Kent district, Kent, United Kingdom

Places to visit near Folkestone

Folkestone is a town in Kent district, Kent, United Kingdom, home to about 66,429 people. Within 50 km by road there are 101 places to visit — 23 forts & heritage, 21 churches, 22 parks and 13 wildlife, forests & gardens. The must-see places are Lower Leas Coastal Park (1 km), Sandgate Castle (2 km) and Castle Hill (2 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Folkestone on the map

Folkestone, Kent
Folkestone, Kent district, Kent, United Kingdom. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Folkestone at a glance

Location
Kent district, Kent, United Kingdom
Population
about 66,429
Coordinates
51.0817° N, 1.1673° E
Places within 50 km
101 (101 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and parks

Top places to visit near Folkestone

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Folkestone: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Folkestone, by type

Forts & heritage near Folkestone

76 forts & heritage within 100 km of Folkestone. The closest is Sandgate Castle (2 km). Best time: october to february.

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Churches near Folkestone

72 churches within 100 km of Folkestone. The closest is St Leonard's (7 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near Folkestone

54 parks within 100 km of Folkestone. The closest is Lower Leas Coastal Park (1 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Folkestone

32 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Folkestone. The closest is Nemo Down (12 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Beaches & coast near Folkestone

19 beaches & coast within 100 km of Folkestone. The closest is West Head Light (15 km). Best time: october to march.

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Treks near Folkestone

15 treks within 100 km of Folkestone. The closest is Elham Valley Way (14 km). Best time: october to february.

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A one-day trip from Folkestone

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 14 km on the road.

  1. Start in Folkestone
  2. 1 km Lower Leas Coastal Park · park, Kent
  3. 2 km Sandgate Castle · heritage site, Kent
  4. 2 km Cheriton Recreation Ground · park, Kent
  5. 2 km Castle Hill · hill, Kent
  6. 4 km East Cliff · viewpoint, Kent
  7. 3 km Back to Folkestone

Plan a longer trip from Folkestone — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Folkestone

No traveller has reported from around Folkestone yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Folkestone

    All places near Folkestone by distance

    Within 15 km of Folkestone

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Folkestone by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Forts & heritage2376Sandgate Castle (2 km)
    Churches2172St Leonard's (7 km)
    Parks2254Lower Leas Coastal Park (1 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1332Nemo Down (12 km)
    Beaches & coast719West Head Light (15 km)
    Treks615Elham Valley Way (14 km)
    Museums511Kent MOMI (28 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints27East Cliff (3 km)
    Other attractions15Lamb House (42 km)
    Caves12Margate Caves (47 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves01Isle of Sheppey (53 km)
    Mosques & dargahs01Nasir Mosque (69 km)
    Temples01Siri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara (85 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs01Arlington Reservoir (93 km)

    Folkestone: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Folkestone?

    Lower Leas Coastal Park (park, about 1 km), Sandgate Castle (heritage site, about 2 km), Castle Hill (hill, about 2 km), Cheriton Recreation Ground (park, about 3 km), East Cliff (viewpoint, about 3 km), Folkestone Roman Villa (heritage site, about 3 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Folkestone?

    101 places on Spotwander: 23 forts & heritage, 21 churches, 22 parks, 13 wildlife, forests & gardens, 7 beaches & coast.

    Which is the nearest fort to Folkestone?

    Sandgate Castle, about 2 km by road; Castle Hill (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest church to Folkestone?

    St Leonard's, about 7 km by road; St Laurence (9 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Folkestone?

    Lower Leas Coastal Park, about 1 km by road; Cheriton Recreation Ground (3 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Folkestone?

    Start in Folkestone, visit Lower Leas Coastal Park, then Sandgate Castle, then Cheriton Recreation Ground, then Castle Hill, then East Cliff, and drive back — about 14 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Folkestone?

    October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and parks.

    Towns near Folkestone

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Folkestone’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Folkestone on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.