Herne Bay has a seafront and pier on the north Kent coast, with the Roman fort and twin towers at Reculver to the east, Wildwood to the south and Whitstable a short drive west.
Photo: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0Herne Bay Pier is a lively charity-run pier lined with beach hut shops and food stalls, voted top of the 2026 Bucket and Spade List of favourite seaside places. Ride the vintage carousel and helter-skelter, try crabbing off the end or browse local makers. It suits families and anyone after traditional seaside fun.
Image: Wildwood KentWildwood is a wildlife park set in 40 acres of ancient woodland between Canterbury and Herne Bay, home to more than 200 British animals past and present. See wolves, bears, bison and lynx alongside badgers, red squirrels and water voles, with walkthrough exhibits along the way. Allow half a day.
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Reculver Country Park covers 26 hectares of clifftop grassland on the north Kent coast, dominated by the twin towers of a medieval church inside a Roman fort. Walk or cycle the clifftop towards Herne Bay, take in the views to Margate and explore the towers for free. It suits families, cyclists and dog walkers for an hour or more.
Image: English HeritageThe twin 12th-century towers of Reculver's ruined church stand on the shore near Herne Bay, alongside the remains of an early Roman Saxon Shore fort. Walk around the ruins, and take in the sea views. It suits families, dog walkers and anyone after a free coastal stop of an hour or two.
Photo: Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0Tankerton Beach is a shingle beach below the grassy Tankerton Slopes, lined with brightly painted beach huts. At low tide the sea pulls back to reveal rock pools and a long walk out across the foreshore, and the grassy banks above are made for picnics. It is a relaxed family beach for a half day of paddling, swimming and rock pooling.
Photo: Robert Lamb, CC BY-SA 2.0Tankerton Slopes are grassy clifftop lawns between Whitstable and the sea, with rows of colourful beach huts at the bottom and seats and shelters at the best viewpoints. From the top you can look out over The Street, a shingle spit you can walk along at low tide. Come for a stroll, a picnic or a bike ride along the seafront.
Image: Whitstable CastleWhitstable Castle sits in landscaped gardens with a play park, a bistro and tearooms. Stroll the gardens, let children burn off energy in the play area, then stop for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon tea. It suits families and dog owners and takes an hour or two.
Photo: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0Whitstable's long shingle beach runs right along the town, so a walk on the shore leads straight to independent stalls, galleries, fish and chips and the famous oysters. You will often see windsurfers and sailors out on the water, and the 5km Whitstable Maritime coastal trail follows the shore. It suits couples and families wanting a seaside stroll with good food.
Image: Whitstable HarbourWhitstable Harbour is a working harbour on the north Kent coast and the hub of a classic Whitstable day out. Browse the market and the two-storey South Quay Shed for local makers and food, eat seafood with a view of the fishing boats, and walk along the waterfront. It is a 13-minute walk from Whitstable station.
Image: Whitstable Museum and GalleryWhitstable Community Museum and Gallery is a volunteer-run museum telling the town's stories of diving, oysters, fishing, shipwrecks and shipbuilding. Large exhibits include the Invicta locomotive, a 1948 whelk boat and an 1867 fire engine, with hands-on activities for children from age three. It suits families and takes about an hour.
Image: Canoe WildCanoe Wild hires canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards on the River Stour near Canterbury, from bases at Grove Ferry and Fordwich. Paddle an hour out and back, or make the 2.5-hour journey from Fordwich to Grove Ferry with a free lift to return. It suits families, couples and groups looking for a gentle river adventure.
Photo: Alex Lockton, CC BY-SA 4.0Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve in the Stour Valley near Canterbury has the largest reedbed in south east England, mixed with fens, ditches and open water. Walk over 6km of footpaths, including a circuit of the whole site, and look for marsh harriers, kingfishers, bearded tits and the occasional bittern. It suits walkers and birdwatchers for a couple of hours.
Image: GulbenkianGulbenkian is the University of Kent's arts centre, with a theatre, concert hall and cinema on the Canterbury campus. The programme runs from touring theatre, dance, music and comedy to a strong family strand, including the annual bOing! family festival, with hundreds of events and film screenings every year. Come for a show or film, or a coffee in the café.
Image: Escape HuntEscape Hunt Canterbury runs themed escape rooms at Canterbury Riverside, where your team hunts for clues and solves puzzles before the time runs out. Kid-friendly games are pitched at ages 8 and up, and City Hunt outdoor games take the challenge onto the streets with a digital map and a case of props. It suits families with older children, friends and work groups.
Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0This small mid-12th-century building was part of the waterworks that fed St Augustine's Abbey, holding an eight-sided tank that sent water down to the monks through a lead pipe. It sits on a hillside off King's Park, a five to ten minute walk from the abbey. A good add-on for anyone curious about how a medieval monastery worked.
Photo: Robin Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0An ancient woodland reserve just outside Canterbury, mixing coppice, tall oak and beech forest, glades and heathland. Five trails range from short strolls to an eight-mile walk, with woodpeckers, nightingales and rare heath fritillary butterflies.
Image: Explore KentMonkton Nature Reserve is a 16-acre former chalk quarry on Thanet, run by a charity and full of orchids, butterflies and pond life. Children can follow trails, a sculpture hunt and nature bingo, try brass rubbing and peer into the bat cave. It is ideal for young families and fills a couple of hours.
Image: The Old City JailThe Westgate Towers is England's largest surviving medieval gateway, and its museum explores 600 years of Canterbury history before you climb to the rooftop battlements. Exhibits cover city wars, crime and punishment and Magna Carta. It suits families and couples and takes under an hour, with The Pound bar next door in the old city jail.
Image: Blean WoodsA guided forest bathing walk through Blean Woods near Canterbury, running from 10am to 12:30pm on Saturday 17 October 2026. The walk uses slow, mindful exploration of the woodland, inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, and suits adults looking for a calm outdoor session. Booking is recommended and the cost is £18.
Image: Kent Wildlife TrustA Halloween morning or afternoon with Kent Wildlife Trust at the woods where the Blean bison roam. Families make an autumn leaf sun catcher, explore the Bison Ranger Station garden and finish with hot chocolate and a toasted treat round the campfire.
Image: The Harbour GardenA family Christmas hoedown takes place at The Harbour Garden in Whitstable on 28 November 2026. Times are listed on the event page, and booking is required. It suits families looking for a festive day out in Whitstable.
Image: The Rock LodgeThe Rock Lodge in Whitstable is hosting an 80s themed New Year's Eve party, running from 31 December 2026 into 1 January 2027. Booking is required through the event page, and the listing suits adults looking to celebrate the new year with friends or as a couple.
Image: GulbenkianRod Campbell's lift-the-flap picture book comes to the stage with puppets, music and plenty of audience joining in, as a child writes to the zoo asking for the perfect pet. A gentle first theatre trip for pre-schoolers.
Image: The Malthouse TheatreA live show at The Malthouse Theatre in Canterbury on Saturday 17 October 2026, starting at 7.30pm. It features well-known songs from West End musicals and suits families, couples and friends. Booking is recommended, and full details are on the event page.
Image: The Malthouse TheatreEric & Ern perform a live show at The Malthouse Theatre in Canterbury on Thursday 22 October 2026, starting at 7.30pm. The show is a theatre and music event suited to families, couples and friends. Booking is recommended, and full details are on the event page.
Image: The Malthouse TheatreA live music show celebrating the songs of Dr Hook takes place at The Malthouse Theatre in Canterbury at 7.30pm on Saturday 24 October 2026. It suits music fans of all ages who enjoy a evening of well-known soft rock songs. Booking is recommended, and full details are on the event page.
Image: The Malthouse TheatreA live stage show based on Alice in Wonderland takes place at The Malthouse Theatre in Canterbury on Monday 26 October 2026 at 3pm. It is aimed at families and suits the October half-term holiday. Booking is recommended, and full details are on the event page.
Image: Whitstable CastleWhitstable Castle sits in landscaped gardens with a play park, a bistro and tearooms. Stroll the gardens, let children burn off energy in the play area, then stop for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon tea. It suits families and dog owners and takes an hour or two.
Image: Whitstable Museum and GalleryWhitstable Community Museum and Gallery is a volunteer-run museum telling the town's stories of diving, oysters, fishing, shipwrecks and shipbuilding. Large exhibits include the Invicta locomotive, a 1948 whelk boat and an 1867 fire engine, with hands-on activities for children from age three. It suits families and takes about an hour.
Image: GulbenkianGulbenkian is the University of Kent's arts centre, with a theatre, concert hall and cinema on the Canterbury campus. The programme runs from touring theatre, dance, music and comedy to a strong family strand, including the annual bOing! family festival, with hundreds of events and film screenings every year. Come for a show or film, or a coffee in the café.
Image: Escape HuntEscape Hunt Canterbury runs themed escape rooms at Canterbury Riverside, where your team hunts for clues and solves puzzles before the time runs out. Kid-friendly games are pitched at ages 8 and up, and City Hunt outdoor games take the challenge onto the streets with a digital map and a case of props. It suits families with older children, friends and work groups.
Image: The Old City JailThe Westgate Towers is England's largest surviving medieval gateway, and its museum explores 600 years of Canterbury history before you climb to the rooftop battlements. Exhibits cover city wars, crime and punishment and Magna Carta. It suits families and couples and takes under an hour, with The Pound bar next door in the old city jail.
Photo: IreneAl, CC BY-SA 4.0The Marlowe is Canterbury's main theatre, on The Friars in the city centre, with a programme of performances, events and creative activities across three spaces: the Main House, the Studio and The Kit on Stour Street. Pre-book a meal at the Green Room before the show. It suits a family treat or an evening out in the city.
Photo: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0Herne Bay Pier is a lively charity-run pier lined with beach hut shops and food stalls, voted top of the 2026 Bucket and Spade List of favourite seaside places. Ride the vintage carousel and helter-skelter, try crabbing off the end or browse local makers. It suits families and anyone after traditional seaside fun.
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Reculver Country Park covers 26 hectares of clifftop grassland on the north Kent coast, dominated by the twin towers of a medieval church inside a Roman fort. Walk or cycle the clifftop towards Herne Bay, take in the views to Margate and explore the towers for free. It suits families, cyclists and dog walkers for an hour or more.
Image: English HeritageThe twin 12th-century towers of Reculver's ruined church stand on the shore near Herne Bay, alongside the remains of an early Roman Saxon Shore fort. Walk around the ruins, and take in the sea views. It suits families, dog walkers and anyone after a free coastal stop of an hour or two.
Photo: Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0Tankerton Beach is a shingle beach below the grassy Tankerton Slopes, lined with brightly painted beach huts. At low tide the sea pulls back to reveal rock pools and a long walk out across the foreshore, and the grassy banks above are made for picnics. It is a relaxed family beach for a half day of paddling, swimming and rock pooling.
Photo: Robert Lamb, CC BY-SA 2.0Tankerton Slopes are grassy clifftop lawns between Whitstable and the sea, with rows of colourful beach huts at the bottom and seats and shelters at the best viewpoints. From the top you can look out over The Street, a shingle spit you can walk along at low tide. Come for a stroll, a picnic or a bike ride along the seafront.
Photo: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0Whitstable's long shingle beach runs right along the town, so a walk on the shore leads straight to independent stalls, galleries, fish and chips and the famous oysters. You will often see windsurfers and sailors out on the water, and the 5km Whitstable Maritime coastal trail follows the shore. It suits couples and families wanting a seaside stroll with good food.
The rest of the 36 places we list within 12 km, closest first.
