20 Attractions to Explore Near Betteshanger Park

Deal Castle is one of the finest Tudor artillery castles in England, and a must-see on your visit to the quirky seaside town of Deal. It was built in 1539–40 on Henry VIII’s order as an artillery fortress, designed to allow all-round firepower from over 140 guns. For over 250 years it defended the important naval anchorage called the Downs, and in 1648 endured a hard-fought siege between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil Wars.

The Royal St George's Golf Club located in Sandwich, Kent, England, is a golf club in the United Kingdom and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation and is the only Open rota golf course to be located in Southern England. The club was founded by the surgeon Laidlaw Purves in 1887 in a setting of wild duneland. Many holes feature blind or partially blind shots, although the unfairness element has been reduced somewhat, after several 20th century modifications.

Walmer Castle is an artillery fort originally constructed by Henry VIII in Walmer. You can explore over eight acres of award-winning gardens, situated in the grounds of a picturesque coastal castle with a fascinating history. Walmer Castle was once a Tudor artillery fortress that became a stately home for the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports, including the Iron Duke of Wellington.

Richborough is a key site in the history of Roman Britain, used during the entire length of the occupation from the invasion of AD 43 until the end of Roman rule around 410. . Explore the huge stone walls which mark the site of this Saxon Shore fortress, the rolling defensive ditches and impressive foundations showing the scale of this once bustling Roman settlement. The site is now under the care of English Heritage.

Pegwell Bay forms part of the Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve. It has stunning views of Sandwich and Deal to the West and the cliffs of Ramsgate to the East and is a great place for a bracing walk or cycle ride. Part of the bay is a nature reserve, with seashore habitats including mudflats and salt marsh with migrating waders and wildfowl. The public can access the nature reserve via Pegwell Bay Country Park, which is off the A256 Ramsgate to Dover road.

A beautiful and romantic garden with connections to Jane Austen. It has been described by various writers as 'the very heart of rural England', 'one of the loveliest gardens in Kent', 'a haven of beautiful tranquility hidden away in South East England. Today the park has a well managed Arts and Crafts garden echoing something of the original layout. There is a formal pool, a fine herbaceous border and a woodland garden.

The Port of Ramsgate is one of 26 municipal ports in England and Wales. It is set on 32 acres of dedicated port land, and is owned and operated by Thanet District Council. The harbour has the unique distinction of being the only harbour in the United Kingdom awarded the right to call itself a Royal Harbour.

South Foreland Lighthouse is a Victorian lighthouse on the South Foreland in St. Margaret's Bay, Dover, Kent, England, used to warn ships approaching the nearby Goodwin Sands. Built-in 1843, it went out of service in 1988 and is currently owned by the National Trust. It is notable as having been the first lighthouse to use an electric light, and was the site chosen by Guglielmo Marconi for his pioneering experiments in wireless radio transmissions.

Wingham Wildlife Park is Kent's fastest-growing wildlife park, nestled just outside the beautiful cathedral city of Canterbury, in Kent. This 26 acre wildlife park situated near Wingham, just seven miles from The Falstaff. The park houses big cats, otters, wolves, lemurs, monkeys, crocodiles and penguins to name a few. In 2011 the species count at the park reached 180 species, growing to over 200 in 2013 covering fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and birds.

Fan Bay Deep Shelter is a unique adventure into the White Cliffs of Dover. Recently opened to the public the tunnels were constructed in 1940/41 as accommodation for the gun battery above. The tour also includes a chance to see the First World War Sound Mirrors up close and find out more about them.

Ramsgate Maritime Museum is a maritime museum in Ramsgate, Kent, England, that describes the maritime history of East Kent. It includes a gallery of special exhibitions, including a permanent gallery "Voyagers" which introduces the story of Britain and the sea. The museum was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

The Ramsgate Tunnels, in the seaside town of Ramsgate in Thanet, East Kent, have been transformed from a derelict railway line and bomb shelter into an exhibition space, café, and tourist attraction through the hard work of volunteers. It will take you underground to unlock the story of a hidden underground city which evolved from the largest and only known Civilian Deep Shelter Air Raid Precaution scheme authorized by Central Government.

A majestic castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Step inside the Great Tower and discover the grandeur of Henry II’s medieval palace. Explore vividly-recreated rooms filled with colorful furnishings and imagine the world of courtly intrigue and royal ambition. Make sure to climb to the rooftop for unmissable views across the English Channel.

The Spitfire and Hurricane Museum is a unique site housing a Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI and the Hawker Hurricane IIC as well as a host of objects and artifacts which help tell the story of life in and around Ramsgate during WWII. It was officially opened on 13th June 1981 to house Spitfire TB752 and was the very first building to be erected on any RAF Station to house a gate-guardian aircraft.

Dover Museum is the largest and most varied museum in White Cliffs Country, has a range of fascinating objects, models and original pictures showing the history and archaeology of Dover within its four gallery spaces. The award-winning Bronze Age Boat Gallery has interactive exhibits cokputers and microscopes. Regular family days and events are held throughout the year.

Western Heights is an elongated hill that overlooks the Dour valley, the port of Dover and English Channel. The Romans built a lighthouse on the site no later than the second century AD and also constructed similar structures on the hill to the east and at Tour d'Odre in Boulogne. They comprise a series of forts, strong points and ditches, designed to protect the country from invasion.

The Dickens House Museum is housed in the cottage that was Charles Dickens’ inspiration for the home of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield. David’s description of Betsey’s cottage with its square graveled garden full of flowers, and a parlor of old-fashioned furniture still fits today. Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine Dickens lived here with the eldest three of their ten children, with the older two of Dickens's daughters, Mary Dickens and Kate Macready Dickens being born in the house.

Hornby Visitor Centre is a fantastic day out for the whole family, Featuring rare products from the Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix, and Corgi archives, track the history of Hornby’s iconic model trains from Frank Hornby’s early home-made toys in sheet metal, through the development of Hornby ‘O’ gauge and Hornby-Dublo. Don't miss the spectacular Model Railway and Scalextric layouts, plus grab the latest products in the Shop which offers an extensive range of Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix, Humbrol and C

The Powell-Cotton Museum at Quex Park was established in 1896 by Major Percy Horace Gordon Powell-Cotton to house natural history museum specimens and cultural objects collected on expeditions to Asia and Africa. The museum, which links to the ground floor of Quex House, now comprises nine galleries dedicated not only to the extensive collection of large mammals but to many artifacts representing the cultures and traditions of the locations Powell-Cotton visited.

Howletts Wild Animal Park, Kent’s most successful and multi-award-winning animal park, offers visitors the chance to experience real conservation, throughout 2016. Explore a 90-acre adventure in beautiful ancient parkland that is ideal for great days out in Kent with the entire family. It is also a breeding sanctuary for some of the rarest and endangered species in the world. With over 450 animals and over 50 individual species.