Maidstone

Maidstone is the largest town in the region of Kent and offers tons of history and scenic sites along the River Medway, from ancient ruins to museums, castles and parklands. The Maidstone Museum offers hundreds of artifacts and artworks housed in a genuine Elizabethan manor house. Leeds Castle is a classic fortification complete with a moat and a maze that visitors can explore. At Mote Park, kids can enjoy play neighborhoods while couples and grown-ups will enjoy the serene lakeshore. Kids also thrill to the owls, zoo and safari park at the Kent Owl Academy.

At Allington Castle, the doors are open to exploring a manor house and castle from the 13th century. At the same time, the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages looks at authentic horse-drawn carts and carriages housed in medieval-era stables. Mote Park offers a range of outdoor adventures, from climbing to soaring over the landscape below. For unusual and quirky, check out the Dog Collar Museum with its collection of unusual canine restraints.