5-Bedroom Hot Tub House in Smarden

Sissinghurst Castle Garden was created by the writer Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson, who bought the run-down farmstead in 1930. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is Grade I listed. The design is a series of enclosed "garden rooms" linked by straight walks, and the White Garden is the best known of them.

Tip: Pushchairs aren't allowed in the main garden because of narrow paths, but baby carriers are fine. Dogs on leads can use the wider estate but not the formal garden. Check the National Trust page for opening times and any closures before you go.

Howletts is a wild animal park in the parish of Bekesbourne, near Canterbury, set in about 90 acres of ancient parkland. It opened to the public in 1975 and is run by a charity, the Aspinall Foundation, so your ticket goes towards its conservation work.

Tip: Book online in advance: it gives you access to the park's wet weather policy. Check the talk and feeding boards by the gatehouse when you arrive.

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex. Sir Edward Dalyngrigge built it in 1385 with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. It has no keep. Instead, the chambers were built around the outer walls and inner courts, with towers at the corners and the entrance, topped by battlements.

Tip: You don't need to book in advance, but the car park uses the JustPark app, so download it and set up an account before you arrive. The towers are reached by steep spiral staircases.

Dreamland is an amusement park and entertainment centre built around a traditional English seaside funfair in Margate, Kent. The site has hosted amusement rides since 1880, and the Dreamland name dates from 1920, when the Grade II* listed Scenic Railway wooden rollercoaster opened. The park was restored and reopened in 2015 after years of closure, following a public campaign to save it.

Tip: Check the What's On page before you go: events show age guidance, and popular ones can sell out, so book ahead.

Leeds Castle stands on islands in a lake formed by the River Len, about 7 miles south-east of Maidstone in Kent. It is a Grade I listed estate, and a castle has stood on the site since Saxon times. The building you see today is mostly early 19th century, remodelled in a Tudor style.

Tip: Look out for the painting of Henry VIII meeting Francis I of France, and the doublet worn at the Battle of Maidstone, both on display.

Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England. It stands on the site of one of the oldest Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site, along with St Augustine's Abbey and the ancient Church of St Martin.

Battle Abbey, run by English Heritage as 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, is the site where William the Conqueror's Normans met King Harold's English army. The abbey was founded by William soon after the conquest, said to be on the spot where Harold died.

Tip: Head to the visitor centre first to get the story of the battle, then take the audio tour round the battlefield.

Scotney Castle is a National Trust property near Lamberhurst, set in a wooded valley. The star is the ruined medieval Old Castle, which sits on an island in a small lake. Sloping gardens run down to the water, with rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia in spring, wisteria and roses in summer, and strong autumn colour. The garden is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Tip: The car park is small, so check the National Trust website for current parking booking rules before you set off.