Chatham is home to The Historic Dockyard, Fort Amherst and the Royal Engineers Museum, with Rochester's castle and cathedral a short walk along the Medway.
Image: Fort AmherstFort Amherst is a large Napoleonic fort above Chatham, built to protect the dockyard and used again in both world wars. The grounds, with ramparts, cannons and views over the Medway, are free to wander with the dog, while guided tours take you into the maze of underground tunnels. It is known locally for its long-running Halloween scare events.
Image: Old Brook Pumping StationOld Brook Pumping Station is a preserved 1929 pumping station in Chatham, open as a museum since the early 1980s and run by volunteers from the Medway Industrial Archaeology Group. See the engines and a collection of exhibits on the industrial history of the Medway Towns. It suits engineering fans and curious families and takes about an hour.
Photo: Sunolafjagtenben-hur, CC0A large open green space between Chatham and Gillingham, linking Fort Amherst, the Chatham Naval Memorial and Brompton. It is criss-crossed by walking and cycle routes, with nature walks and wildflower areas.
Image: Royal Engineers MuseumThe Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham is the UK's largest military engineering museum, covering more than two centuries of sappers' work around the world. The collection includes 25 Victoria Crosses, Wellington's map of Waterloo, a Harrier jump jet, a V2 rocket and a line of bridge-laying tanks. Family activities and a first-floor café make it a solid rainy-day choice in Medway.
Image: The Historic Dockyard ChathamThe Historic Dockyard Chatham is an Age of Sail dockyard of international importance, now a huge museum site. Climb aboard HMS Gannet, the destroyer HMS Cavalier and the submarine Ocelot, walk the Ropery and explore galleries including Command of the Oceans. One ticket covers a year of visits, so you do not have to see it all in one day.
Image: Eastgate HouseEastgate House is a Grade I listed Elizabethan townhouse on Rochester's historic High Street, run by Medway Council. Its rooms tell the story of the building as a family home, a Victorian girls' school, a hostel and a museum. In the garden stands the Swiss chalet where Charles Dickens wrote, which links neatly with Rochester's Dickens trail.
Image: Restoration HouseRestoration House is a historic city mansion in the heart of Rochester, named after Charles II's stay on the eve of the Restoration and known as the inspiration for Miss Havisham's Satis House in Great Expectations. Tour the rooms and the walled garden during its short summer season. It suits history and Dickens fans and takes an hour or two.
Image: Rochester CathedralRochester Cathedral stands close to the castle in the heart of historic Rochester and is free to visit. Explore the cathedral and its medieval crypt, where there is a café, and see the Textus Roffensis exhibition. Pair it with the castle for a half day in Rochester.
Image: Visit MedwayRochester Guildhall Museum on the High Street packs in local history, from a 200,000-year-old hand axe to a gallery on Charles Dickens. Climb to the Main Chamber, see Rochester Castle under siege in 1215 and walk aboard a reconstructed prison hulk. It suits families and history fans and pairs well with the castle and cathedral nearby.
Image: Rochester CastleRochester Castle is an imposing medieval fortress guarding an important crossing of the River Medway, with a complex history of destruction and rebuilding. Climb through the great keep for views over the river and city, then explore the cathedral and historic high street close by. Allow an hour or two.
Image: Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park ChathamThis supervised obstacle park in Chatham Maritime is inspired by ITV's Ninja Warrior UK. Climb, swing and balance across the obstacles, bounce over the inflatable and take on the famous Warped Wall. It is an energetic indoor choice for older children, teens and adults, with separate toddler sessions for ages one to four.
Image: Copper Rivet DistilleryCopper Rivet is a grain to glass distillery in a historic pumphouse at Chatham Dockyard, making whisky, gin and vodka from Kentish grain. Book a tour and tasting to see the stills and learn how each step shapes the flavour, then stay on for the bar or restaurant. It suits couples and groups of adults and takes one to two hours.
Image: Upnor CastleUpnor Castle is a rare Elizabethan artillery fort on the Medway, begun in 1559 and rebuilt around 1600 to guard the warships moored off Chatham. It sits in tranquil grounds beside the riverside village of Upper Upnor. Access is by guided tour only, which makes it a quieter, more in-depth visit.
Image: English HeritageTemple Manor is a 13th-century hall built by the Knights Templar to lodge important travellers on the road between Dover and London. Visits are by appointment, when you can see faint traces of wall paintings in the first floor hall and the leafy garden around it. It suits medieval history fans and takes about an hour.
Photo: Sunolafjagtenben-hur, CC0The Strand is a riverside leisure park in Gillingham built around a historic open-air lido, opened in 1896 and the only remaining riverside tidal saltwater pool in the country. Alongside the summer lido there is a free splash pad, play parks, a miniature railway, a café, tennis courts and riverside walks. It suits families on a warm summer day and can easily fill half a day.
Image: Diggerland KentDiggerland Kent is a construction-themed park in Strood where children and adults can ride on and drive real diggers, dumpers and other machinery. Alongside the drives there are rides such as the Skyshuttle, Spindizzy, dodgems and go-karts, plus indoor and outdoor play. It is aimed at children aged roughly 4 to 14.
Image: Hollywood Bowl RochesterHollywood Bowl Rochester is a large ten-pin bowling centre on the Medway Valley Leisure Park, with 26 lanes, arcade games, pool tables and a bar and diner. Bumpers, lighter balls and ramps help young children join in, while VIP lanes suit adult groups. Allow around 45 minutes per game for up to six players.
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Capstone Farm Country Park covers over 114 hectares of woodland, old orchards, meadows and a lake on the edge of Chatham and Gillingham. Families can try the two play areas and trim trail, follow waymarked walks or cycle routes, and stop at the lakeside cafe. Allow a few hours, or longer if you are bringing bikes.
Image: The Central TheatreA Pink Floyd tribute act performs songs from all fifteen of Pink Floyd's studio albums at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Saturday 17 October 2026, starting at 7:30pm. It suits fans of classic rock and anyone who enjoys the band's music. Booking is required through the event's official ticket page.
Image: The Central TheatreThe Illegal Eagles, a tribute act to the Eagles, perform their Hotel California Tour at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Sunday 18 October 2026 at 7:30pm. The show marks 30 years on the road and suits fans of classic rock and families or friends who enjoy the band's music. Booking is required through the event page.
Image: The Central TheatreKevin Bloody Wilson performs his Fair Dinkum Funny show at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Tuesday 20 October 2026, starting at 7.30pm. It is a comedy night suited to adults who enjoy his Australian-accented stand-up. Booking is required through the event page.
Image: The Central TheatreA live evening of true crime talk with Peter Bleksley, a former founding member of Scotland Yard's Undercover Unit. The event takes place at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Wednesday 21 October 2026 at 7:30pm, and booking is required. It suits adults interested in true crime and criminal investigation.
Image: The Central TheatreA tribute show performing the music of Bon Jovi, presented at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Thursday 22 October 2026 at 7:30pm. The production comes from London's West End and suits fans of rock music, couples and groups of friends. Booking is required through the event page.
Image: The Central TheatreCountry Hits Live is a music performance at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Saturday 24 October 2026, starting at 7:30pm. Booking is required and the listing links to the organiser's ticket page for details. It suits music fans and families looking for a live country evening.
Image: The Central TheatreMinistry of Science presents Science Saved the World, an explosive science show at The Central Theatre in Chatham on Sunday 21 March 2027 at 2:00pm. Booking is required, and the show suits families. Price and age guidance are not yet listed, so check the event page before attending.
Image: Fort AmherstClown Chaos is a Halloween experience for children aged 5 to 10, running through October 2026 at Fort Amherst in Chatham. Children learn spells, make potions and use a wand to help banish mischievous clowns and win a prize. Booking is required, and times are on the event page.
Image: Fort AmherstFace Your Fears is a Halloween experience at Fort Amherst in Chatham, running throughout October 2026 with sessions from 18:00 to 20:00. Visitors move through a set designed to challenge their fears. It is rated 12A and recommended for ages 12 and over, and booking is required.
Image: Fort AmherstFort Amherst is a large Napoleonic fort above Chatham, built to protect the dockyard and used again in both world wars. The grounds, with ramparts, cannons and views over the Medway, are free to wander with the dog, while guided tours take you into the maze of underground tunnels. It is known locally for its long-running Halloween scare events.
Image: Old Brook Pumping StationOld Brook Pumping Station is a preserved 1929 pumping station in Chatham, open as a museum since the early 1980s and run by volunteers from the Medway Industrial Archaeology Group. See the engines and a collection of exhibits on the industrial history of the Medway Towns. It suits engineering fans and curious families and takes about an hour.
Image: Royal Engineers MuseumThe Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham is the UK's largest military engineering museum, covering more than two centuries of sappers' work around the world. The collection includes 25 Victoria Crosses, Wellington's map of Waterloo, a Harrier jump jet, a V2 rocket and a line of bridge-laying tanks. Family activities and a first-floor café make it a solid rainy-day choice in Medway.
Image: The Historic Dockyard ChathamThe Historic Dockyard Chatham is an Age of Sail dockyard of international importance, now a huge museum site. Climb aboard HMS Gannet, the destroyer HMS Cavalier and the submarine Ocelot, walk the Ropery and explore galleries including Command of the Oceans. One ticket covers a year of visits, so you do not have to see it all in one day.
Image: Eastgate HouseEastgate House is a Grade I listed Elizabethan townhouse on Rochester's historic High Street, run by Medway Council. Its rooms tell the story of the building as a family home, a Victorian girls' school, a hostel and a museum. In the garden stands the Swiss chalet where Charles Dickens wrote, which links neatly with Rochester's Dickens trail.
Image: Restoration HouseRestoration House is a historic city mansion in the heart of Rochester, named after Charles II's stay on the eve of the Restoration and known as the inspiration for Miss Havisham's Satis House in Great Expectations. Tour the rooms and the walled garden during its short summer season. It suits history and Dickens fans and takes an hour or two.
Image: Fort AmherstFort Amherst is a large Napoleonic fort above Chatham, built to protect the dockyard and used again in both world wars. The grounds, with ramparts, cannons and views over the Medway, are free to wander with the dog, while guided tours take you into the maze of underground tunnels. It is known locally for its long-running Halloween scare events.
Photo: Sunolafjagtenben-hur, CC0A large open green space between Chatham and Gillingham, linking Fort Amherst, the Chatham Naval Memorial and Brompton. It is criss-crossed by walking and cycle routes, with nature walks and wildflower areas.
Image: Rochester CathedralRochester Cathedral stands close to the castle in the heart of historic Rochester and is free to visit. Explore the cathedral and its medieval crypt, where there is a café, and see the Textus Roffensis exhibition. Pair it with the castle for a half day in Rochester.
Image: English HeritageTemple Manor is a 13th-century hall built by the Knights Templar to lodge important travellers on the road between Dover and London. Visits are by appointment, when you can see faint traces of wall paintings in the first floor hall and the leafy garden around it. It suits medieval history fans and takes about an hour.
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Capstone Farm Country Park covers over 114 hectares of woodland, old orchards, meadows and a lake on the edge of Chatham and Gillingham. Families can try the two play areas and trim trail, follow waymarked walks or cycle routes, and stop at the lakeside cafe. Allow a few hours, or longer if you are bringing bikes.
Image: Kent Wildlife TrustDarland Banks is a 45 hectare Kent Wildlife Trust reserve of restored chalk grassland with panoramic views across the Medway towns. Walk the slopes to spot rare butterflies, moths and one of the country's largest populations of man orchids, alongside wartime relics. Allow an hour or two and wear sturdy shoes.
The rest of the 37 places we list within 10 km, closest first.
