Activities in Maidstone

Several miles east of Maidstone along the M20 you’ll find the stunning Leeds Castle. With over 500 acres of parkland and gardens containing a maze, falcon displays, adventure playground, nine-hole golf course, zip slides and, of course, the nearly 900-year old castle, it’s a brilliant family day out. The castle itself dates back to 1119 when it was a Norman stronghold before becoming part of the royal establishment and used by Henry VIII as his palace. As well as getting a real sense of history from the castle, they host a range of events and exhibitions throughout the year while your ticket will get you access for the whole year, as you’ll be hard-pressed to get around everything in just one day.

Less than 100m from our Maidstone Sandling hotel is Kent Life, a fascinating history of farming and rural life encompassed in 28 acres of rolling Kent countryside. As well as the history angle, Kent Life also offers plenty of hands-on fun with tractors, several play areas, donkey rides, farm animals, nature trails and gardens and orchards to explore. There’s also a café, painting studio and indoor play area, so the fun doesn’t stop even if it’s wet outside.

Less than a mile from Maidstone town centre is Mote Park, a 450-acre space featuring a large lake, woodland, grassland and rivers. As well as providing the perfect green oasis for a walk, jog or bike ride, the park is home to a brand new skate park, BMX track, woodland play area, pitch and putt course and a café, meaning there’s loads for families to do.

Kent has a burgeoning reputation as a wine producer, and you can discover more – and taste some of the produce – at the 400-acre Hush Heath Vineyard several miles south of Maidstone on the A229 and close to our Maidstone Wateringbury hotel. Choose from a guided or self-guided tour around the vineyards and orchards and discover how they plan on producing half a million bottles of wine in the very near future.

Right in the heart of the town centre, the Maidstone Museum & Gallery holds over 600,000 artworks and exhibits spanning millennia-old fossils, Egyptian mummies, Anglo-Saxon artefacts and an extensive Japanese collection. Housed in an Elizabethan manor house, the free-entry museum covers a wide range of broad exhibits including natural history and fine arts.A word to the wise, Bodenham Arboretum is not free, and the price of tickets changes with the seasons of the year but at roughly a few pounds for adults it's worth it for a peaceful afternoon outdoors.

Part of the Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre, home to a bowling alley, crazy golf course, eight-screen cinema and several fast food outlets is Gravity Maidstone, the area’s leading trampoline park. Open daily, the park is packed with trampolines and bounce zones including a dodgeball court, airbags and a slam dunk zone. And our Maidstone Town Centre hotel is a two-minute walk away, making it even easier to get your Marvel fix.

Literally over the road from our West Malling Maidstone hotel, Leybourne Lakes Country Park is 230-acres of wetland, wood and grassland which is perfect for bike rides, walking with several guided nature trails. You can even go fishing and take part in water sports including windsurfing, paddle boarding and open-water swimming from the Leybourne Lakes Water Sports Centre.