When putting together my trip to Dover, I mentioned our plans to several people in our little home village in England. They invariably smiled broadly at me and said, "So, you're spending the weekend in France, eh?"
This question confused me the first time I heard it. You see, I was going to Dover to see Dover.
The reason the question was asked, however, is that Dover is the place where you can catch the ferry---or where you can go through the tunnel under the English channel---if you want to get you AND your car over to the continent. On a clear day, you can actually see France on the distant horizon... a glimmer of land less than a marathon's run away.
This is all well and good, but Dover has other things to offer that are interesting to a person like me.
For one, Dover Castle garrisoned English soldiers for centuries. This imposing fortress is in such a strategic spot that it had a major part to play as late in the game as World War II! Within the castle are the famous underground tunnels used by British forces when planning its defense against Germany. Any student of English history will find it interesting to see this place so often described as "the key to England."
The White Cliffs of Dover are unlike any other natural formation that I have ever seen anywhere else. Who hasn't heard of them? My family and I went to the cinema to see the latest Elizabeth I movie, The Golden Age, in which the good Queen Bess must face down the onslaught of the Spanish Armada. It is on the White Cliffs that you see her in shining armour, rallying her troops from the saddle of her horse, sitting tall and unafraid for her people as she gazes calmly out to the threat riding fast towards her kingdom on the waves of the sea.
While we did not have the chance to visit since it is only open from April to September, the Richborough Roman Fort reminds visitors of more ancient times when Roman invaders ruled the land.
Nearby Canterbury with its amazing cathedral should be coupled with a visit to Dover. It's only a short drive north.
Conversely, a Dover visitor could make an easy trip to Battle and Hastings to see where English history as we know it really began in 1066.
Quick Tips:
If you can't find lodging that looks acceptable (or affordable) in town, there are a lot of places to stay outside of Dover and Canterbury that won't be too far away from either. We took a room at a Holiday Inn in nearby Ashford. This was an especially good choice for us as we were returning to London the next morning.
While you're in the Southeast, you should take the time to look for other attractions outside of Dover that are close to the motorway and plan to incorporate them into your travel. This is especially true if you're in the area for more than a weekend.
For instance, Chartwell (Winston Churchill's home in Kent), Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn's ancestral home), Leed's Castle (considered one of the most romantic in the land), and Rye (an ancient village know for its charm) are all just over an hour's drive... and these sites just scratch the surface of what you could plan to see. (London itself is only two hours away.)
If you're going to visit both Dover and Canterbury on the same trip, allow at least one full day for each, an entire weekend... unless you don't like history. If you are very short on time, however, you can see just the main highlights of both in one day as detailed in the entries of this journal. If this is your plan, start with Dover so that you're assured a place on the underground war-time tunnel tour at Dover Castle.
We had read we could see both cities on a Saturday, and this was really misleading. I don't want to make you think that's a good plan! Again, this amount of time only allows for the biggest highlights--i.e. Dover Castle and Canterbury Cathedral--but you won't be able to do or see much else.
Best Way To Get Around:
We had a car. Dover Castle has its own carpark... as does the National Trust land on which you can best view the White Cliffs without getting on a boat.
If you drive to Canterbury, park as quickly as possible and walk. You won't like driving through the ancient, narrow streets, and everything you'd want to see can be easily reached on foot anyway.
With that said, a car seemed to me to allow the most flexibility for viewing both Dover and Canterbury... and going between the two via motorway is surprisingly faster than other forms of transport.
If you need to take the train, both Dover and Canterbury have their own train stations that are easy to get to from London.
You can also take the bus.