A Local’s Guide to the Best 12 Seaside Towns in Kent
If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the lookout for the perfect seaside escape, and let me tell you, Kent has some absolute gems. Kent’s coastline is dotted with charming seaside towns that offer a little something for everyone. Whether you’re into sandy beaches, browsing independent shops, local history or just a good old-fashioned fish and chips by the sea, Kent’s seaside towns have got it all!
In this blog post, I’m going to take you on a tour of some of my favourite seaside towns along the Kent’s beautiful coastline.
1. Margate
When I think about Kent’s seaside towns, Margate is one of the first places that comes to my mind. With its nostalgic, vintage seaside charm, Margate is a truly quintessential British coastal holiday town. It has a great mix of traditional seaside fun coupled with trendy art galleries, retro shops, cool cafes, and lively bars.
Margate has something for everyone. You can explore the town’s history and heritage by visiting some super quirky museums like the historic Tudor House, relaxing on the sandy beach, exploring seaside amusements or taste some amazing fresh seafood in the Margate’s Old Kent Market.
I particularly like the Turner Contemporary art gallery, which has different exhibitions every few months and it’s even free to enter. Kids and everyone young in heart will adore Dreamland, which is one of the oldest British amusement parks packed with all the rides, games, and shows you’d expect from a seaside holiday town.
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2. Broadstairs
Broadstairs is my favourite seaside place, that I often visit on my birthday. Although it’s smaller than Margate, everything is close by – the sandy beach with the promenade on the top, quirky streets, independent cafes and seaside walks.
I always have to try the latest flavours at the ice-cream places, check out what’s on the historic cinema and if we have the time walk along the beach to Ramsgate.
There are seven beautiful beaches around Broadstairs, including Botany Bay, where you can see the iconic chalk stacks or you can catch a wave at the surf school at Joss Bay.
Broadstairs is also very closely linked to Charles Dickens, who visited each summer and spend some time writing his novels here. Sadly the Bleak House is no longer open to visitors, but you can still see it above the town. You can visit the Dickens House Museum, where the famous author also once lived and found inspiration for his books.
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3. Deal
One of my favourite things to do in Deal is to almost to get lost in its picturesque streets, which are lined with colourful fisherman’s cottages, Georgian townhouses and Victorian shops. There is a long shingle beach in Deal, just perfect for a walk any time of the year – and you can walk all the way to Walmer Castle from the town.
There are also local restaurants, independent tea rooms, boutique clothes and gift shops and few art galleries and a town museum.
You can also explore the hidden tunnels at Deal Castle, which is one of England’s finest Tudor artillery castles.
4. Whitstable
I’ve always enjoyed my day trips to Whitstable and over the last 25 years had the opportunity to see how Whitstable has changed from a quiet seaside and fishing town to a busy upmarket town with independent shops, restaurants and cafes.
It’s nice to see that despite that, Whitstable still keeps it’s quirky charm and easy going atmosphere. Whitstable is perfect place to try fresh oysters, browse art and crafts shops at the harbour, enjoy sitting on the beach, walk through the narrow streets.
Make sure you visit the working harbour to watch the boats, sample the town’s famed oysters or hop aboard the historic Thames sailing barge Greta, which can take you to see the nearby Maunsell Sea Forts.
There are lovely walks along the beach (both directions) or you can walk or cycling along the nearly car-free Crab and Winkle Way, a 7-mile route connecting Whitstable to Canterbury, which used to be an old railway line.
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5. Herne Bay
Herne Bay is perfect seaside town for families as it’s a lot less busy than other Kent seaside towns. I always head over to the Herne Bay Pier first, which is a historic pier from 1832 that extends nearly 1km out to sea. It’s great for a seaside stroll and taking in the views. The pier head has a helter skelter, trampolines, and other family amusements, so you can spend quite a bit of time there.
Herne Bay has a long shingle beach perfect for seaside walks, swimming, and relaxing. The beach huts add colour and there are places nearby to get ice cream, fish and chips.
If you fancy a longer walk, you can walk all the way to the historic Reculver Towers and Roman Fort, which are just a few miles from the town. The towers were once part of a medieval church and are all that remain of the ancient settlement of Reculver. The nearby Roman fort dates back to the 3rd century AD.
6. Ramsgate
I often walk to Ramsgate from Broadstairs on the sea shore, so the Ramsgate Royal Harbour is the first place I see. This picturesque harbour dates back to the 1700s and it has the second largest marina on the English coast.
I first visited the The Ramsgate Tunnels shortly after they opened more than a decade ago and their guided tours are very informative and really interesting. This network of underground tunnels was built from an old railway tunnels as an air raid shelter during WWII and stretches under half the town.
The Ramsgate main beach has a lovely golden sands, traditional seaside attractions, and great views of the harbour and cliffs parade above.
You can even find a small maritime museum here which has exhibitions about the town’s maritime heritage, including smuggling, shipwrecks and fishing.
7. Folkestone
Folkestone seen such a changes over the last 25 years, especially with the re-developments of the harbour.
I like that you can walk along the beach as well as the cliff-top promenade, which is quite high up from the sea level. You get some beautiful views of the English Channel can even see the White Cliffs on the French side.
The Folkestone Harbour is pretty amazing and since I’m mad about dismantled railways, I really like how the ‘train track’ and the station platforms compliment the new shops, restaurants, pubs and coffee places.
The Creative Quarter is also great, just walk up the old high street to discover quirky shops, studios, street art and independent cafes.
8. Hythe
Hythe has a long stretch of shingle beach, so it might not be your first choice for a family day out at the seaside, but there is still plenty to see and do in this quiet seaside town. If you like antique shops, you are in for a treat, because there are so many amazing ones on the main Hight Street.
The Crypt at St Leonard’s Church is only one of two in the whole England that has displays of human skulls and bones. There are over 2,000 here arranged in neat stacks, which was a way to store bones from the overflowing cemetery.
You should also have a ride on the Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway, which runs through the Romney Marsh countryside all the way to Dungeness.
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9. Dover
Whilst Dover is main seaside town in Kent and has always been the gateway to Kent and England, I somehow doubt that it features anywhere as one of the most favourite seaside towns in Kent. The main harbour is very busy and noisy from all the traffic heading to France and back.
The town itself is nice enough to visit, but you will probably want to visit the historic Dover Castle, which is just above the town.
There are also amazing trails on the top of the white cliffs, in both directions. My favourite is the walk from St. Margaret’s to Dover following the walk along the top cliff with an old Lighthouse. On the other side of Dover you can walk to Western Heights and explore the old army forts.
10. Dungeness
Dungeness is one of the most unique and intriguing seaside places in Kent on my list. It has one of the largest shingle beaches in Europe and the whole area feels very different to anywhere else. There are no trees here as very little can grow amongst the stones. The whole place is slightly overshadowed by Dungeness Nuclear Power Station.
I love the quirky, weathered cottages made from an old railway carriages and the new modern houses mixed in. There are also two lighthouses here (the older one was built in 1904) and you can walk around the area on board walkways. There is a one pub and one seafood shack, which is definitely worth visiting whilst you are there.
11. New Romney
Romney is a historic town on the edge of the Romney Marsh and it’s one of the five original Cinque Ports. New Romney was once a significant medieval port town before the silting of the harbour pushed the coastline further away. The town still has medieval houses, including the impressive St. Nicholas Church, which dates back to the 12th century.
The best way to travel to Romney is to use the Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway. From the train station is just a short walk to Littlestone on Sea, which has long shingle beach, perfect for swimming. The nearby Greatstone Beach is usually very quiet with plenty of space and more importantly it has a lovely sandy beach with easy access the the sea.
12. Dymchurch
Dymchurch is a charming seaside town with has a beautiful sandy beach. Dymchurch Beach is an expansive stretch of golden sand, perfect for family outings, beach games, and leisurely walks.
During the summer, the beach is a popular spot for sunbathing and swimming, while in the winter, it becomes a serene place for dog walking and enjoying the coastal scenery. The beach also has traditional seaside amusements, including donkey rides and an amusement park.
The Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway train station is just a short walk from the beach, which makes it a great stopover on a day trip from Hythe to Dungeness.
A lot of coastal towns and villages have large round towers, which were built during the Napoleonic Wars as part of England’s coastal defence system. Dymchurch has Martello Tower No. 24.
This blog post was originally published on 4 February 2025 and last updated on 4 February 2025
