One of the UK’s ‘best seaside towns’ boasts a sandy beach, brilliant amusement park and heaps to see and do including a hidden grotto that looks like it’s out of a fairytale
Spring is finally here, despite the British weather’s best efforts, and as the days get sunnier and warmer, it’s no surprise that most Brits will be looking to the gorgeous UK coast for days out and holidays.
Those after a dose of staycation inspiration may want to check out the UK’s ‘best seaside town’, which has wowed travel pros thanks to its gorgeous sandy beach, underrated theme park and quirky attractions including a hidden grotto worthy of storybooks.
Margate in Kent is hardly a hidden gem, but it’s often overlooked in favour of bigger resorts like Brighton and Blackpool despite offering up heaps to see and do.
The town itself is full of cosy pubs, craft breweries, cafes, and quirky shops as well as an impressive range of bookshops; plus with cheap hotels from £22 a night you don’t need to break the bank to visit. (Even some of Margate’s best hotels start from £44 a night).
Meanwhile the main beach never fails to be a hit with visitors and locals alike thanks to the large stretch of sands and paddle-friendly waters, not to mention the promenade lined with the likes of arcades and fish and chip shops for a classic British seaside day out.
For those who don’t want to laze on the beach, there are some fun attractions on offer too. One highlight has to be the famous Shell Grotto, a quirky underground passage that looks like it belongs in a storybook thanks to its walls covered in over 4.6million shells.
Meanwhile Dreamland Margate is one for thrill-seekers. It’s free to enter and is home to a wide array of retro and vintage inspired rides to suit all ages. Popular rides include the Rock’n’Roller coaster, while the Scenic Railway is the oldest rollercoaster in the UK. There are also fun houses, mazes and gentler carousels for those with smaller adventurers who aren’t quite ready for the bigger rides. You pay per ride but can pick up tokens once you’re in the attraction – find out more on dreamland.co.uk.
With so much to see and do, it’s no surprise that Margate has been named one of the UK’s best seaside towns by the Tripadvisor team. Describing it as a ‘Shoreditch-on-Sea’ because of the number of ‘East London’s cool kids’ who have moved to the Kent resort town, about two hours by train from London, they argue that Margate “may not immediately seem like the kind of place” that would attract such a crowd.
They add: “Its retro Dreamland Margate amusement park and kitschy Shell Grotto, a subterranean passageway covered in more than 4.6 million seashells, are more suited for a family holiday. But this corner of Kent has actually been on the radar of artists for centuries.
“In fact, J. M. W. Turner once said that the skies in these parts are ‘the loveliest in all of Europe’, and he often included Margate locations in his landscapes. The Turner Contemporary, an art gallery designed by famed architect Sir David Chipperfield, opened its doors in 2011, and last year, a team of creatives transformed an 1820 guesthouse next door into the Fort Road Hotel.”
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