This southeast home county has worked hard to earn its nickname 'Garden of England'. Visit Kent for a sensory experience in castle parklands and mazes, pick seasonal fruit at orchards or roam wealds and downs sprinkled with pointy-roofed oast houses and windmills. There is a wealth of things to do in Kent. History lessons come to life in ancient Canterbury where the Romans built walls, Chaucer wrote medieval tales and Marlowe penned Elizabethan plays. Or follow pilgrim steps through silent cloisters at the towering cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lace up your walking shoes for coastal paths through the county towards those iconic White Cliffs steeped in World War II memories.
Places to visit in Kent
Learn the ropes at Chatham’s The Historic Dockyard
Immerse yourself in 400 years of discovery at the world’s most complete dockyard from the Age of Sail.
Location: Chatham, Kent
Get on your bike with the epic Viking Coastal Trail
Enjoy spectacular chalk cliffs, sandy shores and quiet country villages on unforgettable, pedal-powered discoveries.
Location: Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, Kent
Take a wind-whipped voyage of discovery with RIB Request
Sit back and feel the wind fly through your hair as you speed out to sea on a RIB Request boat trip.
Location: Ramsgate, Kent
June events: Step back in time at Broadstairs Dickens Festival
The usually quiet coastal town Broadstairs comes to life to celebrate the life of Dickens at this week-long, eclectic festival.
Location: Broadstairs, Kent
Cycle country and coast along the Crab and Winkle Way to Whitstable
With 7 miles of almost traffic-free cycling, the Crab and Winkle Way trails between Kent’s historical heart, Canterbury, and Whitstable on the north Kent coast.
Location: Canterbury, Kent