Head to Hastings Aquarium to get up close to blacktip reef sharks, a common octopus and reptiles in the jungle room, including snakes and a colour-changing chameleon. Or see one of the country’s finest medieval gateways at Westgate Towers, built to defend Canterbury from foreign invaders.
Tackle the kids’ climbing walls at Stour Leisure Centre. Meet animals of the Ice Age at Howlett’s Wild Animal Park. Say hi to Humboldt penguins, chimpanzees, moon bears and meerkats at Wingham Wildlife Park. Or ride the East Kent Railway through rolling countryside and pretty villages.
For a blast of sea air, head to Whitstable beach with a frisbee, or choose from three completely different beaches at Folkestone: pebbles, stones or sand. Explore art, heritage, books and ideas at The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge or mug up on military history at the WW2 museums in Dover.
The big-screen experience comes with plenty of character at the Curzon Cinema in Canterbury. Take a guided river tour by boat at Canterbury under the King’s Bridge, towards Greyfriars’ Island and past the replica ducking stool. Or brave a ghost tour conducted by a mysterious character in top hat and cloak.
Book a tour of the Curious Brewery, find a table, buy some beer. Enjoy pay-and-play golf at Leeds Castle with a historic backdrop. Fish for carp, roach, rudd, tench and chubb in the coarse lake and carp in the specimen lake at Chart Hill Lakes. Explore on horseback with Uplands Riding School or on two wheels with Romney Cycles.
Shoot clay at Willow Farm, try paddleboarding, kayaking or axe-throwing at Epic Life in Bodiam. Wipe yourself out on the aqua park at Action Watersports, try waterskiing or ride the slippery banana or relaxing sofa. Kart at Maidstone on the Buckmore circuit, stay toned at Lifestyle Fitness, or scale the heights at Chimera Climbing.
The garden of England comes with some quality vineyards: take a tour of Chartham Vineyard or take home English Pinot Noir wines at Barnsole. Punt the River Stour in Canterbury, paddleboard on the ocean with Folkestone Sea Sports, then recover with spa days at The Pig or Ashford International Hotel.
Dip back into history at lovely Canterbury Cathedral, Leeds Castle and Dover Castle. Or chill on a walk around the ancient estate at Godinton, with its magnificent parkland and restored house and gardens. Or stretch your legs on the clifftop walk at Dover from the National Trust Visitor Centre to the café at the South Foreland Lighthouse.
