The best family days out in Kent & East Sussex!
Looking for some ideas for things to do during the weekend or school holidays? Here are with 50+ family days out in Kent & East Sussex!
♥ Go and explore the extensive woodland at Bedgebury Pinetum via the 2 kilometre children’s play trail – designed for children from age 1 to age 13 and with plenty of activities designed to keep kids active and encourage fun!
♥ Enjoy a day out at Bewl Water. Explore the reservoir by bikes or hire a pedalo and see it from the water instead.
♥ Visit family run Blackberry Farm for animals, wild fowl, a play barn and a large outdoor play area.
♥ Weave your way through the fields and woodlands of Bore Place’s 500-acre organic dairy farm on one of their gentle circular routes (more info here) or take part in one of their workshops (more info here) taking place during the holidays.
♥ Discover the awesome adventure playground at Herstmonceux Castle and Grounds and join in the family quiz as you explore over the 300 acre estate. Explore the formal gardens, woodland, meadows, lakes and a folly, all set around the magnificent 15th century moated castle.
♥ Newly opened AirHop Tunbridge Wells is already proving a huge hit, with trampolines, ninja courses, foam pits, climbing challenges and plenty of indoor fun to keep children (and grown-ups!) entertained whatever the weather.
♥ Let your competitive side out at Buckmore Park Circuit and try a spot of go-karting. Birthday parties and family days available.
♥ Discover the countryside right in the middle of town at Calverley Adventure Grounds. Don’t forget to pop to The Inside – the cafe inside the playground – for a perfectly crafted coffee, and maybe a slice of cake.
♥ Delve back in time at Chiddingstone Castle and enjoy a historic house and accredited museum. Why not enjoy a picnic on the gorgeous grounds too or visit the tea rooms?
More family days out in Kent & East Sussex this Summer…
♥ Climb the walls somewhere other than home at Clip ’n Climb in Tonbridge.
♥ Feed and stroke the animals at Christmas Tree Farm in the village of Downe.
♥ Peruse the gardens at Danson Park and enjoy the playground and wet play splash area.
♥ Children and adults alike can ride, drive and operate REAL diggers, dumpers and other full-size construction machinery at Diggerland in Kent.
♥ Dream big at Dreamland in Margate and enjoy the rides, octopus garden, roller room and more. Plus wander around this seaside town and get your feet sandy on the beach!
♥ Have a day out at Drusillas, a brilliant family zoo with plenty of activities and a splash pad for a spot of water play. Summer 2023 highlights include visits from the Paw Patrol characters and Bluey and Bingo. Check the website for details.
♥ Stay close to home at the delightful Dunorlan Park – hire a pedallo or row boat and sail around the lake, enjoy the natural playground and roll down the hill before having an ice cream or lunch at the onsite cafe.
♥ Take a trip to Eastbourne and spend a few hours at Treasure Island before having some well-earned fish and chips on the beach. There’s the Big Wheel too and of course a walk along the pier…
♥ Have a great day out at Godstone Farm this summer and explore the Discovery Trail, plus they’ve just updated their Play Barn and it’s now the biggest soft play in Surrey.
♥ Get your skates on at Gravesend CycloPark which has a skate park and session specifically for the under 8s. It also has a play park and many other cycling activities for the bike mad among you.
More fantastic family days out in Kent & East Sussex this Summer…
♥ Experience 700 years of history at Hever Castle. Check out their toddler play area and huge play castle – and have a splash in the wonderful water maze (we recommend beach shoes for this, as you can’t go in barefoot and no one wants squelching feet for the rest of the day). Plus look out for their popular jousting events this Summer!
♥ Completely fill your day with a trip to Hastings and all it has to offer. Visit the Blue Reef Aquarium, take a trip on Miniature Railway, play on the machines at the Pier or play a spot of crazy golf with the backdrop of the beach.
♥ Go fishing at the picturesque Hawkhurst Fish Farm and whilst you’re there pop into Slap n Dash Ceramics and get creative!
♥ Discover a world lost in time when you explore Canterbury’s coolest outdoor exhibition, Animals of the Ice Age, at Howletts Wild Animal Park. Psst, Peppa, the Paw Patrol Pups, Hey Duggee, PJ masks Bluey and Bingo are also due to visit this summer.
♥ See the Kent countryside from the railway and take a trip on the Kent and East Sussex Railway.
♥ Spend the day on the farm at Kent Life as well as enjoying tractor rides, indoor soft play and outdoor playground before stepping back in time and discovering the vintage village. Don’t forget to visit Cuddle Corner too and consider taking a boat trip on The Kentish Lady to Maidstone town.
♥ Catch a wave and try your hand at surfing with Kent Surf School in Broadstairs.
♥ Visit one of the Kent Wildlife Trust Centres – Sevenoaks, Tyland Barn and Romney March – and take part in one of their activities. Check the website for details.
More of our family days out in Kent & East Sussex this Summer…
♥ Discover almost 900 years of history and explore 500 acres of beautiful parkland and gardens at Leeds Castle. The whole family will enjoy the maze and grotto, thrilling falconry displays, punting on the moat, adventure playgrounds and more!
♥ Indulge in some family fun at Knockhatch, an adventure park with a petting farm, owl sanctuary, indoor and outdoor play areas and more!
♥ Have a day out in the capital – with so many things to do and see in London it would be impossible to choose one example but visit a museum, have a sandwich in one of the parks or visit a tourist attraction – the choices are endless!
♥ Spend the day outdoors at Lullingstone Country Park – check out their Discovery Trail with cradle swing and zip wire. You might like to take a stroll down by the river to the lovely Lullingstone Castle & The World Garden (open Fri, Sat, Sun & Bank Hol Mons) and why not pop along to the nearby Hop Shop too?
♥ Stroll around a 5-acre lake or take a faster route and whizz round by train at Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway Adventure Park.
♥ Try to get a hole in one at Mr Mulligan’s Dino Golf but beware of the T-Rex!
♥ Help safeguard nature and learn at the same time at one of the many National Trust sites locally. Some our favourites include Ightham More, Emmetts Garden, Bodiam Castle and Scotney Castle.
♥ Check out what’s on at the local cinema and try to opt for the Odeon Kids shows – they are great value and will get you up and out of the house early! Head off to nearby Aspens (formerly Pepenbury) for some fresh-air afterwards or have lunch at Notcutts Cafe and a play on the pirate ship?
More terrific family days out in Kent & East Sussex this Summer…
♥ Visit Penshurst Place for themed days throughout the summer.
♥ Visit over 600 acres of wildlife at Port Lympne safari, which contains over 700 rare and endangered animals. They’ve also introduced garden tours for 2023.
♥ Explore a 100-acre farm of friendly animals, (including the brass rubbing trails through the Rainbow Wood – can you find the Giants?) at the Rare Breeds Centre.
♥ Plan a great family day out in the most imaginative garden to visit in Kent at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens.
♥ See Romney Mash from the vantage point of a miniature railway at Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Miniature Railway. Have the chance to join the ‘bug club’, drive a train or visit Dymchurch and all it has to offer whilst you’re there.
♥ Take five to yourself (if you’re lucky) and take the kids to one of the soft play centres locally.
♥ All aboard the Spa Valley Railway – an ideal day out for railway enthusiasts with a steam train journey from Tunbridge Wells West to Groombridge. There are themed days running this summer.
♥ Take a ride on a mini train, have a splash in their splash pool and go boating on the lake at Swanley Park.
♥ Enjoy a day out at Bluewater – whether that’s visiting the cinema, taking part in The Hungry Caterpillar nature trail, going to Dinotropolis or being adventurous at Hang Loose! There are lots of activities to choose from.
♥ Make a splash at Pells outdoor swimming pool, the oldest documented freshwater outdoor public swimming pool in the United Kingdom, set in the beautiful town of Lewes in East Sussex.
What are your favourite family days out in Kent & East Sussex?
♥ Have an alfresco swim at the large outdoor pool at Tonbridge Swimming Pool.
♥ View the stunning lakes, lawns, gardens and woodland at Tilgate Park near Crawley.
♥ Enjoy a sedate river cruise from Tonbridge and hire a boat with Tonbridge River Trips.
♥ Grab a pot of tea at ‘Tulley’s Tea Room’ at Tulley’s farm whilst the kids are entertained by the ‘animal patch’ and everything else on offer there.
♥ Get competitive at Hollywood Bowl Tunbridge Wells! We like to give the kids time to play a few of the games in the arcade afterwards too! Try the simulator – it is great fun for all the family!
♥ Put your screens down and try one of the walks listed in this blog post about favourite family walks.
♥ Explore 62 acres of chestnut coppice at Wilderness Wood. After a play at their playground, you could enjoy a gorgeous coffee and slice of cake served from the hatch. The kids will love the mud kitchen too and the giant tree swing!
♥ Go and see how Wingham Wildlife Park has evolved – it started as a bird park and now has an extensive animal collection, play diggers, go-karts and more.
If you have any suggestions for other days out to include, please do get in touch over on Instagram HERE, Facebook HERE or by emailing clare@mytunbridgewells.com.
Although we have mentioned some of these articles in the above blog post, here’s a round-up of several blog posts which you may find useful:
♥ Five top places for Pick your Own in Kent & East Sussex – read the full post HERE.
♥ 50 things to do in Kent when it’s raining – read the full post HERE.
♥ 50 things to do for FREE in Kent with the kids. Read the full post HERE.
♥ 6 of the best beaches in Kent and East Sussex for families – read the full post HERE.
♥ A Guide to 40 Pubs with Play Areas in Kent & East Sussex – read the full post HERE.
And of course, check out our Summer Events Guide by clicking on the below pic!
