Lifestyle

One of the most attractive aspects of living and working in East Kent is its quality of life. Opportunities to enjoy outdoor and coastal pursuits are plentiful for both residents and tourists.

The wonderful coastline has charming resorts and sandy coves, and inland there are country lanes and picturesque villages, the Kent Downs and large areas of woodland. While Kent as a whole has been ranked fifth as the most attractive English sub-region, East Kent tops the charts for its ‘strong natural environment'.

The area's rich heritage is reflected in castles, such as Dover Castle, forts, historic houses, an impressive 32 museums and Canterbury, a city that exudes an atmospheric blend of old world charm and cosmopolitan vitality. Among East Kent's impressive range of leisure facilities are Folkestone Racecourse, 12 golf courses, including the famous Royal St George's course at Sandwich, host of twelve Open Golf championships, including the 2011 Open.

A cultural regeneration is underway in the area. The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury is benefiting from a £23 million redevelopment and £17.5 million has been invested in the Turner Contemporary, both open in 2011. The striking seafront international centre for the visual arts in Margate is the largest dedicated visual arts venue in Kent, and one of the largest in the south east outside of London. There's even more choice of cultural experiences from the Theatre Royal Margate, Folkestone's Quarterhouse and Triennial, and Canterbury's most famous arts festival.

Canterbury is one of the UK's most popular tourist locations and is an attractive destination with a wide variety of shops available including the multi-award winning Whitefriars Shopping Centre. In Thanet there is Westwood Cross - a large out-of-town centre and seafront and town centre regeneration projects are underway in Dover, Herne Bay, Margate, Folkestone and Ramsgate. As for finding that something just a little different, towns across East Kent, such as Whitstable and Hythe, are home to many small specialist shops that add an important dimension to the East Kent retail experience

Click here for more detail on places to visit in East Kent.