Ultimate Guide To Best Beaches To Visit In Kent

With the easing lockdown guidelines and the warmer sunshine, it's no surprise that many of us are craving a visit to the seaside!

We've listed our favourite beaches along the Kent coast for you and your kids to enjoy in the sunshine. We've included a mix of quiet, less known beaches and busier, larger seaside spots that have plenty of room to social distance.

Most of the UK have spent a lot of time over the past few weeks indoors. Or you're a key worker and you've been outside of your homes selflessly helping the rest of the population during lockdown. In either case, it's so important for our mental health to get a change of scenery and enjoy some beautiful outdoors, now that the government have allowed it. That's why we recommend heading to the beach! There are lots of studies that show the sea can help reduce stress and make you feel happier.

Close to London and filled with magnificent beaches and white cliffs, Kent is a top spot for all beach-goers. Kent is a beautiful UK county with a stunning coastline. There are lots of beautiful coastal towns and coast walks to explore in Kent. In this article, we've listed some of the best beaches that Kent has to over. Just remember to keep to the current guidelines for your safety and remember the sun lotion!

Part of the Thanet coastline near Margate, Botany Bay is one of the more scenic beaches in this area. This lovely secluded beach is surrounded by the iconic and breathtaking white cliffs and chalk stacks of Kent.

Where within Kent is it? Botany Rd, Prince's Walk, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 3LG

Distance from London: 80 miles from Central London - around a 2-hour drive.

Sandy or Pebbly: Sandy!

Size: Small to medium-sized.

Are there toilets? Toilets facilities are unfortunately closed during lockdown.

Are there are places doing takeaway food that are open now? Lots of the facilities are currently closed during lockdown but there's an Asda superstore a 10-minute drive away; we recommend using the toilet facilities and getting a picnic from here beforehand.

Is there parking? There's very limited free parking available but the beach is close to the town so there's on-street parking close by if required.

Beach access: You can access the beach either down a slope or down steps.

Additional information: The beach is considered one of Kent's hidden gems, compared to the other beaches around the coastal town Margate. It's been awarded a blue flag and swimming in the sea is possible. Lifeguards usually patrol the beaches but due to lockdown lifeguards haven't been on duty as much.

Viking Bay (Broadstairs) is a 10-minute drive from the beautiful Ramsgate Harbour and is one of the best sandy beaches in Kent. Also near Margate, the beach is directly adjacent to the seaside town of Broadstairs, so it's much more built-up than other beaches in Kent with a busier feel. This sandy beach is perfect for both you and your kids!

Where within Kent is it? Harbour Street, Viking Bay, Broadstairs, Kent, CT10 1EU

Distance from London: 80 miles from Central London - around a 2-hour drive.

Sandy or Pebbly: Sandy!

Size: Small to medium-sized.

Are there toilets? There are toilet facilities on site, but they haven't got the best reviews! We recommend using the Asda superstore toilets which are a 5-minute drive or 30-minute walk away from the beach.

Are there are places doing takeaway food that are open now? Viking Bay has lots of facilities and places to eat but many are closed during lockdown. It can be hit or miss in terms of which ones are open and doing takeaway on the day you choose, but there's an Asda superstore a 5-minute drive away or half an hour walk which can be used to get a little picnic beforehand!

Is there parking? Parking near beachfront is £2.50 an hour but there's plenty of free parking up the promenade if you get there early in the day and is only a 5-10 minute walk to the beach.

How do you access the beach? The beach is adjacent to the town. It can be accessed by steps or a lift on the promenade.

Additional information: This nice, safe, family-friendly beach is perfect for kids to play in the sand and sea. This makes the beach very popular so one downside might be the difficulty to social distance on a sunny weekend. We recommend driving through and if it looks too busy, you can head to one of the many nearby beaches around the seaside town Margate. Joss Bay is around a 10-minute drive north and is another popular sandy beach close to Margate.

If you're looking to see some of Kent's beautiful white chalk cliffs, then this small but delightful beach is definitely one of the best places in Kent to visit. When the tide is right there are rock pools to explore next to the shingle beach. It is the closest beach to Dover on our list and is a lovely little place in Kent for you and your kids to explore.

Where within Kent is it? Bay Hill, St Margaret's Bay, Kent, CT15 6DX

Distance from London: 80 miles from Central London - around a 2-hour drive.

Sandy or Pebbly: Pebbly (Shingle beach)

Size: Small

Are there toilets? Yes, including disabled toilets.

Are there are places doing takeaway food that are open now? No

Is there parking? Lots of parking next to the seafront at 70p an hour.

How do you access the beach? The beach is accessed by driving down a fairly narrow winding road.

Additional information: This shingle beach is quite small but it's not as busy as the others on this list so social distancing is still possible. There are also some grassy areas with beautiful views slightly further away from the seafront. The beach is quite small so less likely to have lifeguards of duty.

The previous three beaches were northeast of Dover, near Margate. Greatstone beach is our first beach in Kent that is below Dover. It is a 10-minute drive south from St Mary's Bay. Greatstone beach is a large sandy beach with plenty of room for social distancing. The sand dunes are perfect for hide and seek and the tide stays quite low so we think this beach is one of the best beaches in Kent!

Where within Kent is it? Greatstone Beach, New Romney, Kent, TN28 8ST

Distance from London: 75 miles from Central London - around a 2-hour drive.

Sandy or Pebbly: Sand, with some pebbles.

Size: Huge!

Are there toilets? Yes! There are clean public toilets near the Jolly Fisherman but we also advise to have a backup plan just in case they decide to close due to lockdown.

Are there are places doing takeaway food that are open now?  Greatstone Fish Bar is a nearby fish and chips takeaway place serving delicious food!

Is there parking? Parking is available at a reasonable price with disabled parking bays.

How do you access the beach? The beach stretches along a wide distance so there are lots of places to access it.

Additional information: This sandy beach is perfect for building sandcastles and relaxing in the sun. There are no busy arcades, shops or facilities which will suit some families but not others. This beach is huge and the sea is quite far along the beach so there's plenty of room for social distancing. However, there are no lifeguards on this beach.

Dymchurch Beach is quite similar, and fairly close, to Greatstone Beach. Another one of Kent's best large sandy beaches, it has plenty of room to social distance and to build sandcastles!

Where within Kent is it? Dymchurch Road, Dymchurch, TN29 0NG

Distance from London: 75 miles from Central London - around a 2-hour drive.

Sandy or Pebbly: Sand, with some pebbles.

Size: Large!

Are there toilets? There are public toilets, but we advise to have a backup plan just in case they decide to close due to lockdown.

Are there are places doing takeaway food that are open now? Nothing on this beach

Is there parking? Parking is very close to the beach and at 7.70 for over 6 hours, it's not too expensive for a whole day out!

How do you access the beach? Depending on where you park your car, there are steps up to the upper promenade but there are also accessible ramps for wheelchair and pushchair users.

Additional information: There are no busy arcades, shops or facilities which will suit some families but not others. This beach is huge and the sea is quite far along the beach so there's plenty of room for social distancing. However, there are no lifeguards on this beach.