We’re all on the hunt for ways to reduce costs and save the pennies right now, so what if we told you we’ve got the inside information on how to get countless good value days out in Kent for the cost of just one family ticket?
Yep, with these annual family passes to some of Kent’s top attractions, you’ll be able to bust the Saturday afternoon boredom without breaking the bank. Better yet, as many of these iconic Kent attractions offer an ever-changing programme of events to choose from, the days out and memories made with these memberships and tickets are almost almost as never-ending as the cries of “are we there yet?” on the journey there.
Canterbury Cathedral
Yes, buy a ticket for Canterbury Cathedral and you can use it throughout the year. That's right, unlimited entry to one of Kent's biggest and most iconic attractions all year at no extra cost! With free kids trails and exhibitions, not to mention 1,400 years of history to be discovered, plus free events during school holidays like the LEGO Brick Building Workshops, this annual pass is packed with family days out.
National Trust
With seven iconic sites in Kent alone, not to mention plenty more woodland and countryside to explore, we couldn’t recommend a National Trust membership more. Chartwell, The White Cliffs of Dover, Scotney Castle, Sissinghurst Castle, Ightham Mote, Knole, Emmetts Garden...read any must visit guide to Kent and we can guarantee these properties will be on there. The visits to these spots alone offer hundreds of adventures, from picnics, and bluebell walks, to play areas and castle explorations, and that’s before you’ve even got to the reems of seasonal events and celebrations for the school holidays. What’s more your National Trust membership will help protect these incredibly special places for generations to come, with every penny going towards looking after nature, history and beauty.
English Heritage
Pick up a family English Heritage membership and you’ll unlock the doors to some of Kent’s top attractions, from Dover Castle to Down House. Family weekends can take you from the gorgeous gardens of Walmer Castle, to the World War II tunnels and centuries of intrigue at Dover Castle, right up to the desk of Charles Darwin at Down Hall, and those school holiday events are just as exciting, with trails and medieval celebrations to keep little ones smiling (and learning a thing or two).
Riverhill Himalayan Gardens
These beautiful gardens always make it into our hitlist come spring, and their bluebells are practically famous around here. While the little ones can stretch their legs and explore the grounds, you can enjoy carpets of bluebells, rhododendrons, peonies, roses and autumn colour, so see if you can get a minute to take a few IG-worthy shots while you’re there! The events calendar is as colourful as the garden, with Easter bunny sightings, pumpkin festivities and more all on offer as part of your annual ticket price, which just so happens to pay for itself after just three visits!
Port Lympne and Howletts
You’re getting two for one with this family membership, with entry to Kent’s two top wildlife parks, Port Lympne and Howletts. Your little monkeys can visit either park as much as they like with this membership, giving the whole family access to wild safaris at Port Lympne, with sightings of 800 animals, plus entry to the UK’s largest dinosaur forest. At Howletts, the elephants are really the stars of the show, but you’ll also get to walk with lemurs, meet giant anteaters and even see Kent’s only honey badger. Honestly, we could go on and on, but you don’t need us to tell you that a visit to a wild animal park with the family has got to be one of the best antidotes to boredom around.
Leeds Castle
An absolute Kent icon – buy a ticket to Leeds Castle and you’ll be able to use it time and again for a whole year. Step into the 1930s in the castle, see soaring spectacular birds of prey displays, run through 500 acres of gardens and parkland, and that’s before you’ve even got to the many, many events. Kids will love the puzzle of the maze and the underground grotto, while the two children’s playground are perfect for letting off some steam. No two visits will look the same, whether you explore the dog collar museum (yes, the kids can track down Fido), or pay a small additional amount for adventure golf and train rides across the estate.
Hever Castle
Pick and choose your membership at Hever Castle, with full memberships to see the full site, or garden only tickets – perfect for fitting in with your family. Bring history lessons to life in the castle where Anne Boleyn grew up, wander the lake walk, see that Insta-famous Italian Garden and race to the centre of the maze – trust us that, water maze is a real favourite come summer. In addition to access to all this, your membership grants you early access to tickets for the big events, so getting access to events like Hever at Christmas will be a breeze.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham
This one is big- literally! Get an annual membership for The Historic Dockyard Chatham and you could set sail on a new adventure every weekend! Walk the Victorian Ropery and learn the art of ropemaking, find out about the age of sail at the Command of the Oceans exhibit and discover the hard work and grit that went into working on one of the three historic warships at this gigantic ode to the area’s sea-faring heritage. It will take more than one visit to truly discover all there is to see here, so an annual pass is an absolute must.
Southeastern
Group save, advance tickets, kids tickets for a quid… one of the most cost effective ways to travel around with the family has got to be by train, not to mention one of the most stress-free ways too! Check out their guide to value tickets and remember, there are no booking fees when you book tickets direct with Southeastern.
