Kent beach guide www.thebeachguide.co.uk for more details on the beaches 

The coast is within easy reach north, south or east – sometimes the best idea is to look at the clouds and decide which direction looks best.
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Locations in order of geography, north of Canterbury, clockwise around the coast 

Faversham  (12 miles away.  17 minutes by car)

• Standard Quay - standardquay.co.uk, Historic area, antique shops, cafe
• Macknades Food -  food hall, delicatessen, butchery & café, located only two minutes from the M2, in Faversham.  macknade.com
• Brogdale Farm - www.brogdalecollections.org

​Whitstable  (17 miles away, 21 minutes by car)

• Independent interesting shops
• Harbour and beach
• Oysters and Seafood restaurants
• More information here
• ​Tankerton Beach - beach information
• Tea and Times Whitstable teaandtimes
• Whitstable Coffee Company Whitstable-Coffee
• Harbour Cafe, Whitstable www.harbourgardencafe.co.uk
  

Herne Bay  (12 miles away, 25 minutes by car)

• Beach
• Pier
• Reculver Country Park
• Wildwood- Wildlife park wildwoodtrust.org
• ​More information here

Westgate on Sea (16 miles, 32 minutes by car)

Beach between Reculver and Margate.  Beach information

Joss Bay  (21 miles, 38 minutes by car)

Beach information 

Margate  (21 miles, 37 minutes by car)

Margate (acres of sandy beach/old fashioned English seaside)

• Near the modern Turner Contemporary Art centre  
• The part of the town opposite the Turner – the Old Town is quite nice in summer with some interesting shops to browse around.
• Dreamland Amusement park www.dreamland.co.uk

Broadstairs  (20 miles, 34 minutes by car)

An old fashioned traditional seaside town.  

• Small sandy cove of a beach dominated by the Bleak House of Dickens fame.
• Dickens House Museum www.dickensmuseumbroadstairs.co.uk
• The Captain Digby Pub www.captaindigby.co.uk

Ramsgate  (19 miles, 33 minutes by car)

• Good little museum of Wartime Britain on the harbour front.  maritimemuseum.org
• The harbour is popular with sailors and was one of the main harbours to send the “Little Ships” to rescue the soldiers off the beach at Dunkirk in WW2
• National Trust – Pugin’s House – well worth a visit with a guide.
• Some good restaurants leading up the slope from the harbour.
• Viking Ship
• Pegwell Bay

Sandwich  (12 miles, 23 minutes by car)

• Medieval town with plenty of Listed buildings
• Thomas Payne lived here
• Gold open is held here. www.theopen.com 

Deal (18 miles, 25 minutes by car)

• Pier
• Beach
• ​Castle 
• ​The Lane, www.thelanedeal.co.uk
• Frog and Scot  www.frogandscot.co.uk

Walmer  (18 miles, 25 minutes by car)

Walmer Paddling Pool 

Walmer Castle 

St Margarets at Cliffe (14 miles, 19 minutes by car)

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Dover  (13 miles, 19 minutes by car)

• Dover Castle
• Roman Museum 
• Hythe Bay Restaurant in Dover - view over the water -www.hythebay.co.uk
  

Folkestone (14 miles, 22 minutes by car)

13 miles from Primrose Cottage Folkestone has (small strip of sandy beach near the harbour) otherwise shingle.  Beach information

• Creative Quarter in Folkestone www.creativefolkestone.org.uk
• Folkestone Harbour Arm folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk
• Fabulous restaurant near the fisherman’s harbour called Rocksalt– Mark Sarjent/celebrity chef’s restaurant
• The best fish and chips at the Smoke House (salt and black pepper squid a speciality)
• Good play park on the Lower Leas Coastal Park for young children.  
• Go up to the top of the Leas for a promenade (on a clear day see France) using the Leas Lift, - a Victorian water powered lift.
• Folkestone was the setting off point in WWI – memorial arch on the Leas.  
• Modern artworks from the Trienniel Art exhbitions in Folkestone.  One very poignant one is sitting on the benches looking out to sea on the Leas and hearing letters read from WWI. The “Step Short” arch on the Leas tells the story of Folkestone’s role.
• Harpers Bazaar can also tell you more about Folkestone www.harpersbazaar.com
• Steep Street, Folkestone www.steepstreet.co.uk for a cafe stop

Hythe (17 miles, 25 minutes by car)

(5 miles down the coast from Folkestone and a good walk from Hythe to Folkestone via Sandgate along the coast edge).

• Hythe Beach information 
• Hythe is one of the original ancient Cinque Ports (pronounced “sink” ports).  
• Check out the crypt in St Leonard’s Church on the hill – full of skulls and bones.
• Has the Royal Military Canal built to keep out Napoleon. Boats can be hired here.
• Best fresh fish to be had at Griggs, on the beach at the end of  St Leonard’s Road.  Also possible to have lunch snacks on the beach.  Unusual things such as scallop and bacon butties to sustain you on you walk to Folkestone!
• Take a ride on the miniature railway – The Romney , Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.  In term times it is used to take children to school.  With children it is worth getting off at New Romney and looking at the model railway there.  For older people it is worth going on to Dungeness and seeing that area.
• Hythe Venetian Fete hythevenetianfete.co.uk

Dymchurch (22 miles, 36 minutes by car)

• Lots of sandy beaches, a traditional fun fair. 
• Fairground rides www.dymchurch-amusements.co.uk
• Local website www.dymchurch.org

Dungeness (32 miles, 51 minutes by car)

​Defies description really – people either love it or hate it, but you definitely have to see it!

• Site of a power station but really very low key compared to the beach houses there.  Many of these are old train carriages which have been converted and sell for vast sums.
• A retreat for artists.  Visit Derek Jarman’s garden to see what can grow on shingle
• Take a walk to the top of the old lighthouse.  See the Lifeboat too.