Visiting Kent

[thesshhh]

Aside from Canterbury Cathedral, the White Cliffs Of Dover, Dover Castle and Leeds Castle, what are the best places for an adult couple to visit in Kent?

[Guilbert53]

There is a forum on TripAdvisor totally dedicated to Kent answered by Kent experts.

Why not ask there?

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g186310-i1033-Kent_England.html

[EcclesCake]

FAversham is very nice.

[Buenchico]

Most the Medway towns are dumps but it's got one real jewel, Rochester:
http://www.visitmedway.org/destinations/rochester
It's got very few chain store but loads of independent traders,including secondhand bookshops, etc. It's admittedly not a place that you'd travel hundreds of miles to see (as you might with York, Bath, etc) but if you're in Kent anyway it's definitely worth a visit:
http://www.kent-life.co.uk/out-about/places/10-good-reasons-to-visit-rochester-1-4353354

While you're in that area make sure that you visit the Chatham Historic Dockyard:
http://thedockyard.co.uk/
[NB: Allow a minimum of half a day for your visit - It's big!]

You've mentioned the White Cliffs of Dover but make sure that you see them from the top. If you drive up to the car park on Langdon Cliffs (£3.50 if you're not a National Trust member) you'll find yourself in a unique place, where you've got beautiful countryside around you but you can look down onto the constantly busy port below:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-white-cliffs-of-dover

Whitstable is wonderful. It's another town where there are far more independent traders than there are big chain stores. (It's 'upmarket' without being 'snooty'). There are loads of places to eat and drink and some great coastal views. (If you want a lovely sandy beach, with some nice tea rooms, etc, simply head off to Tankerton Cliffs, just to the east of the town. It's walkable).

All of the above is written from personal experience. One of the places I've not got to yet though (but everyone tells me is worth the journey) is the Romney,Hythe & Dymchurch Railway:
http://www.rhdr.org.uk/

It's worth taking your passport to Kent in order to take a day trip to France. If you book in advance, a day trip to Calais only costs £16 per person:
http://www.poferries.com/en/dover-calais
Calais is much-maligned by many people but it's got enough to hold your interest for a day
http://www.calais-guide.co.uk/
and it's packed with great bars and restaurants. I recommend the station buffet (which is absolutely nothing like a British station buffet - it has some superb daily specials)
http://www.buffet-gare-calais.com/
Au Calice also has great food:
http://www.lecalice.com/

Another trip to France (which is currently on my 'to do' list) is to fly to Le Touquet for the day from Lydd Airport. At £160 per person it's not cheap (and you need to book early because the aircraft they use only carry 9 passengers) but with only 15 minutes in the air you get plenty of time to explore Le Touquet:
http://www.lyddair.com/

You can also visit Paris, Lille or Brussels for the day (with fares starting from £69 if you book early) from Ebbsfleet International or Ashford International:
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/?

Getting back to Kent itself though, Hever Castle might be of interest to you:
https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/
or perhaps Turner Contemporary at Margate?
https://www.turnercontemporary.org/
(Margate itself is a bit of a dump but it's got a lovely beach)

If you're a fan of gardens, Sissinghurst is rated as among the best in the country:
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden
It's only 16 miles from Tunbridge Wells, which one the UK's most affluent towns:
https://www.visittunbridgewells.com/

[Buenchico]

^^^ I seem to have omitted a link for Whitstable:
http://www.canterbury.co.uk/canterbury-district/Whitstable.aspx

[Buenchico]

I've just remembered a Kent town I've worked in, where I was surprised by just how delightful it is (and how 'upmarket' much of the town is): Ramsgate
http://www.visitramsgate.co.uk/

[DocHH]

Kent does actually extend a lot further inland! How about Hever Castle for some cultural history, and accommodation!

https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/

[Baldric]

///(and how 'upmarket' much of the town is): Ramsgate///

Am now ROFL ;o)

[naomi24]

I’d recommend the Spitfire museum at Manston (two museums on the same site actually), and if you’re visiting Dover Castle, the tunnels where the Dunkirk evacuation was organised are really interesting. Broadstairs is lovely, and the seafronts at both Ramsgate and Hearne Bay are quaint, interesting, and relatively unspoilt.

http://www.spitfiremuseum.org.uk/

[Maydup]

Hythe, don't forget Hythe folks. A lovely little town with lots of character, and from here you can pick up the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway, previously mentioned. It almost needs two days here hopping off the train at Dymchurch which is cute and with beautiful beach, and travelling on the the unique landscape of Dungeness. This is a lovely and relaxing area and a great contrast to the busier towns further east.

[Maydup]

Sandwich is another lovely little town, well worthy of a half day. It has a delightful circular Wall Walk which takes about an hour, lots of history and plenty of choices when its time to stop for lunch.

[New Judge]

If you are in Ramsgate (sorry ‘Chico, the last word I would use to describe it is “upmarket”) try visiting the tunnels:

http://www.ramsgatetunnels.org/

I think Ramsgate may get its “upmarket” label because a number of actors live or have lived there. Brenda Blethyn (“Vera”) lives there and John Le Mesurier (Sarn’t Wilson in Dad’s Army) lived in a house just on the London side of the town (the house has a blue plaque). Charlie Hawtrey (Carry On) and Norman Wisdom lived in nearby Deal.

If you are in to Battle of Britain remembrance the BoB Memorial in Capel-le-Ferne is very moving and the nearby B0B Museum at Hawkinge is worth a trip (it’s far bigger than the one at Manston).

https://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org/visit/visit-the-memorial/welcome/

http://www.kbobm.org/

For railway buffs the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch is a must and the Kent & East Susses Railway will take you from Teneterden to Bodiam Castle.

The “acoustic mirrors” at Denge are very interesting but seldom open to the public:

http://theromneymarsh.net/soundmirrors