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
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
Castles & History
Canterbury Cathedral
Medieval cathedral and World Heritage Site, with the Becket shrine site, cloisters, crypt and precincts, in the heart of Canterbury.
Castles & History, Parks & Walks
Castle Green (Queenborough Castle site)
Public green in Queenborough on the site of Edward III's 14th-century castle, now a scheduled monument. Only low earthworks are visible.
Castles & History, Parks & Walks
Chartwell
National Trust property Sir Winston Churchill bought in 1922 and made his family home, with the house, studio and gardens. Check Christmas hours before you go.
Castles & History, Parks & Walks
Cobham Wood and Darnley Mausoleum
National Trust woodland near Cobham, open dawn to dusk, around the 18th-century Darnley Mausoleum (mausoleum closed for winter).
Dog Friendly
Free
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
Dartford Borough Museum
Free council museum in the Carnegie library building by Central Park, telling Dartford's story from the Stone Age to Kerr's draper's shop.
Family Friendly
Free
Castles & History, Family Days Out
Deal Castle
Tudor coastal fort run by English Heritage on the seafront at Deal, with ticketed entry and online advance booking.
Family Friendly
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
Dickens House Museum
Small museum, staffed by volunteers, in the cottage tied to Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield, with Dickens letters, his writing box and Victorian displays.
Family Friendly
Castles & History, Family Days Out
Dover Castle
Medieval castle above the port with the Great Tower, Secret Wartime Tunnels tour, Roman pharos and Saxon church, run by English Heritage.
Family Friendly
Castles & History, Museums & Galleries
Eastgate House
Grade I listed townhouse on Rochester High Street, built in 1590, with Charles Dickens' Swiss chalet in its gardens.
Family Friendly
Castles & History
Eynsford Castle
Free-to-enter ruin of an early Norman enclosure castle in the centre of Eynsford, run by English Heritage. Dogs on leads welcome.
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Free
Sport & Fitness
Margate Yacht Club
A volunteer-run sailing club offering dinghy racing, social sails and training with RYA qualified instructors, plus a welcome for kayakers and paddleboarders. Beginners can start with RYA Level 1 and 2 weekend courses.
Gardening & Nature
Alpine Garden Society Mid Kent Group
A friendly group of alpine and rock garden enthusiasts who have met near Maidstone since 1977. Monthly afternoons alternate between illustrated talks, garden visits and a local plant show.
Running
Canterbury Harriers
A well-established running club offering speed sessions, track intervals, steady group runs and a Sunday long run in Blean Woods. Newer runners are pointed towards the Tuesday sessions to find their feet.
Looking for something on a particular date?
Markets, shows and family events are in What's On, with a date filter.