Why go
- County town of Kent, England.
- Served by Rochester Airport (RCS).
History
Maidstone is the largest town in the county of Kent in South East England, of which it is also the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it with Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river carried much of the town's trade as the centre of the agricultural county of Kent, which is known as the Garden of England. There is evidence of settlement in the area dating back before the Stone Age. The town, part of the borough of Maidstone, had an approximate population of 100,000 in 2019. Since World War II, the town's economy has shifted from heavy industry towards light industry and services.
Where to stay
16 Lancet Ln, Loose, Maidstone ME15 9RX, United Kingdom · risedenbandb.co.uk
28 Lower Stone St, Maidstone ME15 6LX, United Kingdom · stonecourthouse.com
19 London Rd, Maidstone ME16 8JE, United Kingdom · rockyhillhouse.co.uk
Pilgrims Way, Thurnham, Maidstone ME14 3LD, United Kingdom · blackhorsekent.co.uk
26-28 Albion Pl, Maidstone ME14 5DZ, United Kingdom · hotelscompany.net
Horseshoes Ln, Langley, Maidstone ME17 3LZ, United Kingdom · elitepubs.com
Museum Of Kent, Lock Ln, Maidstone ME14 3AU, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
1 New Rd, East Malling, West Malling ME19 6DD, United Kingdom · kingandqueeneastmalling.co.uk
Hollingbourne, Maidstone ME17 1RE, United Kingdom · all.accor.com
London Rd, Maidstone ME16 0HG, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
5-11 London Rd, Maidstone ME16 8HR, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
Lower Rd, West Farleigh, Maidstone ME15 0PE, United Kingdom · thetickledtrout.com
Castle View, Forstal Rd, Maidstone ME14 3AQ, United Kingdom · village-hotels.co.uk
Bearsted Rd, Maidstone ME14 5AA, United Kingdom · oridahotels.com
St Peter's St, Maidstone ME16 0SR, United Kingdom · travelodge.co.uk
Roadchef Motorway Svc Area, Maidstone ME17 1SS, United Kingdom · wyndhamhotels.com
4-8 St Michael's Rd, Maidstone ME16 8BS, United Kingdom · grangemoor.co.uk
Miller House, 43-51 Lower Stone St, Maidstone ME15 6GB, United Kingdom
802 London Rd, Maidstone, Aylesford ME20 6HJ, United Kingdom · hamletmaidstone.com
Ashford Rd, Bearsted, Maidstone ME14 4NQ, United Kingdom · marriott.com
Sandling Rd, Maidstone ME14 2RF, United Kingdom · innkeeperscollection.co.uk
12 Conway Rd, Maidstone ME16 0HD, United Kingdom
8 Foster St, Maidstone ME15 6NH, United Kingdom
Flat 1, 92 Wheeler St, Maidstone ME14 1UB, United Kingdom
Whiterock court, 4 White Rock Ct, White Rock Pl, Maidstone ME16 8HX, United Kingdom
Indoor
Indoor
35 St Andrews Park, Tarragon Rd, Maidstone ME16 0WD, United Kingdom · standrews-apartments.co.uk
17 Union St, Maidstone ME14 1EB, United Kingdom
The Buttery, Maidstone ME15 8FF, United Kingdom
Indoor
49 Stagshaw Cl, Maidstone ME15 6TE, United Kingdom
Restaurants & places to go
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00; Sa,Su,PH 08:00-19:00 · Maidstone, ME16 0LU · theloth.co.uk
Steak House, Burger, Sandwich, Chicken, Seafood, Restaurant · Buenos Aires Steakhouse offers the authentic Argentinian steaks in maidstone, Kent. Features:… · ba-nights.co.uk
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · Medway, ME7 3PA · burgerking.co.uk
Pizza, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:45 Features: takeaway · 371-373 Walderslade Road, Chatham, ME5 9LL · dominos.co.uk
Thai, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-22:30 · gigglingsquid.com
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-23:00 Features: takeaway · uklocations.wendys.com
Italian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 12:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00 Features: outdoor seating · Hempstead Valley Drive, Gillingham, ME7… · bellaitalia.co.uk
American, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 09:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00 Features: outdoor seating, step-free access · Hempstead Valley… · frankieandbennys.com
Sandwich, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 07:30-20:30; Su 09:00-18:00 Features: takeaway · restaurants.subway.com
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Features: takeaway · Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, ME14 3EN · marksandspencer.com
Chinese, Fast Food · Opening hours: Su-Th 17:00-22:30; Fr-Sa 17:00-23:00 · Walderslade Road, Chatham, ME5 9UD · chans-takeaway.business.site
Fish And Chips, Kebab, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-22:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · 31 Yarrow Road, Chatham, ME5 0SD · georgesfishbaronline.co.uk
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Sa 16:00-22:00; Su 15:00-21:00 Features: takeaway · 10 Bradbourne Lane, Aylesford, ME20 6PA · kathmandupalace.co.uk
French, Restaurant · Opening hours: We-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-18:00 · 13-15 Earl Street, Maidstone, ME14 1PL · maisonfrederic.co.uk
Greek, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-22:00 · 25 Pudding Lane, ME14 1PA · pittasouvlaki.uk
Tex-Mex, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, delivery · 51 Week Street, Maidstone, ME14 1QT · locations.tacobell.co.uk
Grill, Pasta, Pizza, Restaurant · Features: vegetarian options · wildwoodrestaurants.co.uk
Ice Cream, Ice Cream · Ice Cream ice cream · 15 King Street, Maidstone, ME14 1BA · creamscafe.com
British, Restaurant · British restaurant · Maidstone · beefeater.co.uk
Steak, Restaurant · Steak restaurant · Sandling Road, Maidstone, ME14 2RF · millerandcarter.co.uk
Asian, Restaurant · Asian restaurant · 19 Earl Street, Maidstone, ME14 1PL · wagamama.com
Kebab, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 14:00-23:00; Su 16:00-23:00 · Walderslade Road
Regional, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating, vegetarian options · 47 Swan Street, ME19 6JU · stleonardskent.co.uk
Spanish, Mediterranean, Restaurant · Spanish/Mediterranean restaurant · 51 Fairmeadow, Maidstone, ME14 1JP · lataberna.co.uk
Noodle, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, halal · Maidstone
Japanese, Korean, Sushi, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 12 King Street, Maidstone, ME14 1DE
Breakfast, Cake, Coffee Shop, Donut, Fish And Chips, Grill, Ice Cream, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:30-05:30 · 262 Dukes Walk, ME15 6AS
Bubble Tea, Cafe · Bubble Tea cafe · Hempstead Valley Drive, ME7 3PB
Mixed, Restaurant · Mixed restaurant · Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, ME16 9NZ
Belgian, Restaurant · Belgian restaurant · 55-57 High Street, ME19 6QH
German, Restaurant · German restaurant · 79-85 Week Street, Maidstone, ME14 1QX
Afghan/Persian, Restaurant · Afghan/Persian restaurant · 42-44 Earl Street, Maidstone, ME14 1PS
Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:30-16:00
Restaurant · restaurant · romneyrestaurant.co.uk
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Th 08:30-15:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-16:00; Su[1] 09:00-14:30 Features: outdoor seating · The Green, Bearsted, ME14 4EA · fedonthegreen.com
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: 24/7 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway · 8 M20 Junction, Maidstone, ME17 1SS · mcdonalds.com
Pizza, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00 Features: takeaway · 716 London Road, Aylesford, ME20 6BL · papajohns.co.uk
Thai, Restaurant · Features: vegetarian options
Chicken, Portuguese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:30-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:30-22:30, Su 11:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · Aylesford, ME20 7TP · nandos.co.uk
Italian, Restaurant · Italian restaurant · 46,48,50 Earl Street, Maidstone, ME14 1PS · zizzi.co.uk
American, Restaurant · American restaurant · Chatham Road, Sandling, ME14 3AG · harvester.co.uk
Sandwich, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 07:30-14:00 · 14, West Malling, ME19 4AU · memphisbellesandwichshop.co.uk
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Features: takeaway · 34 Fremlin Walk, Maidstone, ME14 1QP · patisserie-valerie.co.uk
Chinese, Restaurant · Features: takeaway, vegetarian options · 20 High Street, ME19 6QR
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 11:00-23:00 · papasbarnkent.co.uk
167 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
London Southend Airport (SEN) 22 mi to the centre
Essex, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6YF, UK — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 2 airlines (easyJet, Aer Lingus) · direct flights to 14 destinations incl. Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 14 direct destinations
- easyJet U2 (A319) · 13 routes: Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Ibiza, Jersey, Krakow, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Venice
- Aer Lingus EI (AT4, ATR 72) · 1 route: Dublin*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH) 22 mi to the centre
London, ENG, GB — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Rochester Airport (RCS) 5.7 mi to the centre
Rochester, Kent, ENG, GB — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Headcorn Aerodrome 9.3 mi to the centre
Ashford, Kent, ENG, GB
Rankins Farm Airfield 4.5 mi to the centre
Maidstone, Kent, ENG, GB
Lukesfield Airstrip 6.3 mi to the centre
Tonbridge, Kent, ENG, GB
Getting there by ferry
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 4.7 mi from the centre
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 4.8 mi from the centre
Black Swan Ferry
Ferry route
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Rochester Airport (RCS); 9 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 2 ferry terminals within 12 mi; routes include Black Swan Ferry.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Maidstone, UK. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
Intercity coach
Intercity coach