10 Best Things to Do in Maidstone

The Kentish Lady River Boat is a tour that takes passengers along the River Medway to spot some of the most prominent landmarks and attractions in town. It features massive windows and an open deck on the front and the back, so you'll always have a stunning view of your surroundings.

You'll find a bar on board the boat along with convenient wheelchair accessibility, so it's easy to find fun that everyone can enjoy. Be sure to consider the Allington Castle Cruise if you're looking for particularly stunning sights. Tours embark from the dock city centre, just a short walk northwest of the Archbishop's Palace.

Mote Park is a 440-acre park that features expansive green space along with a boating lake, miniature railway and a variety of different sporting pitches and areas. The walking paths are positively scenic, but if you want to see some of the most iconic sights, the lake offers opportunities for both boating and fishing.

The sporting pitches are quite varied. You'll find space for football, rugby and cricket. More thrilling sports can be enjoyed on the BMX track and skate park. You'll find this park just east of the town centre between Shepway and Weavering.

Maidstone Museum is a comprehensive history and fine art museum, showcasing some of the most important and impressive artefacts from Anglo-Saxon history and beyond. Among its collection, you'll find more than 600,000 items including an impressive selection from Japanese history.

The museum's fine art collection consists of about 25,000 items and they include breathtaking statues, such as the Lady Godiva by John Thomas. You can find it all near the town centre right by the Brenchley Gardens and north of Hazlitt Theatre.

Kent Owl Academy is home to a wide variety of fascinating birds, such as owls, and several birds of prey, like raptors. When you visit, you can enjoy a hands-on experience with the owls that put you up close and personal with these magnificent creatures. In addition to the birds, you'll also find other animals here.

Meerkats tend to be the most popular, as these adorable little animals are sure to delight all kinds of people. You'll find this destination just south of the Cobtree Manor Park on the north side of town.

Cobtree Manor Park is packed full of exciting opportunities for fun, whether you're looking for a quaint walking trail, arboretum or play areas designed for kids. The play area is quite robust, as you'll find a fort with swings, climbing, slides and rope bridges. The arboretum in the park features nearly 160 different kinds of trees and shrubs you can see along a self-guided trail that's about an hour-long at a walking pace.

Of course, other routes and trails can take you past fascinating sculptures created by local Jason Mulligan. You'll find this park in Forstal about 3 miles north of the town centre.

Stoneacre is a 15th-century half-timbered yeoman farmer's house that features a small garden, meadows and an orchard, all maintained as a Grade II listed building. Much of the building was in disrepair when Aymer Vallance came to control it in the 1920s, but he restored much of it. When you visit, you'll still be able to see much of the original construction.

The front door, for example, is the same door from the 15th century, albeit significantly restored. The panels of the screens passage, however, are new since the original ones rotted long ago. You'll find this house to explore in Otham a few miles southeast of the town centre.

Teston Bridge Country Park is a well-maintained green space centred around a historical bridge with numerous walking trails along the River Medway. The countryside atmosphere cultivated at this park is easy to enjoy with numerous meadows and hills to go for a lovely stroll or have a picnic.

You'll find access to the water allowing you to enjoy a spot of fishing off the banks in a place that's notably calm, making it easy to get bites. You can reach this park by heading about 4 miles west of the town centre along the river just south of the Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Teston.

All Saints Church is a massive church, founded in the 14th century, that shows off a unique perpendicular style. When you visit this church, you'll see its rag-stone construction that was used for iconic buttressed walls and crenellated parapet.

This church is on the Historic England Heritage at Risk Register, so make sure that you visit while you can. Find this grand church right near the town centre by the Archbishop's Palace, just off the banks of the River Medway.

Fremlin Walk is an outdoor shopping centre, covering 350,000 square feet with 50 unique retailers that you can peruse to find clothes, jewellery and more. Among the shops, you'll find famous retailers known around the world as well as more obscure and local offerings. In between your shopping excursions, you'll find numerous restaurants.

There’s a bit of everything, from burgers to cafe options and plenty of coffee, too. Explore everything this outdoor shopping centre has to offer, just south of Maidstone Museum in the town centre.

Hazlitt Theatre is a historic venue that showcases a wide variety of live performances, including dances, plays, musicals and comedy acts by local and touring troupes. Up to 353 people can be comfortably seated among the proscenium arch seats. The varied programme of acts ensures that everyone can find something appealing to see here.

The Hazlitt Youth Theatre also performs with particularly impressive productions performed by people between the ages of 6 and 18. You can see it all just south of the Maidstone Museum in the town centre.