Kent packs an enormous amount into one county: moated fairytale castles, hands-on maritime history, real diggers to drive and wild-animal safaris just a short hop from the coast. Whether you're after a rainy-day adventure indoors or acres of parkland to let the kids run wild, these seven confirmed family days out in Kent all reward a full day of exploring. Here are our favourites, with what makes each one a hit with children.
🎟️See things to do in Kent on GetYourGuide →Leeds Castle
Near Maidstone in Broomfield, Leeds Castle is a moated medieval castle set in 500 acres of parkland, gardens and lake, complete with a hedge maze, underground grotto and daily birds-of-prey displays. For families it's a proper full-day romp: three adventure playgrounds, the famous yew maze and its spooky grotto, a punting or boat option on the water, and plenty of free-roaming grounds. Best of all, the admission ticket is valid for a whole year, so you can come back with the kids again and again.
Dover Castle
Perched on the white cliffs at Dover, this vast English Heritage castle pairs a towering Great Tower and medieval interiors with the WWII Secret Wartime Tunnels used during the Dunkirk evacuation. Children can climb to the Great Tower roof for sweeping Channel views, explore the atmospheric wartime tunnels and roam the huge grounds, while dressing-up and hands-on medieval displays keep younger ones happily occupied. It's history that genuinely comes alive for all ages.
Hever Castle
Tucked away at Hever near Edenbridge, this moated Tudor castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and today boasts award-winning gardens, a lake and a yew maze. The real draw for families is the water maze, which genuinely gets you wet, plus the yew hedge maze, an adventure playground and towered gardens to explore, making it an easy full-day out for children who like to be kept busy.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham
At Chatham you'll find a former Royal Navy dockyard turned maritime museum, home to three historic warships including a Cold War submarine, plus galleries and a working ropery. Kids can clamber aboard a real submarine and destroyer, peer through periscopes and ring the ship's bell, and the entry ticket (also available as an annual pass) covers all the ships and galleries for a hands-on day of exploring.
Diggerland Kent
Over in Strood, Diggerland is an adventure theme park where visitors ride, drive and operate real full-size JCB diggers, dumpers and construction machinery. With around 20 digger-themed rides and the chance for children to actually operate real diggers under supervision, it's a genuinely unusual, high-novelty day out that machinery-mad kids will talk about for weeks.
Port Lympne Reserve
Near Hythe at Lympne, Port Lympne is a 600-acre wild animal park and safari reserve run by the Aspinall Foundation, home to over 1,000 animals including giraffes, gorillas, rhinos and big cats. Families can enjoy a truck safari past free-roaming herds, close-up big-cat and primate viewing, and a combo option with nearby Howletts, making it a proper zoo-safari day for animal-loving children.
Howletts Wild Animal Park
At Bekesbourne near Canterbury, Howletts is a 90-acre ancient-parkland wild animal park, also run by the Aspinall Foundation and known for its gorilla and elephant herds. Africa-style walkways lead you past elephants and one of the UK's largest gorilla groups, and there's a treetop challenge play area too, making it an ideal family day out among ancient woodland.
Tips for a family day out
A few things that make Kent days out run more smoothly: several of these attractions (Leeds Castle and the Historic Dockyard among them) sell annual or year-valid tickets, so if you plan to return it's worth doing the maths before you buy. Castles and animal parks involve a lot of walking over grass and gravel, so bring sturdy footwear and a spare set of clothes for the water mazes at Hever and Leeds. Arrive early to catch timed displays like the birds of prey, pack a picnic to save on cafe queues, and check each venue's website for opening times and pre-booking, as some sites require you to reserve a slot in advance during busy holidays.
FAQs
What is the best family day out in Kent for younger children? Leeds Castle is a strong all-rounder for younger kids thanks to its three adventure playgrounds, hedge maze, grotto and open grounds, while Diggerland's supervised digger rides are a huge hit with machinery-loving little ones.
Are there good rainy-day options in Kent? The Historic Dockyard Chatham offers plenty of indoor exploring across its ships and galleries, and Dover Castle's wartime tunnels and Great Tower give you sheltered highlights when the weather turns.
Can you see animals on a family day out in Kent? Yes. Both Port Lympne Reserve near Hythe and Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury, run by the Aspinall Foundation, let families get close to gorillas, elephants and big cats, with a combo option covering both parks.
🎟️ Top things to do in Kent
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