Foxhunter Park - Fun Days Out

Dreamland is an amusement park and entertainment centre built around a traditional English seaside funfair in Margate, Kent. The site has hosted amusement rides since 1880, and the Dreamland name dates from 1920, when the Grade II* listed Scenic Railway wooden rollercoaster opened. The park was restored and reopened in 2015 after years of closure, following a public campaign to save it.

Beyond the rides, Dreamland is also a live music and events venue. Its What's On page lists gigs, comedy nights and family shows across venues that include a ballroom, the Hall by the Sea and a scenic stage. Each event carries an age guide, so it's easy to see what suits your group. The site's history is part of the appeal, with listed Gothic walls and animal cages from the Victorian pleasure gardens still on its boundaries.

Tip: Check the What's On page before you go: events show age guidance, and popular ones can sell out, so book ahead.

Howletts is a wild animal park in the parish of Bekesbourne, near Canterbury, set in about 90 acres of ancient parkland. It opened to the public in 1975 and is run by a charity, the Aspinall Foundation, so your ticket goes towards its conservation work. The park is known for breeding rare and endangered species and has some of the largest family groups of western lowland gorillas in the world.

Besides the gorillas, you can see elephants, tigers and lion-tailed macaques. Walking with Lemurs lets you stroll alongside ring-tailed, crowned and red-bellied lemurs as they move through the branches overhead. Free animal talks and feeding sessions are included with entry, and the day's times are on boards outside the gatehouse and by the BBQ outlet. Paid animal experience days take small groups behind the scenes with a keeper. It suits families, couples and anyone who likes animals.

Tip: Book online in advance: it gives you access to the park's wet weather policy. Check the talk and feeding boards by the gatehouse when you arrive.

The Shell Grotto is an underground passageway in Margate, dug out of chalk and decorated almost from top to bottom with shell mosaics. Around 4.6 million shells cover roughly 2,000 square feet of wall and roof. A winding passage leads down to a rotunda and on to a rectangular altar chamber, with a shaft that lets in a little daylight.

Nobody knows who made it, when or why. It was rediscovered around 1835, and theories have ranged from a medieval chalk mine reworked in later centuries to a folly or a link with the Knights Templar. Alongside the grotto there is a modern museum room, cafe and gift shop. It is a Grade I listed site, and the visit is best for anyone who enjoys a good historical puzzle.

Tip: There is no car park at the grotto. Try the surrounding residential roads, or the Trinity Square pay and display car park (CT9 1QY). It has no step-free access, and large bags must be left at reception.

Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England. It stands on the site of one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site, along with St Augustine's Abbey and the ancient Church of St Martin.

The cathedral was founded in 597 and rebuilt after a fire in the 11th century. The east end was later rebuilt in the Gothic style to welcome the pilgrims who came to the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop murdered here in 1170. Look out for the large crypt beneath the eastern arm, which dates from the Norman rebuilding. It is a good choice if you like medieval architecture and the stories of kings, monks and pilgrims behind a building.

Wildwood is a woodland discovery park on the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. Its 40 acres sit within the larger West Blean woods and are home to around fifty native British species. It is run as a conservation charity, and the trust has been involved in bringing European bison back to Blean Woods.

Winding paths take you around the enclosures, which have low viewing windows. There is a playground near the cafe, with wooden forts, short zip-lines and the Tree Top Drop Slide, one of the tallest in Kent. The slide is typically open at weekends and holidays. The woodland cafe serves hot and cold food, snacks and baked goods, and the gift shop stocks wildlife-themed items. The area is mostly accessible with ramps, but the rope bridge at the bear enclosure is not. Paths are gravel on compacted mud, can be uneven and muddy, and may have exposed tree roots.

Tip: Parking is free, but space for coaches and minibuses is limited in peak seasons. Dogs, including guide dogs, are not allowed.

Dover Castle crowns the white cliffs above the Channel and has been called the "Key to England" because of its defensive importance through the centuries. It is Grade I listed and has a history stretching back some 2,000 years, with a Roman lighthouse still standing in the grounds.

The centrepiece is Henry II's Great Tower, where lavish interiors show what medieval royal life was like. The Dover Castle Under Siege exhibition tells the story of the 1216-17 siege, and the Siege Play Area lets children burn off energy. Head to the Spur viewpoint for panoramic views of the castle, then stop at one of the two cafés. Families and history lovers will get the most from it, and there are itineraries for a one, three or five hour visit.

Tip: Book early online to save money, and check the English Heritage website for which parts of the Secret Wartime Tunnels are open before you go.

The Powell-Cotton Museum sits in Quex Park, Birchington, and holds the collections of explorer Percy Powell-Cotton and his two daughters. Its natural history dioramas are the main draw, including a primate display that has yet to be equalled in Europe for size and diversity. Gallery 2 is the original 1896 pavilion, thought to be the oldest unchanged room-sized diorama. Other galleries cover African and Asian cultural objects, archaeology, Chinese porcelain and historic weapons.

The museum links to the ground floor of Quex House, a manor home with guided tours about the Powell-Cotton family. Outside, the Quex Gardens have sweeping lawns, a woodland walk and a historic walled kitchen garden. A ticket covers the museum, house and gardens, with re-entry for the day. Visitors praise the animals, the taxidermy and the sensory backpack, so it works well for families as well as anyone curious about natural history and world cultures.

Tip: The website has a "Create your perfect day out" planner that suggests what to see based on your time, group and interests. Check the Quex website for current parking and access details.

The White Cliffs of Dover are one of the best-known stretches of the English coast. Chalk streaked with black flint rises to about 350 feet (110 m), and the cliffs stretch for eight miles (13 km) on both sides of the town of Dover. They mark the point where Britain is closest to continental Europe, and on a clear day they can be seen from France, around 20 miles away.

The top of the cliffs is chalk grassland, home to lots of birds, wildflowers and butterflies. Exmoor ponies graze here as part of a programme to keep invasive plants in check. The National Trust's Gateway building has a restaurant, an information centre, and displays on local archaeology, history and landscape. It's a good fit for history fans, nature lovers and families curious about the landscape, and the cliffs' wartime symbolism and Roman-era mentions add some story to the visit.

Tip: Start at the National Trust Gateway building for the restaurant and information on local history and landscape.