Riverside Country Park Cafe

Great walking area with awesome views of the Medway. Good facilities and kids playground. Dog friendly and free parking. Treat your dog to a dog friendly ice cream during the high temperatures at the cafe. Free Parking, no excuse not to pay a visit.

Riverside Country Park in Rainham, Kent, is a fantastic destination for nature lovers and families alike. Spanning 100 hectares, it offers a diverse range of habitats, including mudflats, salt marshes, ponds, and reed beds. These areas are a haven for wildlife, especially for bird enthusiasts, as the Medway Estuary is internationally recognized for its importance to wintering birds. The park is also a Green Flag Award winner, showcasing its commitment to high-quality maintenance and community involvement. During our visit, one highlight was the well-equipped children’s play area. My seven-month-old son had his first go on the swings and absolutely loved it! The play area is thoughtfully designed with toddler swings, climbing units, a slide, and other fun equipment suitable for various age groups. The picnic areas nearby make it easy to relax while keeping an eye on the little ones. For those who enjoy active pursuits, the park has scenic walking and cycling trails, including a section of the Sustrans cycle path. There’s also a café on-site for refreshments and well-maintained facilities like toilets and parking. However, do note that parking charges now apply. Whether you’re there for the stunning estuary views, wildlife spotting, or family fun, Riverside Country Park is a gem in the Medway area. It’s perfect for creating cherished family memories, just like we did.

I enjoy a walk along the marshes with the dog but unfortunately can't stop for a coffee or a snack as the cafe is in the area where you can not take dogs. I would suggest that you either take your own refreshments or go elsewhere if you have your dog with you.

Chips are alright.... service is ok, but one staff member seems to always be on his phone. Park is good to bring little kids

Small main car park in a circle design with tarmac surfaces, with an overflow parking area on the right just before the main parking, this is on shingle and grass. Wooden play areas to climb on for the kids, main building houses the toilets, main reception ant to the right the cafe with larger play area to the rear on grass and sand great to entertain the kid's. Dogs are welcome with a fenced off area with seating to keep the dogs out of the main play area. River paths along the Thames estuary, most with hard level surfaces some with grass paths for the dog walkers, benches at several locations along each path with estuary views and Marsh land, many birds to see great long walks. You can park at different locations along these paths to vary your walking distances, with planning having the cafe half way for a tea and a bite to eat before walking back to tour car. We'll worth a visit, even better when the kids are at school.

Lovely place for a walk with a free car park. Shame the wooden walkway is still in disrepair. When we went the toilets were out of action and I thought the cafe hot drinks were a bit over priced

Delightful area for all. Dog friendly, children have great facilities. The cafe clean and pleasant with fresh food available. Information centre very interesting. Great walks in all directions. Area kept very tidy overall. Congratulations to the staff.

Nice little cafe with plenty on the menu to choose from. Had a bit of a wait for our bacon baps but they were fresh and tasted good.