(Credit: pixabay)

With its rolling downs, picturesque rivers and sandy beaches, Kent is one of the most beautiful counties in the country. When the weather is nice, the Garden of England has culture, history, and nature in abundance. Featuring all manner of attractions, you are never going to lack when it comes to having a day out in Kent. But what about when it starts to get dark? That’s OK, because here, we are going to talk about some of the best ideas for an evening out in Kent.

1. Gamble at the Broadstairs Casino

If you like your gambling, Kent has one proper casino that you can visit. The Grosvenor Casino Thanet, in Broadstairs, offers the very best in gambling atmosphere that the county has to offer. The venue, which opened in the seaside town’s Westwood Cross shopping centre in 2008, gives punters the chance to win money by playing roulette, blackjack, poker and more. If you just want to check it out without having to play, there is a restaurant at the venue, too. On the other hand, if you just fancy staying indoors for the evening but you still want to get involved in casino games, there is scope to do that, too. With the boom in online gaming very much still an ongoing concern and online casinos in the UK bigger than ever, you can always take part in a casino evening in, rather than one out, when you are in Kent and have a lot of fun at the same time. Just remember to gamble responsibly. 

1. See the sunset over the White Cliffs of Dover

The White Cliffs of Dover are one of the single most iconic natural landmarks in the whole of the UK, let alone Kent. Around eight miles long and 350 feet high at their tallest point, these chalk cliffs are instantly recognisable. On a clear day, you can see France’s Alabaster Coast, part of the same geological structure, just 20 miles away. While the cliffs themselves are a beautiful sight, the land at the top of them is well worth exploring. What makes them all the more wonderful is their potential for an evening out. You can stroll above the English Channel and even check out the historic South Foreland Lighthouse while the sun sets, giving the historic location a magical aura. Oh, and if you want a quick detour, you can visit Samphire Hoe, a nature reserve created using chalk marl dug up during the construction of the nearby Channel Tunnel. 

1. Sample some local wine straight from the vineyard

Kent has become one of the gastronomical centres of the UK. One thing, however, that helps it stand apart from other counties is its fast growing and critically acclaimed wine industry. Although wine was made in England up until just before the First World War, imported drinks had always been more popular. In recent years, though, things have changed. As people learned more about international viticulture, they brought back the idea of grape growing to the UK and, with it, an ability to make British wine again. Homebrewing had always been popular, but as people were able to create decent sized vineyards again, they were able to start operating on a commercial scale. Kent, with some of the mildest climates in Britain, became one of the key regions for the British wine industry. With more than 120 separate vineyards spread across the county, the terrain is similar to the Champagne region of France – and we all know how good wines from there are. Many of the vineyards feature the opportunity to get some food and, better yet, sample the wines from the site, so we can’t think of many better ways to spend an evening out. 

1. Check out the local theatre scene

Canterbury was home to Elizabethan playwright, author of Doctor Faustus and both contemporary of and influence on William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe. His heritage lives on in Kent, with his hometown’s main theatre named after him and plays host to plays, pantomimes and concerts. That isn’t the only place where you can spend an evening at the theatre in Kent. Whether it’s the Assembly Hall in Tunbridge Wells – not far from the town’s iconic live music venue The Forum – or the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, which often is one of the first choices for touring West End productions or the compact, 112-seater Oast Theatre in Tonbridge, Kent is full of places to spend your evening if you want to take in pretty much any kind of show.