Cocktails and cruises
Enjoy big days out at Dover and Leeds castles, blowing away cobwebs on the coast at Broadstairs and Margate, or taking a cocktail class at the Cuban Bar. Head out for the night to Club Chemistry, The Loft or The Shakespeare. Or hit London for West End theatre, the Shoreditch scene or the Thames for a sunset river cruise.
Big days out
Nights seem to enjoy all the action, but days don’t miss out. There’s history to be had at Dover Castle, the most iconic of all English fortresses, and Leeds Castle, home to 900 years of history, 500 acres of parkland and gardens, a maze and a grotto. Reputed to be ‘the world’s loveliest’ castle.
Animal lovers should get down to Wildwood Wildlife Park to meet over 200 native animals such as bears, wolves, Arctic foxes, bison, deer, owls and foxes. If that’s not enough of a furry fix, Howlett’s Zoo’s 100 acres are home to gorillas, rhinos, elephants, tigers and more.
For an amusement park and entertainment centre based on a traditional English seaside funfair, head to Dreamland Margate. Blow away the cobwebs on the coast at Broadstairs, Margate or Ramsgate, nostalgic, old-world seaside towns with retro ice-cream parlours, chic shops and sandy bays.
Learn all the insider secrets of mixology on a cocktail class at The Cuban Bar. Take a romantic river cruise with Westgate Punts. Propel yourself down the river with Canoe Wild. Or enjoy 60 minutes of escape adrenaline at Escape in the Towers, set within the real cells of the former city gaol.
Big nights out
Walk into town and everyone’s a designated drinker. It’s just ten minutes to all the hotspots, including Club Chemistry. Canterbury’s largest nightclub offers three floors, with different music on each. Catch rock or 80s music on Thursdays, meet Made in Chelsea cast members on Fridays and top international DJs on Saturdays.
Over 30s might want to check in at Bridge Place Manor, while the Tokyo Tea Rooms offer cocktails with a Japanese twist. For more conventional alchemy, try cocktail bars Alberry, The Loft or The Cuban, which comes with a Latin vibe. Wine bars include The Shakespeare and the upmarket Abode Hotel, open to the public until midnight.
Of course, you’re just an hour from London, which gets you a big night out watching West End shows such as The Lion King, Les Misérables or The Phantom of the Opera. Or maybe you prefer the quirky Shoreditch or Camden scenes, a night in the basement at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club or some no-frills laughs at the Top Secret Comedy Club.
For serious partying, Ministry of Sound, Fabric and Heaven are among the world’s best-known superclubs. Dine and be entertained at Proud Cabaret City. Enjoy bubbly and canapés on a sunset river cruise down the Thames. Or drink ‘illicitly’ at prohibition-inspired speakeasies such as 69 Colebrooke Row or Bart’s.
