Often referred to as the ‘Garden of England’, the county of Kent in southeastern England is home to a plethora of listed buildings, some of the oldest castles in England, numerous Blue Flag beaches and world-renown chalk cliffs. Whether you choose to take a drive down the cliff-side A20 and follow the coast, or you hop from town to town to explore the streets – an Enterprise rental car will get you there comfortably and without hassle.
If you are looking for car hire in Kent, you can find some of our bigger branches in places like Canterbury in Northgate opposite the car park, in the port city of Dover just off the A20 by St James Retail Park and our Maidstone branch on George Street. If you plan to fly into England and make your way down to Kent by car, London Gatwick Airport is the closest international airport. You can find us in the South Terminal Car Park where we will make sure you get on your way to Kent in under an hour.
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The nickname given to this region is definitely accurate, but it’s more than just the Garden of England. Kent is also graced by wonderful seafront towns and cliffs, castles that survived centuries and still stand strong, and it’s even home to England’s only desert – the Dungeness headland. With the northwest part of the county filled with maritime history of Medway, Canterbury and its cathedral in the heart of the region and picturesque coasts and towns in the South and West – Kent is a wonderful place to explore with an Enterprise rental car.
For those interested in the history of British naval ventures, a visit to Chatham is a must. The Historic Dockyard museum is where you can learn about rope making and steam engines, or explore three Royal Navy ships: a 19th century sloop-of-war HMS Gannet, a ‘60s diesel submarine HMS Ocelot and HMS Cavalier, a retired navy C-class destroyer. You can also visit the nearby Rochester castle to see its Norman 11th century walls and climb to the top to get beautiful views of the River Medway. A visit to Canterbury is also necessity, as the historical town centre houses Canterbury Cathedral – the World Heritage Site home of the Anglican Church built in 1070. If you make your way towards Maidstone, you can visit ‘the loveliest castle in the world’ or Leeds Castle as it’s formally known, which even housed Catherine of Aragon. A little journey up the M20 gets you to Brands Hatch – a world-renown racing circuit where you can tackle the track in a race car yourself.
Kent is also a wonderful place to enjoy natural wonders, whether it’s the famous chalk cliffs of Dover, the numerous shingle beaches or the Kent Downs Area of Natural Beauty. The Downs are an expansive nature preserve where you can hike amongst hills and valleys, with plenty of wildlife to spot in the fields. You can follow a part of ‘The North Downs Way’ hiking trail, starting in Rochester and stopping off in Folkestone before setting off on the beautiful scenic drive on the A20. The road finishes in Dover, where besides the busy port you will find the largest castle in England – the 11th century Dover Castle that overlooks the white cliffs. If you want to be close to the cliffs however, it’s best to make your way towards Margate where the chalk stacks of Botany Bay allow you to fully absorb the beauty of these natural wonders. Whatever your plan for your time in Kent, it will be more comfortable and quicker to experience it all in an Enterprise rental car.
When driving around Kent, there a few key things to remember: