We Got 99 Problems But A Beach Ain’t One! – The 7 Best Beaches To Visit In Kent

Botany Bay, Broadstairs

This Blue Flag beach is the northernmost of seven bays in Broadstairs, Kent. It’s a beautiful hidden gem offering stunning views of white cliffs and chalk stacks, making it one of the most photographed bays in the area. Botany Bay is a great beach for fossil hunting when the tide is out, exposing plenty of rock pools and crevices to explore.

Fun Fact: Botany Bay is a popular film and music video location, having been used for productions such as BBC’s drama True Love, Sky Atlantic comedy Hunderby and Shawn Mendes' song ‘There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back’.

Closest holiday parks: Birchington Vale (18 mins), Seaview (38 mins), and Alberta (40 mins)

Margate Main Sands

Margate, aka ‘the original seaside destination’ and home to Dreamland amusement park, is a popular UK holiday destination which homes a wide sandy bay, Margate Main Sands. There’s plenty of traditional seaside fun to be had by all the family, with a beach tidal pool and children’s rides and amusement arcades nearby.

Fun Fact: English painter, J.M.W Turner, knew the coast around Margate well and often painted it, stating that Margate has ‘the loveliest skies in all of Europe’.

Closest holiday parks: Birchington Vale (8 mins), Seaview (28 mins), and Alberta (30 mins)

Dymchurch Beach

This beautiful sand and shingle beach is a popular spot for swimmers, kite surfers, paddlers, and, of course, sandcastle builders. Stretching just over three miles, this glorious beach attracts thousands of visitors each year and is very close to all of the facilities of Dymchurch village including cafes, restaurants, and amusements.

Fun Fact: Comedy geniuses, Laurel and Hardy, opened the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in 1947 which is just a short drive away from Dymchurch beach.

Closest holiday parks: New Beach (over the road!), Marlie (7 mins), and Alberta (57 mins)

Photos courtesy of @jossbaysurfing

Joss Bay

Offering 200 metres of sandy beach and sheltered by steep chalk cliffs, Joss Bay is a great family beach to visit, with plenty of surrounding facilities to please all the family. Often referred to as a ‘surfer’s paradise’, the beach has its very own Surf School which has seen people riding the waves for over 40 years!

Fun Fact: Joss Bay is reputedly named after an eighteenth-century smuggler, Joss Snelling, who was notorious for importing an array of contraband to various beaches in Kent in the late 1800s.

Closest holiday parks: Birchington Vale (35 mins), Seaview (39 mins), and Alberta (45 mins)

Leysdown Beach

Situated towards the eastern end of the Isle of Sheppey on the north Kent coast, Leysdown beach hosts a long stretch of sand, backed by a wide promenade. This Blue Flag beach has a lot of character, and is located near shops, cafes, and arcades, catering for all of your seaside needs.

Fun Fact: Leysdown is also known for its nudist beach, situated around half a mile down the coast along Shellness Road. Hey, it saves money on expensive swimming costumes!

Closest holiday parks: Harts (5 mins), Alberta (52 mins), and Seaview (57 mins)

Greatstone Beach, Romney Marsh

A holidaymaker’s favourite, Greatstone Beach’s two miles of sandy shoreline make it easy to see why it’s such a popular destination. The Greatstone Dunes that run along nearly the entire length of the beach and separate the seafront from land are also a Site of Specific Scientific Interest.

Fun Fact: It’s a great beach for collecting pretty shells, and will keep the children occupied for hours!

Closest holiday parks: New Beach (17 mins) and Marlie (8 mins)

Viking Bay

This beautiful horseshoe shaped bay is arguably the main attraction in Broadstairs; a wander along the promenade and boardwalk will help you see why. The sweeping sandy bay offers plenty of opportunity for relaxing and catching some rays, or for those more active, why not try a spot of kite-surfing?

Fun Fact: Broadstairs was the holiday choice of Charles Dickens; he even wrote a piece on the town, ‘Our English Watering Place’.

Closest holiday parks: Birchington Vale (20 mins), Seaview (36 mins) and Alberta (39 mins).