The historic county town of Kent lies along the River Medway, 32 miles from London. Bronze Age roots and Norman influence shaped this market town of 110,000 residents.
Maidstone lies along the River Medway, 32 miles from London. In this largest town in Kent, you can walk through a 900-year-old castle, paddle a boat on a 30-acre lake, or examine a 2,700-year-old Egyptian mummy at the local museum. The surrounding Kent countryside includes walking paths through apple orchards and vineyards, while the North Downs Way passes nearby.
Exploring Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle occupies 500 acres of parkland and gardens. You can explore rooms where Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon once lived, solve the yew hedge maze (which takes about 20 minutes), and watch birds of prey demonstrations at 1:30 PM daily. The Go Ape treetop course winds through cedar trees, with rope bridges and zip lines suspended up to 43 feet high.
Along the River Medway
A 10-kilometer paved path follows the River Medway through Maidstone's center. The Kentish Lady river boat departs four times daily in summer (twice in winter) from Archbishops Palace Pier, sailing past medieval bridges and riverside gardens. You'll find riverside cafes every kilometer along the path, including the Malta Inn with its outdoor deck over the water.
Museums and Culture
The Maidstone Museum contains 600,000 artifacts across 14 galleries. Its Egyptian collection includes Ta-Kush, a 2,700-year-old mummy, while the Japanese gallery displays samurai armor and woodblock prints from the 1800s. At Kent Life, 28 acres of working farmland demonstrate agricultural methods from the 1950s, including hop-picking demonstrations in September.
Parks and Natural Areas
Mote Park spans 450 acres with a 30-acre lake at its center. You can rent paddleboats from April to October, fish for carp (with a permit), or follow three marked walking trails ranging from 1 to 3 miles. The Kent Downs begin 2 miles from town, where the North Downs Way follows ancient pilgrim routes across chalk hillsides.
Food and Drink Experiences
The Maidstone Distillery runs gin-making workshops where you can create your own recipe. Tours run Wednesday through Sunday and include three gin tastings. Balfour Winery, 5 miles outside town, grows seven grape varieties on south-facing slopes. Their 90-minute tours explain the wine-making process and end with tastings of their sparkling wines.
Getting Around
Trains run from Maidstone East to London Victoria (1 hour 15 minutes) and from Maidstone West to London Bridge (1 hour 5 minutes). Local buses connect to Canterbury (1 hour) and Tunbridge Wells (45 minutes). Most town center attractions lie within a 15-minute walk of each other.
Historical Background
Maidstone grew around a crossing point on the River Medway. The town's name comes from "Maeidesstana" meaning "the maidens' stone" - likely referring to a large rock where medieval women gathered. Local quarries supplied Kentish ragstone to build parts of Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. The 14th-century Archbishop's Palace remains in the town center, alongside rows of Georgian townhouses on Bank Street.
