5-Bedroom Hot Tub Cottage in Walmer

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.

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.

Dover Castle crowns the white cliffs above the Channel and has been called the "Key to England" because of its defensive importance through the centuries. It is Grade I listed and has a history stretching back some 2,000 years, with a Roman lighthouse still standing in the grounds.

Tip: Book early online to save money, and check the English Heritage website for which parts of the Secret Wartime Tunnels are open before you go.

Walmer Castle was built by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1540 as an artillery fort to defend the Downs anchorage against invasion. Over time it became a country house, and for nearly three centuries it has been the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, a title held by the Duke of Wellington and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother among others.

Tip: Combine it with Deal Castle, which is about 1.3 miles away and reachable on foot.

The White Cliffs of Dover are one of the best-known stretches of the English coast. Chalk streaked with black flint rises to about 350 feet (110 m), and the cliffs stretch for eight miles (13 km) on both sides of the town of Dover.

Tip: Start at the National Trust Gateway building for the restaurant and information on local history and landscape.

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.

Deal Castle is the most elaborate of the artillery castles Henry VIII built to defend the coast against a threatened invasion from Catholic Europe. Inside, displays show how the fortress worked, including a huge illustrated map of Europe and audio that lets you eavesdrop on the thoughts of Henry and his opponents.

Tip: Head for the Rounds passage first, then climb the spiral stairs to the Captains of Deal display and the graffiti room.

The Shell Grotto is an underground passageway in Margate, dug out of chalk and decorated almost from top to bottom with shell mosaics. Around 4.6 million shells cover roughly 2,000 square feet of wall and roof. A winding passage leads down to a rotunda and on to a rectangular altar chamber, with a shaft that lets in a little daylight.

Tip: There is no car park at the grotto. Try the surrounding residential roads, or the Trinity Square pay and display car park (CT9 1QY). It has no step-free access, and large bags must be left at reception.