On the first warm weekend of every year, I find it impossible to resist the urge to hop on a train to the Kent Coast. I love London but when the mercury rises, I crave the sea — and Margate has much more to offer than just a beach. I visit several times a year and keep coming back for the cliffside walks, quirky attractions and excellent dining and shopping.
Margate has been a popular tourist destination since the 19th century. It's had its ups and downs, but has seen a lot of renewal in recent years, with its burgeoning art, culture and dining scenes bringing ever more visitors — including Madonna (it's her 'idea of heaven'). It's also a vibrant, welcoming and LGBTQIA+ friendly town.
Inspired by my most recent trip to Margate, over the particularly scorchio long weekend, I've put together ten reasons why I think Margate is one of the best — if not the best — beach day trips from London. (I still love you, Brighton, but your pebbly beach is better for strolling than sunbathing!)
1. 🚆 Margate's an easy train ride from London
As a Londoner without a car, any trips I take in the UK have to use public transport. Margate is very well connected with the fastest trains reaching the Kent Coast from St Pancras in about 1h30. Margate station is a short walk from the beach and the town centre, so everything is within easy reach.
The line gets busy on sunny weekends: try to take an early train and arrive 15 minutes early for a better chance of a seat. I took the 8:40 am train and all the seats were full by the time we left. Returning later at night is often less crowded than early evening. On hot days, staff even hand out free bottled water at the station!
Tickets are relatively affordable if you travel off-peak: it's under £30 for an off-peak day return with a Network Railcard. That's less than half the cost of a day trip to Bournemouth.
2. 🏖️ Relax on the big, sandy beaches
After all the hype I've given them, it would be a let down if Margate's beaches didn't make my top 10! And although they might not be the most stunning (see #3, though!), they are attractive and clean with soft golden sand, shallow waves and a family-friendly atmosphere.
The closest beach to the station is Margate Main Sands, which has a tidal swimming pool and views of the Harbour Arm and Turner Contemporary. It gets busy at the weekends — especially when the tide is in and there's less beach. If you fancy a quieter swim, make the short walk to Walpole Bay in Cliftonville.
It's always worth checking the tide times before a beach trip. On Saturday, I was sunbathing on a small beach near the Turner but the tide came in so quickly that I ran out of space and had to relocate.
3. 🏞️ Walk in the footsteps of Vikings
If you prefer your beach trip with a side of striking scenery, look no further than the Viking Coastal Trail. I like to take the train to Broadstairs and then walk the six miles north and then west to Margate. You can either walk along the clifftops or — tide permitting — along the sandy beaches looking up at the stark white chalk cliffs.
Along the way you can choose your perfect bay for a swim or sunbathe. I usually opt for Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay or Botany Bay, which have the perfect combination of dramatic scenery, soft sand and clear waters. I stopped at all three yesterday: this being the UK, the sea was 14C and very, er, 'refreshing'!
If you don't want to retrace your steps, you can take the open-top bus or train between Margate and Broadstairs. I prefer to start in Broadstairs and finish in Margate, but you can do it either way.
4. 🎨 Explore Margate's thriving art scene
The artist J.M.W. Turner first came to Margate in the late 18th century and fell for its fresh sea air and beautiful sunsets, prompting him to remark that, "the skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe."
Today, there's an excellent art gallery named for him right on the seafront. The Turner Contemporary is small but hosts an impressive variety of exhibitions.
During my last visit, I loved David Hockney's take on the Sunley Window, which changes with the light, and the vibrant works of Hulda Guzmán. The art-related and Margate-themed products in the shop make great gifts.
Beyond the Turner, Margate is a hub of creativity with numerous galleries, studios and exhibition spaces, like Margo in Margate (great name!), the Carl Freedman Gallery and the Margate School of Art (in a former Woolworths!). There are many more galleries listed here.
5. 🎢 Enjoy quirky seaside fun
Margate is a wonderful destination for families, with plenty to keep kids — and big kids — entertained. Dating back to the 1870s, Dreamland is an amusement park near the Main Sands with vintage-style rides, art exhibits and street food, as well as live music and other entertainment.
For fun of a more maritime nature, head to the Crab Museum, Europe's only museum dedicated to the 10-legged crustacean. Over in Cliftonville, marvel at the Shell Grotto, whose underground passageways are covered in ornate seashell mosaics.
6. 🍽️ Dive into Margate's dining scene
Margate punches well above its weight when it comes to food and drink. I've had so many wonderful meals here over the years, from fine dining to fish and chips on the beach. You don't have to have seafood, but you won't be disappointed if you do!
We had a memorable family dinner at the small but delightful Angela's, a tiny restaurant that serves simple but beautifully cooked seasonal seafood dishes (those scallops!). I've also enjoyed excellent meals at Bottego Caruso (Italian), Sargasso (seafood on the Harbour Arm) and Buoy and Oyster.
For more casual options, try Dive and its sister High Dive for top tacos and margaritas — margs in Margs, if you will! — and Peter's Fish Factory for fish and chips, and Lulu's Gelato, Follow the Swirl and the historic Morelli's are my picks for ice cream.
Curve, Forts Cafe and Giant are the best specialty coffee spots and Little Swift is my favourite cocktail spot. I [heart] their coastal negronis but you can also get slushie cocktails to take away and drink on the beach, watching the sun go down. The cocktails at Margate House are fab too!
7. 🛍️ Shop 'til you drop in Margate's boutiques
Margate is one of my favourite places to shop in the UK. The compact central area has a huge array of boutiques and independent shops, where you can buy everything from vintage clothes and antiques to Lido candles and MarGay socks, tees and totes.
These are some of the shops I love to check out: Asobi (design/lifestyle), Positive Retail (fashion), Harbour & Tide (beach lifestyle), On a Whim (quirky homewares), Dulcie (skincare), The Store Collective (fashion and lifestyle), Aarven (homewares), Paraphernalia (antiques) and The Margate Bookshop (books).
8. 🏛️ Eye up iconic architecture
Even if you've never been to Margate, you'll probably recognise its 'accidentally Wes Anderson' lido tower. The Victorian seaside bathing complex has been closed for over 30 years but the tower remains on the seafront in Cliftonville as a reminder of times gone by. The site was up for sale last year and it's currently under renovations...
The Harbour Arm also features some of Margate's most striking sights, including a 19th century lighthouse at the tip.
The Turner Contemporary, designed by David Chipperfield, is the first modern building to feature on an English banknote! Around town, you can buy planters, pen pots and decorative items in the shape of the gallery.
Margate expanded a lot during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and there are lots of pretty and historic buildings and streets all over the town.
9. 🚌 Take a side trip along the Kent Coast
As I've been to Margate many times over the years, I often combine my day trips with a visit to one of the other nearby towns via open-top bus or train.
My favourite route is to take the train to Broadstairs and then walk along the coastline to Margate, stopping to swim along the way and taking the train home from Margate.
I've also taken side trips to Whitstable (great for oysters and boat trips), Canterbury (with its famous cathedral and Chaucer history) and Ramsgate (beaches and cliff walks).
10. 🛏️ Check into a chic boutique hotel
Margate is an excellent day trip destination, but if you want more time to explore the town, relax on the beaches and visit the nearby area, why not stay the night?
Top of my list is always the Fort Road Hotel, an elegant but relaxed boutique hotel just across from the Turner Contemporary. It's also top of lots of other people's lists, which means it's usually fully booked by the time I try to get a reservation.
Last November, my parents and I had a wonderful stay at Margate House, a chic hotel in Cliftonville, 10 minutes' walk from the town centre. The rooms are beautifully appointed (some have sea views) and there's lovely lounge bar, plus comfort food with panache and a patio at Willy's Restaurant.
On the same trip, my brother and his family stayed in a huge serviced apartment overlooking Margate Main Sands and the Parade. The location is superb, although if you're a light sleeper, you may want to bring ear plugs for summer and/or weekend nights (this is true for most central accommodations).
Check out my other blog posts about Margate.
Looking for inspiration for other day trips from London? Here are 10 of my favourites!
Found this post helpful? Please consider supporting my blog by buying me a coffee.
No comments:
Post a Comment