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Original poster

Canterbury things to do

30 replies

Scottishgirl85 · 26/10/2024 21:51

Hi! We've arrived in Canterbury today and leave Wednesday. What are the must-dos please? We have children aged 9, 6 and 1. We're staying very central. Cathedral is an obvious one :-)

We love short city breaks, and Mumsnet have never let us down with fantastic suggestions!
Thanks!

OP posts:
inabubble3 · 26/10/2024 22:03

Toddlers cove is a really nice park and nice walk to it too.

Canoe wild do canoe trips on the river and I think you can punt in central canterbury. There’s a witches dunking chair on the river too.

Enjoy!

inabubble3 · 26/10/2024 22:05

Also if you wanted to branch out whitstable, Margate, Broadstairs are worth a little visit x

FunnyCradock · 26/10/2024 23:25

Have breakfast/brunch at The Refectory Kitchen
https://www.refectorykitchen.com

Wingham Wildlife Park
https://winghamwildlifepark.co.uk

Westgate Gardens & Toddlers Cove Playground

.

https://www.refectorykitchen.com

rockingbird · 27/10/2024 04:28

The beaney is nice to mooch around, see what's on in half term at the Marlow theatre also. Dover castle isn't far and absolutely lovely. Also in Dover the leisure centre has family swim inflatable sessions as well as clip and climb - highly recommended! Margate is also an excellent day out, roller disco at the retro dreamland. The turner contemporary is a good shout as is the shell grotto and Margate caves. Breakfast/brunch at the award winning 'the bus cafe' is a must!

ApplePippa · 27/10/2024 05:43

If you want something fairly low-key, a walk along the city walls is good. It's not a long - starts with views of the bus station (which my son loved when he was little) and ends with the ruined Canterbury Castle. There's lots to see along the way, including Dane John Mound with its spiraly paths. When you're done you can go to Dane John Gardens which has a wonderful wooden maze.

Borka · 27/10/2024 05:59

The Roman Museum is interesting, and small enough to be manageable with children. You can try on centurion helmets etc.

DappledThings · 27/10/2024 06:00

I like the Roman Museum. And the Waterstones has a nice cafe with rocking houses and fish to watch and a little tent to read in.

ApplePippa · 27/10/2024 06:00

Ah, a quick Google has revealed the wooden maze has been replaced with a new play area - no idea if it's any good.

DappledThings · 27/10/2024 08:59

DappledThings · 27/10/2024 06:00

I like the Roman Museum. And the Waterstones has a nice cafe with rocking houses and fish to watch and a little tent to read in.

Rocking horses, not rocking houses!

Traybaked · 27/10/2024 17:55

ApplePippa · 27/10/2024 06:00

Ah, a quick Google has revealed the wooden maze has been replaced with a new play area - no idea if it's any good.

The new play area is shit. It's so shit that there have been constant local newspaper articles about its shitness. In fairness the maze often finished with finding an overdosed homeless person in the centre but overall it was a better experience.

Traybaked · 27/10/2024 17:56

The Canterbury tales experience was supposed to open over summer but don't think it did. You could see if it's open now, might be good for your older one.

CurlewKate · 27/10/2024 18:05

If the weather's nice a trip to Whitstable? A short walk along the beach, skipping stones as you go, to The Neptune for lunch.

Crunchymum · 27/10/2024 18:08

Traybaked · 27/10/2024 17:55

The new play area is shit. It's so shit that there have been constant local newspaper articles about its shitness. In fairness the maze often finished with finding an overdosed homeless person in the centre but overall it was a better experience.

Show quote history

😮

Maybe you need to get the local paper to quote that!! Quite a picture you paint there.

How shit can a play area be?

ApplePippa · 27/10/2024 18:18

Traybaked · 27/10/2024 17:55

The new play area is shit. It's so shit that there have been constant local newspaper articles about its shitness. In fairness the maze often finished with finding an overdosed homeless person in the centre but overall it was a better experience.

Show quote history

Oh that's such a shame. Admittedly it was quite a few years ago, but my son used to love that maze.

ApexDragonfly · 27/10/2024 18:25

On a rainy day when the dc need to burn off some energy
InflateNPlay a giant, enormously huge bouncy castle. Its massive.

The cathedral often has half term educational activities on, like learn to stonemason or archaeology, or stained glass windows. Just ask when you get your tickets. Same with the Beaney and roman museum.

If you like Mexican food then Cafe des Amis (on the corner by westgate towers) is utterly delicious.

The westgate towers (at bottom of highstreet) have a small Museum. Im not sure of opening times but you can go all the way to the top and look out over canterbury.

Further afield you have dover castle, walmer castle, deal castle (all EH if you have membership), wingham zoo, ajd the beaches.

CurlewKate · 27/10/2024 18:31

The Gulbenkian Theatre often had good kid's stuff. The website is almost as shit as the Dane John play area though, and I can't get on it. Do have a look!

MissRoseDurward · 27/10/2024 19:56

Westgate gardens are nice for a walk along the river if the weather's good. There are other riverside walks too - one starts at the Marlowe.

Tourist Information is in the Beaney.

ApplePippa · 27/10/2024 19:59

Traybaked · 27/10/2024 19:42

Show quote history

Oh my! Maybe the OP needs to visit the shit playground just to marvel at the shittyness 😃

McBuckers · 27/10/2024 20:10

Maybe a river tour? Am Canterbury born and bred but it’s still on my ‘to do’ list. If you’re into walking, there’s a walk from Toddlers Cove to the village of Chartham with a lovely pub (The Artichoke) at the end of it.

As others have said, The Beaney and the Roman museum are interesting.

There’s also St Augustine’s Abbey,

Not sure what your views on animal parks are but Howletts, Wildwood and Wingham Wildlife Park are also close.

NotMyDayJob · 27/10/2024 20:19

ApexDragonfly · 27/10/2024 18:25

On a rainy day when the dc need to burn off some energy
InflateNPlay a giant, enormously huge bouncy castle. Its massive.

The cathedral often has half term educational activities on, like learn to stonemason or archaeology, or stained glass windows. Just ask when you get your tickets. Same with the Beaney and roman museum.

If you like Mexican food then Cafe des Amis (on the corner by westgate towers) is utterly delicious.

The westgate towers (at bottom of highstreet) have a small Museum. Im not sure of opening times but you can go all the way to the top and look out over canterbury.

Further afield you have dover castle, walmer castle, deal castle (all EH if you have membership), wingham zoo, ajd the beaches.

Delighted to see Cafe Des Amis is still going, that was the place to be in the late 90s if you wanted a nice dinner!

CurlewKate · 28/10/2024 10:00

@Scottishgirl85 I am so sorry about the weather! I do hope you come from a wet bit of Scotland....

It's worth having a look round the Beaney Museum. It's very central and has some interesting things to look at. Maybe not that interesting to a 1 year old- but the older ones will like it at least for a little while. And there's a Works nearby so you can buy some drawing stuff to keep them entertained while you have lunch.....