Mote Park is the largest green area in Maidstone and is a great park for all the family…read more It is situated close to Maidstone town centre so an easy place to go t o give the kids a break after a hard mornings shopping in Maidstone. There is plenty of parking and there are restaurant and toilet facilities around the park There are loads of things to do there including pitch and putt, a really good children's play ground and if you are in to Geo c asching there is a cache hidden somewhere in the park. Every Sunday from about Easter to September a small guage railway runs giving rides to children and adults alike. There are often events held in the park such as the Maidstone Mela and Race for Life.

Love it here, the space, the activities available for children of all ages, the walks...everything…read more We don't go here very often, but when we can we do. They have lots of events on here too which is great, and our children love feeding the ducks there!

A great family day out…read more The Leisure centre offers several swimming pools; a family pool ( with wave machine), an olympic size pool and one with high diving boards. The centre also has a childrens activity area away from the pools and offer crafts and play time while parents wait. The Leisure centre is within Mote park which has a variety of playground equipment to keep the little ones entertained.

Maidstone Leisure Centre is just located outside the town centre in Mote Park, which is about 5…read moreminutes away. The Centre offers several swimming pools, a great family pool with a wave machine and log flume, a brilliant olympic size swimming pool and another with driving boards. If you don't fancy swimming, and have small children, then polar adventure is a great place to take the kids to play, with a large soft play area and ice hill slides. Its also a great place for kiddies birthday parties. The leisure centre also has a large multipupose sports hall a great gym facilities, and a health suite with sauna and spa. Great place for a family day out!

This country park on the outskirts of Chatham is a good place for all the family including the dog…read more It is a large area covering some 114 hectares of land and includes woodland, fields and a lake and visitors centre. We often walk the dog here at the weekends, and although it is quite hilly it is a good walk. The visitors centre is by the lake and on certain days in the school holidays they run pond dipping sessions and such like, which are cheap and well attended. You can fish on the side of the lake if you purchase a permit. One word of warning id your dog chases horses be aware it quite popular with horse riders as well.

I love capstone country park, the natural landscape is beautiful and there are many interesting…read morethings to look at as you walk through the woods. The lake has ducks that I don't think you're allowed to feed, and there is a little hut with information about the park and wildlife in general. The food area has been renovated and serves cheap and cheerful chips and the like as well as ice cream. Definitely very enjoyable for a relaxed outdoor day out.

Awesome outdoors spot in Essex! This impressive park boasts :…read more - A Bowling Green - Tennis courts - A Children's playground - Two cricket pitches - Five football pitches What more could you ask for?

I came here as part of a girl trip so this was definitely an exciting part of it. My favorite thing…read moreabout Christmas, are Christmas lights and this place knocked it out of the park. Just walking around and being memorized by how beautiful the area is, and how creatively placed each artwork of lights were added around the premises. Of course we did see Santa Claus on our walk which we did get a photo with him. I do believe the smartest thing they added on this walk was a hot chocolate stand which of course I then paid extra for the Bailey's. Hot chocolate and Bailey's has been my number one go to while visiting the Christmas markets. When finished we ended up at an area full of food trucks, and picnic tables with a few scattered rides. We all had such a memorable experience and highly recommend visiting here with your friends and family. I would definitely go again. Oh and they do have a pretty amazing store to buy your souvenirs. I think my only disappointment was I was hoping to actually go into the castle, but I guess it's not what our ticket included or if that's even an option. It was too dark to actually get a better look at it and way too far away to have that option.

There has been a castle on this site since 857 AD although the current castle, in its current form,…read moredates primarily to the early 19th century when it was extensively renovated. The castle actually sits on an island created by the local river. It is a fairly long walk from the Visitor's Center to the castle itself but they offer transportation via a "land train", which, unfortunately for us, couldn't navigate up the hill due to wet conditions on the day we visited. So, we walked about 1/2 mile to entry but were able to take the land-train back to the visitor's center. This is a beautiful medival castle that was occupied, at various times, by a succesion of kings and queens. Allow yourself at least an hour to tour the inside of the castle and at least another hour to see the grounds. This is a "must-see" site. It's a bit of a ride outside London but is well worth the ride.

Jeskyns is a lovely park for dog walking, there's a puppy enclosure for training your dog and lots…read moreof beautiful countryside to admire. There are now areas where you have to keep your dog on a lead but it's only around the children's play areas. There is also a small lake where your dog can go swimming if he chooses. The only downside is paying for parking but it's not too expensive and you can always buy a yearly pass. There is also now a place to have a sit down for light refreshments and snacks. I would personally recommend Jeskyns.

An idyllic destination a short drive from London, Painshill Park is a great place to spend a day…read moreenjoying the beauty of the English countryside. Created by the eccentric Charles Hamilton, the park was created as a "romantic landscape". Both organized and naturalistic, the park offers many vistas, perspectives and experiences. Created with a variety of follies dotting the landscape, the park offers panoramic views and interesting scenes. Views from the Gothic Temple and the Turkish Tent are breathtaking. While exploring the man-made grotto (which is currently undergoing renovation) you can't help but be in awe of Hamilton's vision while at the same time thinking "This guy must have been totally out there to build stalactites with lathe and plaster and then cover them in pieces of crystal!". Whether walking the grounds, bringing a blanket and a book and enjoying the solitude, Painshill Park is a wonderful place to visit. Be prepared to walk, as the park is large and very hilly. It's a good climb to the top of the Tower as well. Would definitely recommend this if you need a relaxing afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of London.

A grade 1 listed park, much renovated over the last 25 years, by the trust that owns it…read more Created by Charles Hamilton ,in the mid 18th century, after his 2 (obligatory) Grand Tours, he wanted to create an idyllic natural setting, around a lake, with water diverted from the river Mole. He was very succesful in this, and created a number of follies, a Grotto, and the unusual Turkish Tent. Many of the plants are of American origin, and were just becoming fashionable at the time. It's worth remembering it's a park like setting rather than a garden like Wisley. Reasonable cafe near the entrance, and the ever present gift shop. Worth chcking their website for offers, currently free entry on Wednesdays in November, children free at weekends, and A special Santa event. The Grotto is only open at the weekends. A great place for a walk on a sunny day, great views across the lake and Surrey.

This has to be one of North London's best kept secrets! I can't believe I had never heard of this…read moregarden (even my dad had not heard of it and he grew up near here.) I assume the lucky locals would like to keep this as a secret treasure, but it is too good not to share with yelpers!! The Pergola and Hill Gardens are hidden between Hampstead Heath and Golders Hill Park. The Pergola half of the garden is essentially a long raised walkway, under a long pergola made from wood and stone, covered in gorgeous smelling roses and other climbing plants. The other half of the garden has a large square pond full of lilies, sculptured hills and nice soft grass to sit on and have a picnic. I have a feeling it could be very busy on nice days...but when we visited it all seemed far quieter than Golders Hill Park - even though it is so, so much nicer. Practicalities: - If you don't want to walk, just take the 210 bus and get off at Inverforth House, you can see the signs to the garden. - It's free (!)

This place is beyond beautiful. I'm always surprised when I find places like this in London that is…read moreopen for the general public with no fee. Tucked away on the smaller side of Hampstead Heath, in between Hampstead Heath and Golders Hill Park is this little Gem. Because it's hidden away it's less busy than both the known green spaces. The pergola goes on and on with hidden entrances to the gardens. The gardens all have walk ways for you to meander through them. I can imagine that this place will get used for many photoshoots. You have to be careful you're not walking into someone else's shot. None of the photos or reviews will EVER do this place justice. Trust me and go see for yourself.

If you want to take a real break in Kent, you MUST go to the Reculver Country Park…read more What is it? A reserve combining undeveloped coast with great views accross the estuary & historic buildings (remains of a roman fort and twin towers of St Mary's Church dominating the coastline). Perfect place for a seashore walk or run when the sun is shinning. I spent a wonderful moment with my family here. This park is also the starting point of the Viking Coastal Trail (http://en.yelp.be/biz/viking-coastal-trail-margate).

A nice place with a lovely open scenery for walking but several including one of my children have…read morealmost drowned in the lake after falling over face first into it.... Going to this location I would suggest keeping your kids well away from the lake Also a while back a murderer used the woodland as a hiding place and wasn't found by the police until six days after he was sleeping there... It's s great place but is it a safe place?

The Five Arches is an area of woodland and open grassland so names because of the five arches that…read moremake up the bridge across the river that runs through it. In the summer, children often paddle in the water and throw stones into the water from the bridge. There's also a park for children to play in which has been modernised to include some exciting looking playground toys. The wooded area provides a fun alternative for youngsters wanting to climb amongst the trees and play hide and seek and a local pub, The White Cross, is a great place for a drink and snack afterwards.