Lovelys Gallery

Lovelys Gallery sits in Birchington, a modest spot on the Kent coast that doesn't pretend to be anything grander than it is. It's a working art space where you can actually see what artists are making rather than gawk at untouchable pieces behind velvet ropes.

The gallery focuses on contemporary work - paintings, sculptures, the odd installation - from artists who've chosen to work in this quiet corner of the South East. There's a real sense that the place exists for people who actually care about art rather than those just ticking off a cultural box. You'll spend anything from half an hour to ninety minutes here depending on what's on and whether you fancy a chat with whoever's minding the space.

It works brilliantly if you're staying at Birchington Vale Holiday Park or The Foxhunter Park and the weather's turned. Rainy morning? Pop into town and have a look around. Kids who are genuinely interested in creative stuff will get something from it; those after a theme park experience will find it a bit quiet. That's rather the point.

Birchington itself is a proper seaside town with a decent beach, fish and chip shops that actually know what they're doing, and enough charity shops to keep anyone occupied for an afternoon. The gallery feels like part of the genuine local fabric rather than a tourist trap, which means it's either exactly what you're after or completely skippable depending on your holiday mood.