Places to visit in Kent in December 2020 despite Tier 3 restrictions

Whilst country parks, gardens and other open spaces have remained open during lockdown, November saw the closure of all of Kent's animal parks.

The attractions have now reopened and are keen to welcome back families looking for a healthy dose of fresh air in the run up to Christmas. Here's all the details:

Howletts near Canterbury and Port Lympne near Hythe

The Aspinall Foundation’s wildlife parks Port Lympne Reserve near Hythe and Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury have reopened to day visitors.

But following the latest government announcement placing Kent in Tier 3, all accommodation at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve as well as The Garden Room currently remain closed.

'Some much needed excitement and outdoor escapism' is however promised by the parks, which are looking forward to welcoming families back to their vast open spaces, with all the required safety measures in place.

Day tickets are priced from £17.00. Tickets can be purchased online in advance by visiting www.aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne

Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch near Ashford

The Rare Breeds Centre has decided to reopen for winter on weekends and during the school holidays only.

The charity is hoping welcoming back visitors will support the huge cost of running the farm and taking care of the animals during the lockdowns.

If weekends get booked up fast, says Rare Breeds in a message on its facebook page, it will look at opening for another day in the week.

Members will have all days lost added to their membership as well. Tickets must be booked online in advance and for track and trace reasons no tickets on the gate can be booked. Click here to book yours.

The organisation is also opening ticket sales for a special virtual Santa's Grotto which will include a gift being sent to a child's house. To learn more about the Zoom Santa Sessions please visit www.rarebreeds.org.uk/

Wildwood, Herne Common, Herne Bay

Wildwood has reopened its doors to the public but with restricted visitor numbers to help ensure everyone's safety.
Families can now book visits online in advance for a specific date and time slot. Opening hours are 10am until 4pm and visitors can stay all day once they have arrived at their designated time.

The attraction is also running a number of Winter Woodland Guided Tours to reveal the Christmas secrets of some of the park's residents. These events are running from December until the beginning of January. To learn more please click here.

Wingham Wildlife Park near Canterbury

Wingham is welcoming back families to its wild animal park providing visits are booked online in advance.

Visitor numbers are restricted to enable everyone to social distance so families must have their visit pre-arranged. For those looking for an outing in the great outdoors, click here to find out more about what is available and the safety measures in place.