Churchill's drawing room at Chartwell, near Westerham
Wingham Wildlife Park, near Canterbury
From beautiful landscapes to excellent transport links, Kent offers the best of both worlds - convenience and charm - along with countless fun things to do, whether you're with friends, family, or the grandchildren.
The following are a selection of our favourite activities to try in this historic county, so read on to gain inspiration for your next day out in Kent.
We have categorised our day trips by type, so you're able to plan for whatever you wish to do.
Top glorious gardens in Kent 》
Top heritage railways in Kent 》
Top places to go shopping in Kent 》
Top child-friendly attractions in Kent 》
And you can view our interactive map to discover the attractions closest to you, and our development in Kent by clicking here.
Churchill's drawing room at Chartwell, near Westerham
Wingham Wildlife Park, near Canterbury
Within a day’s ride on horseback from London, Kent offered aristocrats a rural escape from London through the centuries so today, we can find more historic houses and castles than many other counties.
The ones we have listed here are some of our favourites.
This beautiful 13th century castle, surrounded by a picturesque moat, was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.
When William Waldorf Astor acquired it in 1903, both the castle and gardens were meticulously restored and today you can visit the rooms which were home to the Boleyn family and wander through 125 acres, including gorgeous gardens which include a Tudor Garden, a rhododendron walk and a lake.
Hever Castle often hosts exhibitions and events which are listed on the website at
Penshurst Place was owned by the Sidney family from 1552. Earlier owners included two of Henry IV’s sons and Henry VIII who used it as a hunting lodge, particularly during the period he pursued Anne Boleyn, whose family lived at nearby Hever Castle.
Penshurst was given to Anne of Cleves by Henry VIII as part of her divorce settlement – after passing to Sir Ralph Fane, then Henry VIII’s son and then to his loyal steward and tutor, Sir William Sidney.
The Sidney family have occupied the house continuously for more then 470 years since and today it remains the family home of Viscount De L’Isle, part of the Sidney family. Visitors can see the house with its Victorian kitchen and explore the gardens and grounds.
Younger family members will appreciate the toy museum, the adventure playground and the woodland trail and any day out should include a visit to the Porcupine Pantry, the gift shop, plant centre and Forge Stores.
Now owned by the National Trust, Ightham Mote is a fabulous example of an unspoiled, romantic, 14th century moated manor house set in 500 acres within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with 14 acres of gardens as well as pleasure grounds, an orchard, lakes and woodlands.
There’s a café serving hot and cold food and cakes and a second-hand bookshop.
This National Trust property on the Kent/Sussex borders is a 14th century moated castle with a ruined interior featuring spiral staircases, battlements and a portcullis.
Wander around the open-air interior, explore the parkland, call for refreshments at the Wharf Tea Room overlooking the River Rother or the Castle View Café and make sure you call into the castle shop.
Bodiam offers a fabulous schedule of events and activities including an easter egg hunt, a how to train your dragon trail, a dragon scavenger hunt, archery, storytelling and more.
Now a National Trust property, Chartwell was the family home of Sir Winston Churchill.
With 80 acres of grounds and the house to explore, this is a great day out. Explore gardens designed by Sir Winston and Lady Churchill – including the Rose Garden and the Kitchen Garden.
There are water features, lakes, a series of three interlinked ponds, the lower of which is called the Golden Orfe Pond, filled with exotic fish Churchill bought from Harrods in the 1930s.
At different times of the year, there are family-friendly events such as a Winter Wander half-term trail and the Easter Egg Hunt. For younger family members, there’s also treehouse, swing and seesaws in the Old Quarry, an old bomb crater left by a World War II bomb, a Canadian Camp, where the Canadians camped out during World War II and there’s Chickenham Palace, home to all kinds of chickens.
Whilst Kent’s castles and stately homes have fabulous gardens, there are some gardens that make the perfect destination for a day in the sun.
These are a few of our favourites.
A horticultural delight!
Designed by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, the gardens have wonderful feature spaces including the White Garden and Rose Garden.
Today, it is managed by the National Trust.
The 10 acres of Edwardian gardens at Mount Ephraim Gardens, Faversham has a wonderful Rock Garden with Japanese inspired pools fringed with spring bulbs and azaleas – particularly stunning in May.
There’s a hand-dug lake which was created in 1912 by unemployed Welsh miners and a Water Garden, added in 1990.
The Little Wood, the Maze, the Arboretum, the Millennium Rose Garden and the Topiary and Herbaceous Border are just a few of the attractions.
Set on both sides of the River Stour, Westgate Gardens, Canterbury is a peaceful place to spend a day out in Kent.
The gardens were presented to the City by Stephen and Catherine Williamson in 1934.
The Tower House incorporates a 15th century tower, part of the city wall, and this is the focus of the garden first created 100 years ago. Here, you can soak up the peaceful atmosphere whilst following riverside paths lined with a flowerbeds, shrubs, climbers and roses.
Travelling on a heritage railway takes many of us back to our own childhood and there’s a wealth of preserved heritage railways to enjoy in Kent.
These railways were once run commercially and now serve as tourist attractions, allowing train enthusiasts and families to both recreate scenes of the past and enjoy the picturesque countryside while hopping on and off at stops.
Take a four-mile round trip through rolling countryside which was once an industrial line serving the Kent coalfield.
This is found at Shepherdswell near Dover.
The Kent and East Sussex Railway at Tenterden was originally opened in 1900 as a rural railway before it was reopened in 1974 as a tourist attraction.
The heritage railway runs steam and heritage diesel trains for 10 miles from Tenterden into the Rother Valley through Northiam and Bodiam, where passengers can catch a glimpse of the stunning Bodiam Castle.
The Spa Valley Railway runs from Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge through High Rocks and Groombridge.
The five-mile route allows visitors to enjoy the picturesque Kent and Sussex countryside by steam or a 1960s diesel engine.
Passengers can alight at Groombridge to visit the famous Groombridge Place and Enchanted Forest, jump off at High Rocks for an explore, or visit the Pantiles at the far end of the line.
The Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway at Sittingbourne is a steam railway that was built in 1905 in order to transport raw materials.
Passengers today can benefit from an open carriage or a full roof, as well as a guided tour and museum walk.
This city is a must for anyone visiting Kent.
It’s a place full of history being the seat of the British Isles’ first diocese, founded in the sixth century. Canterbury has a magnificent Norman and Gothic cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the scene of the murder of Archbishop Thomas Beckett by the supporters of King Henry II in 1170.
In Canterbury, you can view Roman mosaics, the castle and abbey ruins, the city walls and Westgate, the largest medieval city gate in England.
In the heart of Tunbridge Wells, you’ll find the Pantiles where you can stroll along the historic walkway lined with shops, cafes and restaurants.
Just walking round the town, you’ll see some beautiful Georgian architecture and there are museums, galleries parks and gardens to enjoy.
Throughout the year events such as street markets, live music or open-air theatre attract visitors from across the county.
Tunbridge Wells will also become home to Montier Place, a selection of Beechcroft's apartments designed for the over 55s. The one and two-bedroom, energy-efficient apartments at Montier Place enjoy a superb location, less than half a mile from The Pantiles and High Street and overlooking Tunbridge Wells Common.
If you’re interested in British naval history, then Chatham is a must. From 1567 to the 1980s, Chatham was home to the Royal Navy Dockyard and it’s now preserved as Chatham Historic Dockyard.
You can board heritage ships like HMS Gannet and visit Fort Amherst, constructed in 1756 to protect the dockyard in case of French invasion or the Royal Engineers Museum.
If you feel the need for a day’s retail therapy, there are some great places to shop in Kent – of course, towns like Tunbridge Wells, home to the elegant Pantiles area and two shopping centres, offer everything you need but how about a trip to The Designer Outlet, Ashford? This McArthurglen outlet offers about 100 stores offering discounts of up to 60%.
Of course, Dartford is home to Bluewater Shopping Centre with over 300 stores, including the biggest names in fashion, along with cafes, restaurants and plenty of entertainment options. For a family day out, there’s England’s longest zipwire, Dinotropolis and Gravity with wall-to-wall trampolines, climbing walls and more.
Located between Canterbury and Sandwich, the 26-acre Wingham Wildlife Park is home to over 200 different species along with two large play areas, a sheltered tropical house, reptile house, chimpanzee exhibit and museum, along with two restaurants.
The park offers animal talks, feeding sessions, encounters and experiences.
At Ramsgate Tunnels, you’ll discover a town beneath a town in the civilian wartime tunnels.
The tour starts with a short film show in a 150-year-old Victorian Railway Tunnel and then you head off into purpose-built Air Raid Precaution Tunnels.
You’ll learn about the Mad Mayor who saved the town, discover how the tunnels were built and how the town below the town evolved.
Younger members of the family and those who are young at heart will love a trip to Diggerland.
Children and adults can drive and operate real diggers, dumpers and other full size construction machinery.
There are 20 different rides and drives and a variety of activities to enjoy. There’s a Sky Shuttle, off-road rides on the Groundshuttle, Dodgems and Go-Karts.
Discover Montier Place, with homes designed exclusively for the over 55s in one of Kent's most desirable towns.
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