10 Best Things for Free

Maidstone offers some great things to do and see but almost everyone has limits on their budget. Don't let that stop you visiting because we have some great things to do and see for free or very low cost.

Our parks and gardens often have great play equipment including zip wires and climbing frames, and there are castle ruins to explore and lots of wildlife. There are great places to fly kites, have a picnic or even visit a museum.

Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats asks simply that you make a donation to help keep the goats, but they are so friendly it is somewhere you will want to return.

Many places like Maidstone Museum and Kent Wildlife Trust hold family budget friendly workshops during the school holidays and it is the perfect place to discover new and interesting things.

Inspiration

Cobtree Manor Park

Standing on the site of the old Maidstone Zoo, the park features a themed play area, along with a sculpture trail, plenty of space for picnics, and a cafe serving delicious hot and cold food and drinks.
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Mote Park

Mote Park is an award-winning park with 450 acres of mature parkland and a 30 acre lake, providing a wide range of recreational activities. Children's play area, cafe open all year, miniature railway.
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Maidstone Museums

Maidstone Museum is an exceptional regional museum housed in the gorgeous Chillington Manor, an Elizabethan manor house. It is home to internationally significant collections, especially Ethnography, Japanese Decorative Arts, Ancient Egypt, Archaeology and Costume as well as a 2,700 year old Egyptian mummy!
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Lashenden Air Warfare Museum

Lashenden Air Warfare Museum will be opening again at 10am on Saturday 4th July 2020 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ One of the longest established aviation museums in the country, started by members of the Maidstone RAF Association. It is located at Headcorn Aerodrome which first used in 1927 for general aviation, and then as a wartime airfield from 1943. The museum holds miscellaneous wartime exhibits and memorabilia. Aircraft including a VI Flying Bomb. British, German and American aircraft engines are in the collection, including rare items that have been recovered from all over the world. The museum are also custodians for the RAF Ex Prisoner of Wa
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Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

2020 Opening updates For the time being the sanctuary is opening just four days a week, Thursdays – Sundays. 11am-- 4pm, entrance by donation, sanitisers on entry and exit, which are separate. Tea room and Stable area are out of bounds but take away drinks are available over the gate and a separate area where the public can safely feed the goats. As time goes on we will update our website accordingly, as we are able to open for additional days. We start the “Walking with Goats Experience “ from the 11th July, spending an hour and a half walking a goat round the Sanctuary grounds., booking is required and details are again on the web site.
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Headcorn Aerodrome

This is a free attraction where parachuting, balloons, stunt flights, pleasure flights, flying lessons, aerial displays, microlights, radio controlled flight and many different planes and helicopters go to and fro most weekends. You can watch free.
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Biddenden Vineyards

Wine and Cider producer taking Online Orders for delivery or go along and shop for yourself or take a walk among the vines.
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White Horse Wood Country Park

The White Horse Country Park is set within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The park offers beautiful countryside, local history and panoramic views and hosts the medieval ruins of Thurnham Castle.
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Thurnham Castle
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Sutton Valence Castle

This is an imposing ruined castle with a history dating from c.12th century. The great tower, which is the major remaining part of the structure, was once part of a much larger castle, which probably included an inner and outer bailey...
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What’s On

What's On | Theatre Audience
Check out What's On. There are some fantastic free events.
The Friars - Aylesford

The Carmelite Friary founded in 1242 was dispossessed at the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and was re-established in 1949. Lovely grounds and picnic areas. Tearooms, shop, pottery.
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Cycling in and around Maidstone

Getting out in the Kent countryside on a bike is a brilliant day out. Some of the cycle trails are suitable for families and easy going, others are harder for the serious cyclists.
Maps and Downloadable Information

To make your visit as easy as possible we have some downloadable information not every location has the wifi speed you need and indeed sometimes you need to be off grid, so that you can enjoy things in a different way.

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RT @Letsalldance1: We bring all the magic of 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 to 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒌, 𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆, this Saturday with our #familyfriendly pr… https://t.co/6dZ8YywtPi

18 Sep 2020 07:22:14

#EscapeTheEveryday and go flying in the great outdoors on a big adventure in Kent. Tiger moth trips are easy to bo… https://t.co/XcHasTGSOe

16 Sep 2020 17:33:03

Maidstone Carriage Museum is taking part in Heritage Open Days this week with a video each day on the history of so… https://t.co/WlscU19IZu

16 Sep 2020 10:58:04

Just heard that unfortunately they were unable to open today after all. They will update us with a new date soon.

14 Sep 2020 13:42:46

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