Best theme parks in Kent

This is the beating heart of British Carting, nestled in the North Kent Downs and surrounded by scenic woodland. Buckmore Park has been making pulses beat faster since the 1960s with its magnificent track and efficient karting system.   

Since it was launched in 1963, it has become a hotbed of driving talent and was even frequented by Triple F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button. But don’t worry if you’re not a petrol head or F1 fanatic, as Buckmore has something to offer everyone, no experience necessary. The track layout caters for both beginners and experienced karters alike, it’s very smooth and twisty, and can have up to 30 drivers on track at a time! The excellent quality of the track is combined with friendly and accommodating staff including the marshals who do a great job of getting you on track very fast, to prevent long delays. So, whether it’s for that first taste of motorsport or just another box checked on the bucket list, get yourself to Buckmore for a thrilling lap or two on the hallowed tarmac.

Diggerland is the only place where kids and grownups can ride, drive, and operate real diggers and dumpers! With 20 different digger-themed rides and drives available, you’re sure to get your fill of digger-based fun. In addition to diggers, there are indoor and outdoor play areas, coin operated rides and much more so the younger visitors can let off steam while you sit back, relax and watch the fun.  

The park is aimed at children between 4 and 14 years of age, but in truth, visitors of any age can enjoy a day out at Diggerland. You might find yourself enjoying the thrills of spinning around in a Giant Digger bucket on the Spindizzy ride, operating a Giant JCB 806 Digger, racing around in a Go-Kart, getting lifted 50ft in the air by the Skyshuttle, or whirling around on the Dig-a-Round together with your kids. Once you’re satisfied, there is also the Goodie Store where you can purchase memorable souvenirs, toys and other merchandise, as well as a cafeteria that offers a wide selection of hot and cold snacks, meals and beverages. Kent Coast Holiday Park is just a 20-minute drive away so your kids will be begging you to let them drive a digger home!

If you’re wanting a day of seaside fun, then the classic rides and amusements at Dymchurch may be just what you’re looking for. You’ll find a rollercoaster, dodgems, a ghost train, smaller kids rides and the notorious big twister, all a stone’s throw from the seafront, and all child friendly.   

Entry to the park is free, so you can spend a whole day flicking between the beach and the rides as you please. Simply buy tickets or wristbands for the rides. There are also arcades to keep you and your family entertained with all the usual machines. Food is available at several stalls, but there are picnic areas if you want to bring your own food. The staff are always on hand to assist and keep a look out for the giveaways of random goodies that occur throughout the day!  

Discover Dinotropolis, the land that time forgot, for a day out that you certainly won’t forget! There’s something for everyone at this dinosaur adventure park with animatronic dinosaurs and raptor racing for older kids, the tasty Fossil Café for parents and three stories of soft play for the little ones.

The range and inventiveness of the activities at Dinotropolis is sure to stimulate your kids’ imagination. At the Dino Escape Challenge, they can put their ranger skills to the test, skirting past alarms, booby traps and laser beams in the dark without waking the sleeping baby dinosaurs. You can dig for fossils and build volcanoes at the scientific sand table in Discovery Cove. Perhaps the most exciting activity of all is the opportunity to draw dinosaurs at the arts and crafts corner before bringing them to life on huge interactive screens. At the soft play area there are slides, nets, steps, ladders, a racetrack, and ball pits. With all this to do the time will fly and your 90-minute session will be over in a flash, like the strike of a meteor!

Entertaining fun and sun seekers for over 100 years, the Dreamland theme park in the heart of Margate town centre is quite simply a Kent seaside institution. Dreamland is a mecca for theme park aficionados, who flock to the park every season to ride the Scenic Railway - the oldest rollercoaster in the UK. Opened in 1920, this historic wooden coaster survived a major fire during World War Two, a further fire in 1950 and a third in 2008. Re-opening in 2015 after extensive renovation, this dipper continues to attract delight the crowds that ride its rails.

After you've enjoyed the thrills and spills of the scenic railway, why not try some of the other retro rides including the Waltzer, Dodgems and Galloper Carousel. For fans of four wheels - on their feet - Dreamland also houses the incredibly enjoyable roller disco. All in all, there are plenty of reasons to skate on over to Dreamland for a visit.