Days Out Near Canterbury With Children, Checked October 2026

For a day out with children near Canterbury, most families start with the animal parks: Howletts at Bekesbourne for gorillas and elephants, Wildwood at Herne for British wildlife, and Wingham Wildlife Park for its Dinosaur Zoo. In the city, children go free at Canterbury Cathedral. Every entry was checked against the venue’s own website on 28 October 2026.

Several places change their hours from November, so the winter pattern is given where the venue lists it. Kent’s October half term runs to Friday 30 October. For indoor ideas on a wet day, see our soft play and rainy-day guide.

Animal parks

Howletts Wild Animal Park, Bekesbourne

Run by the Aspinall Foundation, a conservation charity, Howletts has over 300 animals in a 100-acre park, by its plan-your-day page, with life-size Ice Age models on the Woodland Walk and free daily keeper talks. Its ticket page gives an adult day ticket at £26 online or £29 at the gate, and a child at £20 online or £22.50, with a £2.40 online booking fee. Under-3s go free. It opens 10am to 5pm to 1 November, then 10am to 4pm daily until 3 January, and Friday to Sunday from 4 January to 12 February. Only assistance dogs are allowed. Its cafe was rated 5 for food hygiene on 25 July 2023 (FSA). Bekesbourne, CT4 5EL. The park says the walk from Bekesbourne station is not suitable for pedestrians, so take a taxi.

Wildwood, Herne

A British wildlife park on the A291 halfway between Canterbury and Herne Bay, run by the Wildwood Trust. Children have separate play areas for under-5s and older children, with climbing walls, two zip lines, a tree-top drop slide and the Bear Bridge, a net bridge above the bear enclosure, by its kids’ play page. Its prices are £18 for adults, £14 for children aged 2 to 17 and £53 for a family of two adults and two children, including a voluntary donation; the standard prices are £16.36, £12.72 and £48.18. Under-2s are free. Winter hours, from 26 October to 28 March, are 10am to 4pm; it is shut only on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Wealden Forest Park, Canterbury Road, Herne, CT6 7LQ; 01227 712111.

Wingham Wildlife Park

A family-owned park just outside Canterbury that calls itself “Kent’s fastest growing zoo”. Its home page lists new tigers and “Kent’s ONLY Asiatic lions”, and there is a Dinosaur Zoo and an indoor soft play area. Day tickets are £25 for adults, £22 for children aged 2 to 15 and £88 for a family of two adults and two children; under-2s are free. Winter hours (October to March) are 9am to 4pm, changing to 9am to 3pm during the Christmas Light Trail, 20 November to 3 January, with last admission an hour before closing. It is closed on Christmas Day. No dogs are allowed, including guide dogs, because some animals roam free. Rated 5 for food hygiene on 9 October 2025 (FSA). Rusham Road, Wingham, CT3 1JL.

In the city

Canterbury Cathedral

The cathedral’s tickets page gives the October to March adult price as £18, and its families page says “Kids Go FREE every day” (terms apply; the offer does not cover school or group visits). A ticket covers the cathedral, the precincts and gardens, exhibitions, mini talks and activity trails. The seasonal family trails run in school holidays and on some weekends, and there is a bestiary colouring sheet to download before you go. Attending a service is always free. Sightseeing hours are 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and from 11.30am to 5pm on Sunday, with last admission at 4pm; parts can close for services and events, so check the closures list. The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2EH; 01227 762862.

The Canterbury Tales Experience

An actor-led walk through Chaucer’s stories on St Margaret’s Street, which its site says was “transformed” by a refurbishment in 2026, with new sets and effects. Visits take 45 to 60 minutes and run at timed intervals, 10.30am to 4pm, seven days a week. Its ticket page lists adults at £27.95, ages 13 to 17 at £17.95, ages 6 to 12 at £12.95, and a £59.95 family ticket for two adults and three children or one adult and four. Residents of CT1, CT2 and CT3 pay £22 with proof of address. Half the tickets are kept for walk-ins. There is no parking on site; it suggests Whitefriars, Castle Street and Watling Street car parks. Rated 5 for food hygiene on 4 March 2026 (FSA). St Margaret’s Street, CT1 2TG.

St Augustine’s Abbey

The ruins of the monastery founded by St Augustine, run by English Heritage and part of the World Heritage Site with the cathedral. By English Heritage’s opening calendar, it opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, until 1 November. From 2 November to 20 December it opens on Saturdays and Sundays only, and on Sunday 8 November it opens at 11am. Booked in advance, a standard ticket is £10.79 for an adult, £5.35 for a child and £27.03 for a family, with cheaper off-peak days; at the gate it is £12.70, £6.30 and £31.80. Members go free. Longport, Canterbury, CT1 1PF; 01227 767345.

Westgate Towers Museum and Viewpoint

England’s largest surviving medieval gateway, with a museum and the rooftop battlements at the top. Its page lists tickets at £4 for adults, £2 for children aged 5 to 17 and £10 for a family, with under-4s free; it takes cards only. It opens Sunday to Friday, 12pm to 4pm (last entry 3.45pm), and is closed on Saturdays; from January to March it also closes on Mondays and Tuesdays. The only way up is five flights of narrow stairs. Tickets are sold at the museum, run by The Old City Jail, One Pound Lane, Canterbury, CT1 2BZ; 01227 808755. Westgate Gardens below is on our walks list.

The coast

Herne Bay Pier

Run by the Herne Bay Pier Trust, a charity. Its site says the pier opens daily from 8am, weather permitting, with the retail huts from 11am, and closes at 3.30pm in winter. The attractions open at weekends, on public holidays and in school holidays, and the trust says it may close the pier at short notice in winter weather. Its news page reports that the pier won a 2026 Bucket and Spade Award in September. The site lists opening hours and no entry charge. Central Parade, Herne Bay, CT6 5JN. The Central Parade play area is close by.

Reculver Towers and Country Park

The twin towers of a medieval church stand inside the remains of a Roman fort on the cliff east of Herne Bay. English Heritage lists free entry, with the exterior open in daylight hours. The country park around it is open at all hours, by Explore Kent’s listing. It lists a visitor centre, refreshments, toilets, parking with disabled bays, surfaced paths, a picnic area and waymarked trails, and it holds a Green Flag award. Dogs are allowed. Towers: Reculver Lane, CT6 6SS; country park: CT6 6SU. The coast path from Herne Bay is on our walks list.

Quex Adventure Farm Park, Birchington

An outdoor farm park on the Quex Park estate in Thanet. Its site lists two giant bouncing pillows (one just for under-5s), a toddler village, an enchanted wood, slides, a giant sandpit and Highland cows, with goat walking, archery and Gel Battle Royale (ages 6 and up) as extras. It opens every day, 9.30am to 5pm in term time and 9.30am to 6pm in school holidays, with closing times weather dependent. Prices are shown only in the online booking system, which the park says is cheaper than paying on the day. Each Christmas the farm runs The Elf Express, a festive show, with ice skating. Quex Park, Birchington, CT7 0BH; 01843 866023.

A little further

Brogdale Collections, Faversham

Brogdale Farm grows the National Fruit Collection, which the charity describes as one of the largest fruit collections in the world. Its site sells self-guided orchard walks from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday, at £10 an adult, with under-16s free. Day tickets are sold in the Tiddly Pomme shop, or at the office on Mondays. Guided tours run at 11.30am and 2pm at weekends until 1 November. A kids’ juicing session in the orchard is listed for Friday 30 October, and wassailing on 16 January. The shop closes for winter from 2 November to 28 February. The Courtyard Cafe opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm (01795 530013). Brogdale Farm, Faversham, ME13 8XZ.

Dover Castle

The clifftop castle, run by English Heritage, with the Secret Wartime Tunnels tour included in the ticket. By English Heritage’s calendar, it opens 10am to 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday, until 1 November. From 2 November to 20 December it opens at weekends only. It then opens on Sunday 27 December and every day from 28 December to 3 January. Tickets are sold by timed slot. Booked in advance, a standard ticket is £27.03 for an adult, £13.51 for a child and £67.57 for a family; at the gate it is £31.80, £15.90 and £79.50. Peak and off-peak days cost more or less. Members go free. Castle Hill, Dover, CT16 1HU; 0370 333 1181.

How we chose

We started from the days out people look for when they search for family trips from Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay. We kept the places whose own website showed on 28 October 2026 that they are open, with enough detail to plan a visit. English Heritage’s hours and prices come from its booking calendar, which lists ticket prices without the optional donation. Food hygiene ratings come from the Food Standards Agency register. Farming World at Boughton is left out: its old web address now carries unrelated content, and we could not find a current site showing it is trading. The East Kent Railway at Shepherdswell is also left out because its site lists no public trains in the weeks ahead. More ideas, with summer prices, are in our things to do in Canterbury guide. This month’s events are on our what’s on page, and Christmas visits are in the Santa’s grotto guide. For somewhere to eat on the way, see our cafes guide or the local business directory.

Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@canterburylive.co.uk.

Frequently asked questions

What free days out are there near Canterbury for children?

Children go free at Canterbury Cathedral every day with a paying adult, under the cathedral’s Kids Go Free offer (terms apply). Reculver Towers and the country park around them, east of Herne Bay, cost nothing to visit, and Herne Bay Pier lists opening hours but no entry charge, with its rides running at weekends and in school holidays. At Brogdale’s orchards near Faversham, under-16s walk free with a £10 adult ticket.

Which days out near Canterbury are open every day in winter?

Howletts opens every day from 10am to 4pm between 2 November and 3 January, then Friday to Sunday until mid-February. Wildwood opens every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 10am to 4pm, and Wingham Wildlife Park every day except Christmas Day. The Canterbury Tales Experience and the Cathedral open seven days a week. St Augustine’s Abbey and Dover Castle open at weekends only from 2 November to 20 December.

Can I take my dog to Howletts or Wingham Wildlife Park?

No. Howletts allows registered assistance dogs only. Wingham Wildlife Park does not allow any dogs, including guide dogs, because animals roam free in the park. Reculver Country Park is tagged by Explore Kent as dog-friendly, with dog waste bins.