The 11 best things to do in Kent

With a nickname as evocative as the Garden of England, Kent begs to be explored. Often viewed by visitors to Great Britain as a blur of countryside from the windows of the Eurostar or a distant patch of green from planes descending into London, this corner of the UK isn’t merely somewhere to be passed through. Its proximity to northern Europe made it strategically important for centuries, though these days Kent’s gentle hills and crystalline coast couldn’t be more welcoming.

At its heart is the splendid Canterbury Cathedral, and from there the county opens up into a lovely collection of pretty seaside towns, historic estates, gregarious breweries, rolling vineyards and handsome castles. 

Here are the best things to do in Kent.

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1. Try oysters in Whitstable

The coast of England has a rich gastronomic canvas, and on Whitstable’s slice of Kent’s northern shores, it’s all about oysters. Alongside the likes of Wheelers Oyster Bar and Whitstable Oyster Company, plenty of dining options serve plates of tender and sustainably caught rock oysters, though the most satisfying might be found at the Lobster Shack. Ignore its crustacean-heavy name and head out onto the wind-blasted harbor arm, where you can dine al fresco with a plate of silky smooth oysters and a glass of wine or beer. There’s even a view of Whitstable’s oyster farms themselves.

Beyond those meaty mollusks, Whitstable itself is a charming spot, with a community museum, some independent bookshops, Tankerton Beach’s colorful huts and a Georgian castle. 

Planning tip: Pair your oysters with a local wine, if possible (more on that below). 

2. See a spectacular (and infamous) cathedral

Canterbury has a population barely above 50,000, but this city in central Kent is arguably the most significant religious city in the UK. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader of the Church of England, and the majestic Canterbury Cathedral attracts thousands of visitors every month.

But the cathedral’s association with the archbishop and its spectacular mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture aren’t the only reasons it’s so well known. More notoriously, Canterbury Cathedral is the site where the then-archbishop Thomas Beckett was murdered by knights of King Henry II in 1170 (this incident lead to his posthumous canonization by Pope Alexander III). 

The spot of Beckett’s martyrdom within the…