Known as the Garden of England due to its abundance of fruit growing and hops, Kent is a delightful staycation for anyone looking to explore quaint seaside towns, dip their toes in the sea and walk around the many cliff sides to find hidden sandy bays.
Kent is situated in the South East of England and boasts rolling countryside, cliff side walks, seaside pubs, and all the history you could imagine, so it really does make for a wonderful holiday due to the diversity. From vibrant towns like Whitstable to the golden sands of Botany Bay and the history of Canterbury, there is something for the whole family to get involved in.
Depending on where you may be visiting from, Kent can sometimes be a pain to get to, so you may need to look into the best route for you. Why not go across the country and find some new places to explore to start your holiday early. We came across the delightful villages of Hartley Wintney, Godstone, and Westerham to name a few on our drive over to Kent.
Below I have given my view on the best places to visit for a holiday in Kent, however, I must point out, this is mainly the North/East of Kent, so there is so much more to see and explore than what I have suggested below. That just means I need to get planning for another holiday!
Where to visit
Botany Bay
Just along the coastline of Margate is the most gorgeous beach to visit, with golden sands, clear blue water, and chalk cliffs, you will feel like you have gone abroad, and not just a beach in the UK. The white rock formations give such a fascinating feel to the place and the contrast on a sunny day of the bright blue sky and golden sand was incredible. The beach was huge so I’m sure on a busy summer day, there would be enough space for everyone to spread out and kids will love running around and playing here. Unfortunately for your four-legged friends that are not allowed on this beach between the 1st May to 30th September between 10 am – 6 pm.
Broadstairs
The best way to get to Broadstairs would be to park up near Botany Bay and walk along the coastal path if you’re up to it. This way you are treated to some amazing views and will come across multiple other bays to explore which all boast golden sands. Broadstairs has such a beautiful sandy beach, so again can be busy with people spending a day relaxing but there is enough space to spread out and just a few minutes walk around the bay are some less busy beaches if you want to be a bit more secluded. Broadstairs has some lovely shops and art galleries to wander around and some fantastic beachside cafes to drink in and watch the world go by.
Canterbury
Canterbury is a Cathedral city surrounded by ancient walls, cobbled streets, and sweet timber-framed houses. The city has three UNESCO world heritage sites, six museums, seven art galleries, six theatres, one castle, one abbey, one cathedral, and 24 Canterbury Tales, so safe to say, you will be busy!
Follow the river around the city to see some wonderful sculptures, the lush green parks, and some hidden spots around the city. If you want to do some shopping then you will be spoilt for choice here with many high street brands and independent shops lining the main high streets in the city to spend your money in.
Where to stay:
Where to eat:
Deal
Expect to be amazed by this little town. It may not look like anything special if you drove through the town but behind the seafront row of houses, lays a street full of the most wonderful interior and clothes shops. We couldn’t believe how many lovely shops there were here, so it was a great little place to explore and walk up and down the many different side streets. We parked in Walmer and walked along the seafront path into Deal which was great as it’s flat, so it’s a lovely walk for all walking abilities.
Where to stay
Where to eat
Sandwich
I didn’t know what to expect when we visited Sandwich but I did think it would be a small village, so I was quite surprised at how big it was. There are so many perfectly preserved medieval buildings, cute cottages to marvel at, and sweet riverside walks. In the main center there are many shops to go to and you can even do a boat trip to see seals!
Whitstable
This is by far my favourite place to go, not only does it have an abundance of places to eat and shop, it has a lovely walkway along the seafront and so many beautiful seaside houses and beach huts to admire. I love nothing more than shopping in all the beautiful interior shops, having cocktails and food in the wonderful vast restaurants on offer, and meandering up and down the back streets to see some incredible seaside houses.
I am already planning on returning and basing myself in Whitstable this time as there were so many lovely places to eat that we didn’t get to go to them all last time we visited. Check out the Fisherman huts for cute accommodation on the seafront, and some are dog friendly too.
Where to stay
Where to eat:
- Dropbear Kitchen
- Farm & Harper
- Harbour Garden Café
- Harbour Street Tapas
- Samphire
- Whitstable Oyster Company
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