UK: Kent - Places to Visit
 

My wife and I are planning to spend a week in Kent in early April. We are going to base ourselves in Tunbridge Wells and do day trips from there.
We would be really grateful if any Forumites can offer any recent advice/suggestions on day trips from Tunbridge Wells. We will have a car and are planning to take drives through the countryside and stop at historic towns and locations. We love to do walking tours with a guide so we can learn more about the town and its history. Would also be grateful for any recommendations re good pubs/restaurants.

The obvious places are Canterbury, Rochester, Hastings, Brighton and even London.

How about Dover Castle, Rye, Chartwell, Ightam Mote, Knole, Scotney Castle, Batweman's, Sissinghurst, and many others?

Take a look at the National Trust website, but remember that there are lots of independent places as well. Go into the Tourist Information Office and pick up leaflets there.

I spent a week in Kent two years ago and visited many houses and gardens. Here's a link to my trip report in case you find anything interesting!

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ns-in-kent.cfm

Chatham Dockyard is well worth a visit.

I always lump Kent and East Sussex together since there are next door neighbors. There is enough to see to fill 10 weeks. Everything above plus Deal, Walmer, Port Lympne Garden and Wild animal park, Bodiam Castle, Bayham Abbey, Penshurst Place . . . and a ton of other sites.

Hever Castle and gardens are only about 12 miles from TW and worth seeing .

For a slightly quirky afternoon, I suggest Chiddingstone Castle [actually a house] followed by tea in the village, which is often used for filming due to its lack of modern intrusions such as telegraph poles:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chiddingstone-village

The pub is excellent for lunch or dinner, and I'm sure that there will be a tea shop or two where you can have tea and scones.

I'll thank the poster's suggestions. Bookmarking.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Really appreciate it. Looks like I need to do a lot more research