ideas for cheap / free family days out in Kent??

artichoke

hi all

We are off to visit MIL near Dartford, 2 adults, kids 6 and 7 and dog.

In the past we have done days out into London getting a travelcard and seeing the sites of London.

Now i am thinking of exploring Kent as we will have a car this time.

I am thinking (ever hopeful of the weather ) that we could do a day out to Camber Sands - nice sandy beach and i am hoping that the bit of the beach by Park Resorts caravan site is the dog friendly zone of the beach.....(Park Resorts allows you to take dogs so i am presume the beach must be dog friendly over the road??)

does anyone know if this is dog friendly in July? and is there any parking nearby?

I am also hoping to do a day out to Whitstable ...


what else do people recommend to entertain a 6 and 7 year old on the cheap?

any good adventure playgrounds? parks with splash pools? where is the best fun swimming pool with flumes etc?

any ideas appreciated..

thanks

art

steve1980

You do realise Camber Sands is classed as East Sussex and not Kent?

It's 65 miles from Dartford. Why not go to Whitstable or Herne Bay instead and stop off in Canterbury?

terriandaaron

In belvedere ther is a large free splash park, only 10 mins from dartford...also small one in Danson park.....my kids like shorne woods country park (who do event like meeet hedgehoge etc in summer hols) and swanley park (has minature train there and outdoor pool area)....
Of course very near bluewater with new pirategolf.......not free but not expensive either.

artichoke

steve1980 wrote: »

You do realise Camber Sands is classed as East Sussex and not Kent?

It's 65 miles from Dartford. Why not go to Whitstable or Herne Bay instead and stop off in Canterbury?

Hi

No - i had not closely looked at the border between the counties - i do not know the area at all as i am from "up North" - but i have been before to Camber Sands and know it is a lovely sandy beach so worth the trip....at home our nearest beach is 3 hours away - so 65 miles is nothing;)

and yes I have Whitstable down as a different day out - but i know it is pebbly there and so not suitable for sandcastle building - which is what my kids want on a beach....

thanks
art

Poly,put_the_kettle_on

Lower Leas coastal park in Folkestone is a huge, free, outdoor play area- Town is 5 mins walk UP the hill, Beach (albeit pebble) and promenade 2 mins downhill. On a nice day, with a picnic or portable BBQ you could while most of the day away.

Tarry

Poly,put_the_kettle_on wrote: »

Lower Leas coastal park in Folkestone is a huge, free, outdoor play area- Town is 5 mins walk UP the hill, Beach (albeit pebble) and promenade 2 mins downhill. On a nice day, with a picnic or portable BBQ you could while most of the day away.

Unless you cheat and go on the cliff lift, costs £1 and the music is good to make you laugh And yes, Camber Sands is in Sussex, although near the Kent border.

It's down motorway until you get till Ashford anyway from Dartford.

littlelost

Im from kent.....Few ideas of cheap days out with the kids that we often do...

http://www.bedgeburypinetum.org.uk/

You can hire bikes here or take your own car parking is £8 they have lovely play areas around the forest too....If you have older kids go ape is brilliant there....I took hubby for his birthday adults and older kids will love it.
Groombridge enchancted forest is also close by to bedgebury...

Beaches, you have whitstable its a pebbley one.....Margate which is a bit of a trek but there are some nice sandy beaches down there....

Dickens world at chatham.....You have to pay for admission but a good day out...also close by diggerland....boy love it there.

Also check this website out I always use it when stuck for ideas with the kids....

http://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/search.php?county=kent

Hope it helps.

steve1980

Diggerland rocks, there is not loads of stuff to do, but kids and adults can have fun.

eandjsmum

I picked up a promo booklet at work called get out in the gap - about walks talks and events in the Medway gap and most of the events are free. Website address is www.valleyofvisions.org.uk
Hope this helps. Also the Medway mile is on 27th July I think that you can get details from www.medway.gov Hope this helps

cinderfella

There are parts of the beach at Camber where dogs are not allowed. At other parts they are allowed on a lead & pooper scoopers are needed.
From what I can see this beach is supposed to be Blue Flag, but there are ongoing problems still with 'poop'. In the early 60's it was terrible.
Hopefully it is better now and you won't find anything floating past your lilo as I did when I was a kid.:rotfl:It was not funny at the time - quite alarming!

jackyann

I don't know Kent well (though I have seen some lovely bits of it) but my advice during the school holidays is ALWAYS look on your local council website (look at all the councils as some run different schemes), scour the local papers and ask at the library. Check the local wildlife trusts as well.
There are so often free & cheap family things to do.
Our local wildlife trust has fantastic free activities for children - it costs £3 car parking, but you can walk in for free (not near Kent tho' I'm afraid!)

When mine were that age, on nice days if I had the car, we would head for a nice open space. I would take a pile of mending or knitting & a picnic. I'd establish ground rules for where they could go and then turn them loose, while I sat, enjoying the sun, keeping a bit of an eye out & dispensing food & drink.