By rail: Maidstone East and Maidstone West train stations service the area. You can catch trains from Maidstone West to Tonbridge and Strood. By car: Maidstone has excellent road connections. The M20 runs to the north and the M2 is only a short distance away. The A20 runs through the town and connects it with Sevenoaks and Ashford. You can also easily access the A Gatwick has flights to destinations and has operators including easyJet and Virgin Atlantic.
By sea: The Port of Dover, a minute car journey away, has cross-channel ferry services to both Calais and Dunkirk. History: Boost your knowledge of history by visiting Maidstone Museum. Take a look at an Egyptian mummy, peruse a gallery of oil paintings and study items from the Japanese Edo period.
Leeds Castle is just a minute drive from the centre of Maidstone. Take a tour around this former Norman stronghold and royal residence to find out more about its history, before stretching your legs in the acres of parkland and formal gardens.
And don't forget to test your bravery and head for heights at the Go Ape! Outdoors: On a sunny day, head for the Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre on the banks of the River Medway and enjoy the scenery.
And take advantage of the Medway Riverside Walk. Alternatively, stroll around Mote Park, a Green Flag park with more than acres of grassland and woodland. Watch enthusiasts driving their model boats and trains on the lake and miniature railway. Use the town as a springboard into the Kent Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty famed for its hills, meadows and views.
Follow the trails on foot or work up an appetite on your bicycle. Shopping: Fremlin Walk is the go-to place for shopping, with 50 popular high-street shops, such as Waterstones, Zara and House of Fraser. You can find further shops at The Mall Maidstone shopping centre. For local goods, browse the stalls at Maidstone Market.
Culture: For a night out, head to the Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre. It has a cinema as well as restaurants and nightclubs. Book a seat at the Hazlitt Theatre for live comedy, music and drama acts. You can also see open-air performances at Riverstage. Whether travelling around the town or locally, there are many Arriva buses in Maidstone taking you where you want to go, along with National Express coach services.
The Port of Dover is just a minute car journey away, where cross-channel ferry services to Calais and Dunkirk can be enjoyed. For those seeking further education, there is the MidKent College University Centre for higher education courses and The University for the Creative Arts , a prestigious university in the neighbouring district of Oakwood, with an onsite TV studio.
New mums can socialise with other local mums in their area at baby and toddler groups and can also take part in projects by the Princess Project. With lush parks, fantastic shops and mouth-watering restaurants, Maidstone has an abundance of amenities for every demographic. There are excellent shopping centres in the heart of the town, as well as a main pedestrianised shopping street with an eclectic mix of well-known and independent retailers.
Maidstone Market is also held twice a week, where residents can buy fresh local produce along with household goods, enjoying everything from soft fruits and chutneys to ice-cream and fruit juices. From cosy Kentish country pubs such as Ye Olde Thirsty Pig — a 15 th -century watering hole — to elegant bistros, fine-dining restaurants and artisan cafes, there are places to eat and drink in Maidstone to suit every budget.
Entertainment wise, Maidstone offers a cinema, theatre, bowling complex and trampoline park and Lockmeadow Entertainment Centre has a cinema, restaurants and nightclubs all in one. If you like to get out and about in the fresh air, Maidstone has green spaces in bucket-loads.
Green Flag Mote Park is perfect for afternoon strolls and woodland walks and also has a boating lake, miniature railway and fishing and water sports available.
The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is nearby, ideal for hiking and cycling, and the Medway Riverside Walk makes for pleasant waterside strolls or bike rides, with plenty of flora and fauna and houseboats to admire along the way. For a peaceful spot to read a book or while away an hour or so, head to the tranquil Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre on the banks of the River Medway. Maidstone is an active town and residents can visit Maidstone Leisure Centre, play tennis or enjoy a round of golf.
For adrenaline-junkies, head to nearby GoApe at Leeds Castle with treetop walkways, zip wires and segways on offer. There is plenty to keep the whole family entertained when living in Maidstone and history fans, theatre aficionados and festival goers are all well catered for. If you love music, the Social Festival held at the Kent County Showground has dance music acts as well as funfair rides and market stalls; the Maidstone Fringe Festival celebrates local music, with live acts, dance and street food every May Day bank holiday in the town centre; and the Hazlitt Theatre hosts comedy performances, music acts and theatrical performances.
It is years old and now offers a fascinating insight into days gone by, with castle rooms to visit, exhibitions and events, an exhilarating maze and grotto, and GoApe in the woodland grounds.
Further information on what Maidstone has to offer can be found at Visit Maidstone. This is because they are high-quality homes in good ar eas. Retirement flats are an affordable option. Larger retirement flats than this are rare. Maidstone is a good place for a day out or a short break. There are plenty of things to do, from visits to historic sites or fun play parks for families.
Shoppers will want to head for Fremlin Walk this is also the main location for parking or Maidstone Market. Accommodation ranges from chains such as Travelodge to former stately homes. Outdoor activities are popular with visitors. Maidstone has lots of trails for cyclists and walkers , from simple, easy routes suitable for families with children or people with less mobility, to more advanced and challenging trails for experienced hikers.
Other activities include short weekend art or crafts courses, city walks and tours of historic sites. Visitors with an interest in history will want to see Leeds Castle while a boat trip along the River Medway is a great way to relax. This can be combined with a stop at Kent Life, an open-air museum with interactive exhibits and even a petting zoo. Maidstone Museum is another fine destination: housed in historic Chillington House, Maidstone Museum has exhibits ranging from Japanese art to an Egyptian mummy.
Maidstone Carriage Museum is also fascinating, dedicated to the history horse-drawn transport in the area and beyond. Perhaps the most popular place to visit, though, is Mote Park. This is a large landscaped park with a acre lake, riverside walks and mature woodland. The park is home to a wide variety of species, including many types of waterfowl and other bird life.
The park regularly hosts festivals, concerts and other special events. Even if no event is planned during your visit. You can easily spend an entire day just exploring Mote Park. Tweets by maidstonebc. About the author: Marta Kovachek is the author of this article.
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