Cheap thrills! 30 free things to do in Kent

Lock away that credit card and dive into our guide of the best free or low-cost things to do in Kent including family days out, art exhibitions, free food, festivals and cinema (yes, really).

UNDER 16s GO FREE

Got a keen eye for all things vintage? Don’t miss Kent’s biggest antiques fair. The amazing Detling Showground Antiques and Vintage Fair near Maidstone returns on Sat 31 Aug – Sun 1 Sep. Discover a fabulous selection of jewellery, ceramics, furniture, garden goods and so much more with over 400 indoor and outdoor sellers bursting with unique and unusual items. Enjoy refreshments from the food and drink vendors, parking is free and dogs are welcome. Tickets from £5. Under 16s go free.

ENJOY A FESTIVAL

Want to attend a free festival? Celebrating 10 years of family fun, bOing! is bouncing back at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre in Canterbury on Sat 24 and Sun 25 Aug 2024. Expect an amazing weekend of the very best in theatre, dance, films and fun for all the family, packed with magical performances and experiences. Attracting over 12,000 people each year, bOing! is totally free to enter so you can relax and enjoy a brilliant festival day with lots of outdoor performances and activities that you can sit and watch. Only the indoor performances are ticketed (prices start from £5). See the full line-up here.

SEE AN EXHIBITION

There are plenty of free art exhibitions to explore throughout Kent like Turner Contemporary in Margate who currently has a gorgeous range of exhibitions on at the moment like Ed Clark, Lynda Benglis: Recent Sculptures and one for all the family, Sculpture Playscape. Get your fill of culture here.

This August see some impressive outdoor art (above). Sited in Margate beside Turner Contemporary, this is just one of a series of one hundred solid cast-iron figures by Antony Gormley from his project Another Time, that explores the experience of being human. There’s another one sited in Folkestone, go see it along the Harbour Arm.

Meanwhile, The Amelia (named after the social reformer and campaigner for women’s suffrage, Amelia Scott) in Tunbridge Wells is free to enter so roam around the museum, contemporary art space, library and Tourist Information Centre as you please. Learn more about the beginnings of Royal Tunbridge Wells and The Pantiles.

In Canterbury at The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge discover their ancient Egyptian mummified cat, victorian toys, artworks from legendary Anthony Van Dyke and check out Mellissa Monsoon’s Sense of Stigma exhibition (above) showing Sat 10 Aug – Sun 29 Sep. Mellissa is an internationally recognised bio-artist whose work brings the invisible world of human anatomy to life and Sense of Stigma is an exhibition of printmaking, interactive art, ceramics and sculpture sharing  Monsoon’s lived experience and journey as a ‘fat woman’ in healthcare and society. Completely free to enter.

FREE HISTORY LESSONS

Open Thurs – Sat (excluding bank holidays), The Kentish Police Museum is a free educational and fun experience for the whole family which looks at the history and development of one of the UK’s largest police forces. Try on real police uniform, see the evidence that brought Kent criminals to justice in the Crime Room, step into an Edwardian cell brook and see about some true 19th-century Faversham crimes, and enjoy the interactive displays.

Did you know Dover Museum is one of the oldest museums in Kent? Founded in 1836 with lots to explore and learn about the old port town plus an impressive Bronze Age Boat thought to be some 3,500 years old.

Go on a journey through the history of Folkestone, at the Folkestone Museum with ancient history exhibits, interactive displays, the chance to dig for fossils and they have fab workshops on throughout the year too!

Canterbury Museums & Galleries

Are you a Canterbury resident? Get free entry to The Roman Museum, discover Canterbury’s incredible Roman pavement and see what Canterbury would have looked like thousands years ago. Just show your MyCanterbury card or show the BID offer page to redeem your offer. 2 accompanying children go free per adult.

Cranbrook Museum is completely free to enter with hundreds of exhibits covering the history of Cranbrook and The Weald of Kent from artists and artisans to birds, coinage, costumes, local trades, family life and schools. Open April – Oct, Tues – Sat and Sundays during August.

Not forgetting Maidstone Museum which is one of Kent’s largest collections of fine art and historic artefacts, giving you a fascinating insight into the history of Kent.

Rochester Castle and the Cathedral (above), are free to visit and explore (donations encouraged) with stained glass windows, Norman architecture and a glorious organ.

Kent Firefighting Museum near Sevenoaks is open 3 days a week, 10am – 4pm with free entry. So kids can explore their real fire engine, helmets, fire extinguishers, traditional wooden ladders and lots more.

Head to the WonderWorks in Margate for classic toys galore, train sets and a little bit of nostalgia! A museum dedicated to the history of Britain’s best loved toys from the Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix and Corgi archives. Whilst not free, ticket prices are very reasonable and start at £2.50 for a child or £5 for an adult (family tickets are £12.50).

WINE TOURS AND DRINK

Looking for a memorable experience? Balfour Winery is one of England’s leading wine producers making over 400,00 bottles of still and sparkling wines each year, sitting pretty near Staplehurst. Self-guided tours and tasting are free and available without booking all year round.

Open 7 days a week, 10am to 5pm (subject to spraying in the summer), explore the beautiful vineyards, apple orchards, wildflower meadows and ancient oak woodlands. Just pick up a map from Cellar Door with 2 designed routes to choose from and explore the Estate at your own pace.

OUTDOOR FUN

It’s no secret that Folkestone is one of Kent’s coolest seaside gems, if you’re looking for a great free place to potter and admire the views of Folkestone then you’ll want to know about Folkestone Harbour Arm. This pier extending into the water is a central buzzy promenade packed with foodie pop-ups and even a big screen for watching major sporting events and films in the summer, all for free! Speaking of, their summer cinema season returns every Friday from 29 March at 7pm so you can watch absolute classics to family favourites as the sun sets. No ticket needed, just turn up but we’d advise to go early to get a good seat.

Done for another year but pop it in your diary for 2025! The iconic Kate Bush Day aka Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever in Folkestone is an impressive sight to see. Get ready to see hundreds dressed in red and dancing to Kate Bush’s ethereal song Wuthering Heights along the Harbour Arm. It’s a wonderful community event and completely free to watch and participate in.

The Battle of Britain Memorial is yes a memorial but it’s also a great place for a day out with the family, combining hands-on fun and learning with plenty of things to see and do, together with a café with great views of the French coast. It’s open 365 days a year, free to enter and explore plus it’s dedicated to the heroic deeds of the men who fought the Battle of Britain (10 July to 31 Oct, 1940).

Lower Leas Coastal Park is a fantastic place to while away the morning with your family. Kids can get stuck into its playground – the largest free adventure play area in the South-East no less – and you can potter around its pine avenues with flowers blooming all year thanks to its unique microclimate. Plus fab events throughout the summer.

Set across 26 acres of land, Foal Farm in Biggin Hill is free to enter (donations welcomed) and home to rescued animals that need essential medical assistance before being re-homed. Meet their adorable donkeys, pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs plus there’s a pet shop and tea room.

Visitors at Ightham Mote, Kent.

Are you a National Trust member or know someone who is? Use your free visit to bring along a friend or family member.

STRETCH THOSE LEGS

Visit Betteshanger Country Park in Deal to enjoy outdoor activities that won’t cost a penny from their mountain bike trails & track to their adventure playground and you can even explore the Kent Mining Museum situated at the heart of their new Visitor Centre.

Plus there’s Bewl Water and Bedgebury Pinetum in Tunbridge Wells with fantastic cycle, walk, and running routes plus playgrounds for the kids. Entry by foot or cycle is free or pay a small fee for parking.

If you love wildlife and the great outdoors then you’re going to want to know about Kent Wildlife Trust – the county’s leading conservation charity. They manage and protect over 9000 acres of land across more than 80 different sites and nature reserves, alongside three Visitor Centres. As the seasons change, there is always something new to discover in each park, woodland or heathland. Many have accessible paths, family-friendly facilities and a café for refreshments. For a full list of the Nature Reserves, click here.

Or enjoy this wild art and sensory trail in Thornden Wood between Canterbury and Herne Bay that uses natural, local materials to create sustainable artwork that blends into the surroundings. It’s an easy circular route to complete with parking and it’s suitable for small children, day out sorted.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Kent v Nottinghamshire One Day Cup Pictures Ian Scammell

Looking for a fun day out in August? You’ll love these family-friendly days with Kent Cricket for the Metro Bank One Day Cup 50-over competition where kids can go for just £1. These events are just brilliant – complete with exciting matches to watch, activities to take part in – and the chance to get up close to the stars. Returning to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury on Sun 11 & Weds 14 Aug. Book your tickets in advance asap.

Sound the alarm cos kids eat for free at PizzaExpress. Get a free Piccolo meal with any adult main purchased so that means dough balls, a tasty main, a yummy dessert and even a bambinoccino all for free until Sun 11 Aug. So grab the kids, head to your local pizzeria and enjoy a slice of summer. Available all day, every day. Click here for full Ts&Cs.

Words by Mollie Manning

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