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
Family Days Out, Museums & Galleries
Dover Museum
Free council-run museum in Market Square with archaeology, port and wartime galleries and a Bronze Age boat.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Free
Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Ellington Park
Restored Victorian park in Ramsgate with a bandstand, two play areas, trim trail, wildlife pond and a community cafe.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Free
Museums & Galleries
Folkestone Museum
Free museum in Folkestone's Town Hall covering the town's history, with a lift between floors and a cinema space.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Free
Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Jeskyns Community Woodland
Forestry England woodland near Cobham with surfaced trails, play areas, a cafe, disc golf, a dog activity trail and family trails.
Accessible
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Beaches & Coast, Parks & Walks
Pegwell Bay Country Park
Free-to-enter country park on Pegwell Bay with a circular sea wall path, bird hide, play area and cafe, and the way into the nature reserve.
Accessible
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Free
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
Powell-Cotton Museum and Quex House
Natural history museum, Regency house and gardens at Quex Park, Birchington. One ticket covers all three. Check winter opening before you go.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
RAF Manston History Museum
Museum of RAF Manston history near Ramsgate with a Vulcan, Canberra and Victor cockpit, plus a NAAFI cafe and seasonal events.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
Royal Engineers Museum
Museum of the Corps of Royal Engineers in Brompton, with galleries, a First World War trench display and a cafe.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Parks & Walks
RSPB Dungeness Nature Reserve
Shingle nature reserve with hides, trails and a visitor centre near Lydd. Visitor centre usually Wed to Sun 10am to 4pm; non-members pay to park.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and Harrison Visitor Centre
Kent Wildlife Trust lakes and woodland reserve in Sevenoaks with bird hides, nature trail, cafe and visitor centre. Pay-and-display parking.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Family Days Out, Parks & Walks
Shorne Woods Country Park
Kent County Council country park near Gravesend: woods, wetlands and meadows, an eco visitor centre and cafe, play areas, fishing lakes and easy access trails.
Accessible
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Museums & Galleries
The Amelia Scott
Free museum, galleries, library and cafe in the centre of Tunbridge Wells, with around 60,000 objects and changing exhibitions.
Accessible
Family Friendly
Free
Books & Writing
Chatham Library Book Club
A monthly morning book group run through Medway Libraries for anyone who enjoys reading and talking about books. It is a friendly way to discover new titles and meet fellow readers.
Walking & Rambling
Medway Ramblers
A friendly walking group for the Medway towns, leading mostly circular walks of four to ten miles across north and west Kent. You are welcome to try any of their walks for free before joining.
Volunteering
Friends of The Vines
A volunteer group, founded in 2009, that looks after The Vines gardens in the heart of Rochester alongside Medway Council and Kent Wildlife Trust. Volunteers help with planting and run community events such as the summer Cherry Picnic and bat and bug days.
Looking for something on a particular date?
Markets, shows and family events are in What's On, with a date filter.