GuideCastles & History, Parks & Walks
Hawkhurst’s Moor, Bedgebury Pinetum and the villages around
Hawkhurst's Moor and St Laurence's Church, Bedgebury National Pinetum, and the Goudhurst, Kilndown and Sandhurst sites linked to local history.
Things to Do in Kent
Castles to explore, beaches to stroll and museums for rainy afternoons. Find your next day out in Kent, whether you've got an hour to spare or the whole weekend.
Guides
GuideCastles & History, Museums & Galleries
Cranbrook: St Dunstan’s, Union Mill, the museum and Sissinghurst
St Dunstan's Church, Union Mill and Cranbrook Museum in Cranbrook, plus Sissinghurst Castle Garden: what each offers and what to check first.
GuideFamily Days Out, Parks & Walks
Hythe, Lydd and New Romney: the canal, Port Lympne, Dungeness and the miniature railway
The Royal Military Canal, Port Lympne, All Saints Lydd, RSPB Dungeness, Prospect Cottage, the Romney railway and Romney Warren, with seasons and access.
GuideBeaches & Coast, Museums & Galleries
Folkestone: the Harbour Arm, the museum, the Warren, the Lower Leas, the artworks and Hawkinge
Folkestone Harbour Arm, the museum, the Warren, the Lower Leas, the public artworks and Mermaid, and the Kent Battle of Britain Museum at Hawkinge.
GuideCastles & History, Parks & Walks
Dover: the castle, the White Cliffs, Samphire Hoe and the Battle of Britain Memorial
Dover Castle, the White Cliffs, Dover Museum, Western Heights, Samphire Hoe, Kearsney Abbey and the Battle of Britain Memorial, with access notes.
GuideCastles & History, Parks & Walks
Deal and Sandwich: the castles, the pier, Betteshanger, Richborough and the town museum
Deal Castle, Walmer Castle's gardens, Deal Pier, Betteshanger, Richborough Roman Fort, Sandwich Guildhall Museum and the Quay and Fisher Gate.
GuideFamily Days Out, Parks & Walks
Ashford and Tenterden: heathland, woods, nature reserves and the steam railway
Hothfield Heathlands, Conningbrook Lakes, King's Wood, Wye and Ham Street Woods reserves, plus Tenterden's steam railway, St Mildred's and Kiln Field.
GuideBeaches & Coast, Castles & History
Whitstable and Herne Bay: the castle, museums, harbour, pier, Reculver and the Oyster Bay Trail
Whitstable Castle, the museum, Horsebridge and harbour, then Herne Bay Pier, the Seaside Museum, Reculver and the Oyster Bay Trail.
GuideCastles & History, Museums & Galleries
Ramsgate: the Royal Harbour, the tunnels, Pugin’s church and the Manston museums
Ramsgate Royal Harbour, the tunnels, Pugin's church, Ellington Park, Pegwell Bay and the Manston museums, with the days each is open.
GuideFamily Days Out, Museums & Galleries
Margate: the gallery, the Shell Grotto, the caves, the harbour and Quex
Turner Contemporary, Dreamland, the Shell Grotto, Margate Caves, the Crab Museum, the Harbour Arm, Walpole Bay and Quex, with winter days.
Places to visit
Town
Type
Audience
Castles & History
All Saints Church, Lydd
Medieval church nicknamed the Cathedral of the Marsh, with a 132ft tower and Roman basilica remains. Open 9am to 3.30pm in winter.
Family Friendly
Parks & Walks
Ashenbank Wood
Woodland Trust ancient wood near Cobham with a waymarked circular trail, spring flowers and links to the Darnley Trail.
Dog Friendly
Free
Beaches & Coast, Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Barton’s Point Coastal Park
Forty-acre coastal park in Sheerness with a salt-water lake for crabbing, an adventure playground, cycle route and the Queenborough Lines monument.
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Free
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
Battle of Britain Memorial
Clifftop memorial and visitor centre at Capel-le-Ferne with The Scramble Experience and a cafe over the Channel.
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Parks & Walks
Beacon Wood Country Park
Woodland country park at Bean with trails around old clay pits, a wetland viewing platform and picnic area. Car park opens 8.30am daily.
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest
Forestry England pinetum and forest near Goudhurst with conifer collection, walking, cycling and running trails, Go Ape, a cafe and bike hire.
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Parks & Walks
Berengrave Local Nature Reserve
Former chalk pit in Rainham turned nature reserve, with woodland, a pond and waymarked paths. Lower paths can flood.
Family Days Out, Museums & Galleries, Parks & Walks
Betteshanger Country Park
Former colliery site turned country park with cycle tracks, mountain bike trails, a play area, cafe and the Kent Mining Museum.
Family Friendly
Free
Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Bewl Water
Large reservoir on the Kent and Sussex border with a round-reservoir walking and cycling route, a cafe, soft play and watersports.
Family Friendly
Museums & Galleries
Blue Town Heritage Centre (The Criterion)
Volunteer-run museum, music hall, community cinema and tea room in Blue Town, Sheerness, telling the story of the dockyard. Heritage centre entry free.
Free
Beaches & Coast
Botany Bay
Chalk-cliff bay in Broadstairs, with chalk cliffs and stacks, rock pools at low tide and a Blue Flag and Seaside Award for 2026.
Family Friendly
Parks & Walks
Brenchley Gardens
Town centre gardens behind Maidstone Museum with a Victorian bandstand, the Cenotaph war memorial and the Royal Engineers statue.
Running
Dartford parkrun
A free, timed 5k in Central Park every Saturday morning that you can run, jog or walk. Volunteers make it happen, and everyone from first timers to club runners is welcome.
Volunteering
Canterbury Conservation Volunteers
A weekly practical conservation team caring for countryside sites between Chartham and Sandwich. Volunteers are collected from a central pick-up point and spend the day outdoors on habitat tasks.
Languages & Learning
Sevenoaks u3a
A large, friendly learning community for people who are no longer in full-time work, with interest groups covering everything from painting and science to theatre trips and circle dancing. Monthly open meetings with guest speakers are a good way to make new friends.
Looking for something on a particular date?
Markets, shows and family events are in What's On, with a date filter.