insideKENT Magazine Issue 64 - July 2017 | Page 78

VISITKENT
THANET cont.
Coastal Explorer Pack Activity
Dreamland, Re-opening. © Jason Pay
COASTAL EXPLORER PACKS
If you want to do something really different
that will also take you to some of the most
interesting places in Thanet – and teach you
and your little ones something along the way
too – then hiring a coastal explorer pack
should be on your to do list.
and even carrying out rocky shore research.
These coastal explorer packs are a product of
‘Discover Thanet’s Coast’, a Thanet District
Council coast and heritage engagement
project delivered through Coastal
Communities Fund support, with the aim of
enhancing the heritage and coast-led tourism
offer in Thanet.
DREAMLAND HAS A NEW LOOK
One of the biggest draws in Thanet, and in
Margate in particular, is Dreamland. A vintage
theme park that dates back to the 1920s, its
latest reincarnation has involved a whopping
£25-million revamp and consolidated
Margate’s position as a veritable seaside mecca.
These expedition style bags can be hired in
Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, at three
key locations. Inside the bag you will find a
magnifying glass, specimen pots, a net, a
compass and everything else you’ll need to
get going. With your bag in hand, you have
12 great activities to complete that include
making a sundial, creating beautiful beach art
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Although one of the most recognisable new
Dreamland features is the installation of some
cutting-edge new design – most notably a
brand new 15,000-capacity music venue that
will inevitably draw crowds from London and
all over the South East – the park has remained
true to its retro roots, just with a restorative
injection of polish and shine. New rides
include a beautifully restored 1940’s waltzer
and a Brooklands Speedway roundabout from
the 1930s, and other amusements that are core
to the Dreamland experience, such as the big
wheel and the Scenic Railway, have been
renovated and refurbished.
Very much a family-friendly day out, smaller
children are catered for at the all-new Teddy
and Betty Land, where the park’s mascots take
centre stage hosting stage shows and ushering
little people onto brand new rides including
Betty’s Beehive – a brilliant figure-of-eight
rollercoaster that’s safe and suitable for small
people. Characters arriving for play dates on
special Thursdays throughout the summer at
Teddy and Betty Land include Peppa Pig and
family, Chase and Marshall from PAW Patrol
and Captain Barnacles and Kwazii from the
Octonauts.
Besides a creative makeover, Dreamland have
hugely upped their food and drink game too.
Hungry crowds set to flock there this summer
can grab a bite to eat (or five!) at a
contemporary food court serving exciting
street food from all over the world before
heading to a ‘tree-top’ bar on stilts for
refreshment. Not forgetting the irresistible pull
of a good old pub, the team behind
Dreamland’s transformation has also
renovated seafront favourite, the Cinque Ports,
which sits adjacent to all the action.
Dreamland is open every Friday to Sunday
until 24th July, before opening seven days a
week during peak season.