The sun is shining (mostly), schools are out and the waft of barbeque smoke permeates every other street… it’s peak British summer time. But as thunder always follows lightening, parents know that now the final school bell of the year has rung, there's six long weeks of entertaining little ones by any means possible. The question we have to all parents – are you prepared? If not, don’t worry, because we’ve planned a summer full of affordable activities for families of all ages.
Following on from the ever-popular Sweeps festival, the cobbled streets of Rochester will be vibrant as ever this summer as hallmark attractions such as the castle, cathedral, Eastgate House and the Guildhall Museum focus on bringing history to life in a fun and interactive way. As well as being three of our four hosts for the returning Summer Trails, each site has a number of special events, exhibitions and visitors throughout the summer.
It’s medieval madness at Rochester Castle with their storyteller, jester and musicians who will immerse you in medieval Medway like nobody else can; and if you reach the top of the castle to take in the magnificent view, you might just spot the Guildhall Museum’s Birds of Prey soaring through the sky! And we’ll stop you right there before you even ask… of course you can go and meet the flock, as well as their brand-new mascot Grip the Raven. However, if you don’t think your little adventurers are quite ready for any of that, they can bring a picnic and their favourite teddy to Eastgate House, who have you covered with their Teddy Bear Picnic, full of songs, dancing and of course a big friendly bear.
If you’re still on a historic buzz after all of that, take a trip down the river to Upnor Castle, the final of our four Summer Trails hosts, who have a stacked summer line-up including Dr Digby Rocks’ Festival of Archaeology, Outdoor Theatre performed by some incredible local companies and The Highlanders re-enactment.
Equally, The Historic Dockyard Chatham have something for everyone this summer; outside of their staple attractions HMS Gannet, Cavalier and submarine Ocelot, they’ve got incredible temporary LEGO exhibitions which are not to be missed, as well as ropemaking, indoor soft play and film locations tours (featuring locations from Call of the Midwife, Loki and Les Miserables to name a few!).
There’s also a big splash of fun for families who want a more active day out. The Strand Lido and Leisure Park has made massive strides, with the brand-new splash pad – equipped with over 30 water jets - now accompanying the 130-year-old lido (which has never looked better). The UK’s only remaining riverside tidal saltwater lido is equipped with lane swimming, a lazy river, toddler pool and water jets; you can also bring your own seating, food and drink making it a more affordable way for families to soak in the summer fun! The strand also offers newly refurbished tennis courts, a miniature railway and picnic areas so you can relax and refuel after an action-packed day.
However, if salt water isn’t your thing but you’d still like to make some waves this summer, you can book a session at one of our leisure centres. The newly renovated Cozenton Park Sports Centre offers lane swimming, a separate children’s pool and wave pool, giant slide and inflatable sessions; whilst thrill seekers can quite literally dive into the action off of the boards at Medway Park’s pools.
After all that, if you still want to get more value out of your swim costume, take a trip down to St Andrew’s Lake. The former quarry turned lake has an incredible range of both water and land-based activities for all ages including, a zip wire, aqua park, paddleboards and kayaks. They even have a wellness centre and BBQ cabins, making it a wonderful hidden retreat amongst Kent’s countryside.
Check out our summer brochure⬇
