Home > TMC Guide To.. > Travel > TMC’S Guide to Tunbridge Wells Post author By The Mum Club Post date 9 May 2024 TMC’S Guide to Tunbridge Wells The Mum Club9 May 2024 Royal Tunbridge Wells has a lot more to offer than just good schools! The Mum Club Tunbridge Wells Host Felicity Tidey shares her favourite places in the town… Where to Stay… Hotel Du Vin The rooms are not as expensive as you’d think and it’s in the perfect location for all of the town’s shops and restaurants. It also sits just on top of Calverley Park, which is great for kids (*if you bring them), and the hotel is also dog-friendly, which is surprising, but helpful if you have a four-legged friend. Find out more Where to Eat… Best Baby Brunch Spot The Old Auction House, at the bottom of the Pantiles, is the perfect spot for brunching with little ones. It’s also one of the places we like to host TMC brunches. It’s light and spacious, has parking right outside, and has an excellent menu for all ages. They also have a small play area and a toy box that would make any child envious. Come to Our Next Brunch Best Date Night It’s a little out of town, but the Shufflehouse is well worth a trip as it serves great food and cocktails. They also have an Escape Room experience over the road, and of course, you can try your hand at shuffleboard. *Make sure you pre-book these activities and a table, as they are hugely popular. Find out more Best Cake Shop I love Ruby’s on Monson Way. It is both Instagram-worthy and yummy. Everything is vegan (and you’d never know), and the staff are welcoming. It’s not to be missed, and they have a café in Greenwich too, if it sounds like your vibe. Find out more Best Pub The White Bear on the High Street is beautiful inside and out and serves delicious food. If the weather is good, request a table at ‘The Orangery’ as it has a retractable roof that opens up on sunny days. The stylish bistro pub is also perfectly placed on Tunbridge Wells’ pretty high street, which is a quick walk to the station and also The Pantiles. Find out more Best Bakery New on the scene, Halstead Bakery, on Camden Road, is one to make a detour to. Serving pastries so big you ‘could’ share and extraordinary sourdoughs that rival its more centrally placed rival Gail’s. They are also open from 9am on a Sunday, which is winning. Find out more Best Lunch (and you can stay) Often nicknamed Sunny Tunny, Lunch is excellent almost everywhere when the temperatures soar in the town. There are plenty of spots on The Pantiles – all highly rated, and great pub gardens like The Barn or The George. But if you want a special lunch, it’s worth taking a short trip to The Beacon for incredible views and food. And you can now stay there in their exquisitely decorated rooms. It’s a great spot that’s even worth booking if you’re just driving through. Find out more Best Local Business Family-run Seafood specialists Sankey’s are weaved into the fabric of Tunbridge Wells and now have multiple locations across the town. The original and most famous is their excellent pub and restaurant at the top of town. Their fishmongers which is just outside the station. And The Fish Market, which is situated in the middle of The Pantiles and serves the best lobster linguini you’ll ever eat. Find out more Do This… Go for a Walk Dunorlan Park (the place where we have our TMC walking clubs) in central Tunbridge Wells has views to die for and a large lake which operates boat trips throughout the summer. There’s a café, parking and pram-friendly paths, and a playground for the older kids. It’s got it all! You are also spoilt for choice for great pram-friendly and child-friendly walks within a short drive of Tunbridge Wells. Bedgebury Pinetum for the Gruffalo trail and pram-friendly paths, and Bewl Water (plus they have an Aqua Park in the summer for the older kids and soft play all year round). Scotney Castle is a National Trust site with bluebells as far as the eye can see. Kingdom is also stunning. It has a café where they hold yoga classes and a hot spa you can hire out. It’s great for birthdays, hens, or just a Sunday afternoon. Pooh Bridge is also a kid-friendly walk, and you can play pooh sticks off the bridge. If your little one is still in a carrier, Ashdown Forest is great for the views alone. Join Our Next Walking Club Have the Most Amazing Massage Weirdly, with it being a spa town, Tunbridge Wells doesn’t have a great spa to talk about. (*Currently, The Spa Hotel doesn’t live up to its name). But if you want a fabulous massage, there’s no one better than Kim Wimble, who has recently set up a residency at The Spring Rooms on The Pantiles. Book now Pick Up Some Stylish Flowers Mrs Florist on London Road is worth visiting for the gorgeous smells and colours alone. Find out more Treat Yourself to a Facial If you want a really good facial (that actually does something). Then book into The Face Workshop on the High Street. Georgina offers facials, microneedling, masks, peels and pretty much everything else. She’s also an experienced nurse and knows SO much about skin! Find out more Stroll Down The Pantiles The Pantiles is an absolute must while in town. There are lots of fantastic kid-friendly cafes, a market full of yummy food and artisan products every weekend throughout the summer, and it’s close to the high street with lots of unique shops. Prepare to spend some money! Find out more See Jazz on The Pantiles Jazz on the Pantiles (now renamed Live on The Pantiles) happens every Thursday evening from May to October. It costs £5 to enter and then you can have dinner alfresco at one of the many fantastic restaurants and listen to some great Jazz on the bandstand. It’s iconic. If you want a slightly more lively evening then make sure you look out for The Soul Train events as they tend to attract a slightly younger crowd. Find out what’s on Best Time of Year to Visit? This has to be the summer as there’s so much to do in the outside space. In addition to the other parks already mentioned, Grosvenor & Hilbert has a brilliant playground and skate park for the older kids. Plus, the Pantiles really comes to life in the summer. Best Free Attraction… Calverley Park Calverley Ground for all the free festivals. Gin & Jazz festival, Local & Live Music Festival, Tunbridge Wells Food and Drink festival, plus Christmas with the big wheel and ice rink. And don’t forget the Adventure Playground, a hidden gem right in the heart of the park. You could easily lose a day here with your little ones, with The Inside café coffee and food keeping you going. Find out more Travel Notes… Plenty of car parks are dotted around town, and trains run from London every half an hour and take 55 minutes. There is also a great (and cheap) bus line which runs from Brighton every hour. The Mum Club9 May 2024 ← The Hotlist: The Best Things to Do in May → Your 3-Minute Guide To Weaning
