is an activity hotspot for families and, in the nearby trees, kids were strapped into harnesses and swinging from wooden frames on the high-ropes course.

The revamp also includes new bungee trampolines and Adventure Bugz kart riding.

With endless entertainment on our doorstep, Camber Sands ticked all the boxes for our family of four generations — and we couldn’t wait to get stuck in.

Arriving at 1pm, we immediately went to explore the beach a short and easy walk away.

Our chic four-bedroom Appledore lodge slept eight and had a large veranda overlooking the grassy park.

With sounds of excitement filling the air, it didn’t take long before the youngsters, aged six and ten, were itching to get out there. At the central entertainment centre, there are four indoor swimming pools, an outdoor splash zone and an arts and crafts den.

Our ten-year-old channelled his inner William Tell and kicked off with an archery lesson, while our six-year-old opted to build her own stuffed lion toy to keep and cuddle.

The games here aren’t just for the kids either. A short while later the whole family were racing each other to the top of six steep climbing walls.

That evening, we danced away to Take That tribute band Re-Take That, who certainly re-lit a few fires for fans of Gary Barlow and co.

We could have filled every minute with action-packed activities on site, but it would have been a shame to do so when such beautiful landscape lay just beyond the resort.

At the nearby beach, shingles slowly faded into a vast expanse of golden sands.

Grassy dunes waved in the wind and beachgoers strolled the shore in search of pretty shells and colourful stones.

George Clooney and Matt Damon are two of the famous faces to have walked this sandy stretch, which was the backdrop to their 2014 film The Monuments Men as well as the Stephen Hawking drama The Theory Of Everything the same year.

There is even more sand to roam, though, over at Dungeness in Kent, which is the home of the UK’s only desert. Yes, desert! It’s a weird and wonderful place.

A few tiny wooden houses are dotted around a flat shoreline which is protected as an RSPB nature reserve. Local fishermen sell freshly caught fish and there’s a lighthouse to visit.

If you’re not stretched for time, take a train ride on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch miniature railway with brilliant views of the Kent coast.

After a few action-packed days at the resort playing Space Invaders and shooting ducks on a giant interactive wall, we took the ten-minute drive north to the charming town of Rye.

Wandering the cobbled streets we passed half-timbered houses and medieval buildings before reaching the Insta-famous Mermaid Street, lined with antique shops and pretty houses wrapped in ivy.

Our holiday to Camber Sands may have been just a short weekend by the sea, but it wasn’t short on fun and adventure.