Arriving at the White Cliffs of Dover

Image showing cars parked in the level 2 car park at the White Cliffs of Dover, Kent on a sunny day. — Cars parked in the level 2 car park at the White Cliffs of Dover, Kent | © National Trust/Chris Tapley

We want you to enjoy your visit to the iconic White Cliffs of Dover. Please read the arrival and parking information on this page, which will help you have a great start to your trip.

Arrival on foot

There is no admission charge to walk on to The White Cliffs of Dover or enter the grounds of South Foreland Lighthouse. If you’d like to explore Fan Bay Deep Shelter or climb the stairs to the top of the Lighthouse, you’ll need to buy a ticket. These are available at the site on the day. If you’re a National Trust member, you can visit these places for free.

Arrival by car

Our main parking is close to the Visitor Centre at Langdon – postcode CT16 1HJ, what3words: ///frames.saying.begins. We have 300 spaces on four levels, with step-free access to the walks and Visitor Centre for visitors with reduced mobility.

Parking charges of £5 for cars and £7 for motorhomes and campervans apply at all times - National Trust members can park for free. A member of our team will be pleased to take your payment by cash or card at the Welcome Hut. Your payment covers parking for the rest of the day and there is no further charge to walk along the cliffs. If the welcome hut is closed, please pay for your parking by using the Pay By Phone app, through the Pay By Phone website or by phone. Follow the instructions on the signs in the car parks. You can also pay at the shop in the Visitor Centre when open. The car park gate closes at 19:00 each day. We regret that you cannot park or camp overnight.

Car park levels 1-3 have hard surfaces. Access to level 4 parking is via a narrow road with sharp bends - please watch out for other vehicles. This car park has a natural surface that is uneven in places. If you have a large vehicle or one with low suspension, please take extra care. This level is seasonal and will be closed during the winter to allow the surface to recover.

If you have a motorhome or campervan, please read our special section below.

Image of level 4 car park at the White Cliffs of Dover on a sunny day — Level 4 car park at the White Cliffs of Dover | © National Trust / Chris Tapley

Additional Parking

Our additional parking facility is now closed for the Autumn and Winter. We may use this area occasionally for special event parking - please check your event details for parking information.

We'll be publishing our list of additional parking open dates for 2024 in early Spring.

Motorhomes and Campervans

If you have a motorhome or campervan, you can use either the White Cliffs parking or the additional parking, when open. If you have a large vehicle, the additional parking will be much easier to use and it is only a short distance from Fan Bay Deep Shelter and the Lighthouse.

We have limited car parking spaces on site and try to accommodate all vehicles, large and small. Please park considerately to avoid us having to disappoint others who wish to visit.

At White Cliffs, please use level 3 parking where there are some angled spaces at the end furthest from the entry. Please do not park across several spaces as this restricts the amount of parking available and there is a risk you may become blocked in by other vehicles.

Please do not try to access level 4 parking with a large motorhome or campervan as there is a tight bend at the end of the road, with an abrupt change in level. This may lead to your vehicle becoming grounded.

Blue Badge holders and visitors with reduced mobility

Blue badge holders can park for free - please ensure that your badge is clearly visible. Please read our access statements for White Cliffs and South Foreland Lighthouse and the additional parking.

If you are using the additional parking and wish to take a mobility scooter or wheelchair onto the site, please ask the parking attendant to open the field gate alongside the pedestrian gate.

Image showing one of the disabled car parks at the White Cliffs of Dover — The disabled car parking near the Visitor Centre at the White Cliffs of Dover | © National Trust/Chris Tapley

Facilities & places to visit

You can check opening times on the White Cliffs of Dover or South Foreland Lighthouse home pages. Please see the Things to see and do at the White Cliffs of Dover and Things to see and do at South Foreland Lighthouse pages for more information.

Toilets and boot washing facilities are at the rear of the Visitor Centre at White Cliffs and there is a dedicated toilet building at South Foreland Lighthouse. Dogs are allowed in all outdoor seating areas. If you have a dog, please see the Visiting White Cliffs and the Lighthouse with your dog page.

Fan Bay Deep Shelter

Please check the opening times for the Deep Shelter on the White Cliffs of Dover home page. The shelter is approximately 40 minutes’ walk from the Visitor Centre or less than 15 minutes' walk from the additional parking. There is no vehicle access to the Shelter.

We can only accept cash payments for tours at the tunnel entrance. National Trust members with a valid membership card are admitted free. There’s a dedicated Fan Bay page to answer your questions.

If you wish to pay by credit or debit card, or if you have forgotten your membership card, please ask at the Visitor Centre or the Lighthouse shop before walking out to the tunnels.

There are no toilets or refreshments at Fan Bay Deep Shelter. You can refill your water bottle free of charge on request.

South Foreland Lighthouse

The Lighthouse is approximately 55 minutes’ walk from the Visitor Ccentre or around 15 minutes' walk from the additional parking. We regret that there is no vehicle access to the Lighthouse.

If you are a blue badge holder or have reduced mobility and would like to visit South Foreland Lighthouse, please call, or email the Lighthouse office in advance of your visit. Contact details are on the ‘Get in touch’ panel on the South Foreland Lighthouse home page.

Call at the Lighthouse shop on arrival to enquire about tower tour availability and to buy your ticket. You can pay by cash, credit, or debit card at the Lighthouse shop. National Trust members are admitted free to the tower with a valid membership card but must still be issued with a ticket at the shop. You don't need to pre-book a tour of the Lighthouse.