Kent seaside town named among the best holiday hotspots in the UK

With summer just days away, many will start planning their next holidays. For those looking for charming coastal towns, Kent has plenty of hugely popular spots that attract tourists from all over the country.

From its world-renowned arts scene, to its unrivalled restaurants and bars, Margate managed to reinvent itself over the years, and become a holiday hotspot in the UK. The town has now been named among the best destinations in the country for a holiday.

Margate has been rated one of the nation’s top 10 holiday hotspots in a new ranking from the experts at Go Outdoors . The seaside town took seventh place overall.

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A range of factors were considered, including hotels, activities, local transport, weather, and popularity. This was then combined to form an overall ‘Holiday Score’ out of 10, with Margate scoring an impressive 8.80 out of 10.

It has been ranked fourth among the best UK holiday hotspots for couples behind the Isle of Wight, London and Bath. Margate offers an abundance of activities including plenty of walking escapes and city breaks.

The town is famously known for being a great little place for spotting celebrities with Pedro Pascal, Lily Allen, Sam Mendes, Olivia Coleman, some cast members from EastEnders all seen there. But it’s no surprise, seeing the variety of great things there are to do in Margate.

The vintage amusement park Dreamland is a much-loved place with all the fun of a traditional English seaside funfair. There are retro rides, music events and the oldest wooden roller coaster in the country, called The Scenic Railway.

There are also festivals and shows being held at Dreamland, including The Margate Reggae Festival on June 22, and Sam Ryder’s show on June 27. But there are also plenty to visit in Margate including the Margate Museum, the Crab Museum, the spellbinding Shell Grotto and Margate Caves.

Situated on Margate seafront, Turner Contemporary features a rolling programme of temporary exhibitions, events and learning opportunities. The gallery is currently hosting the first institutional exhibition in Europe dedicated to pioneering artist Ed Clark.

And for those who would like to perfect their tan, Margate Main Sands is a stretch of coastline that has been popular with holidaymakers since the eighteenth century. Even if the tide is in there is still plenty of beach to make sandcastles. Visitors can also take a short walk to the Old Town where they can find restaurants, seafood stalls and bars.

Earlier this year, KentLive readers recommended Peter’s Fish Factory in Margate as one of the best places in Kent for fish and chips. The town is also home to critically acclaimed restaurants such as Angela’s and Bottega Caruso, along with later arrivals Sargasso and Fort Road Hotel.

For those visiting Margate for a few days, why not stay at the boutique hotel No.42 Margate which opened in the summer of 2023. It was the third hotel in the growing group GuestHouse, which has hotels No.1 in York and No. 15 in Bath.

Getting to Margate Main Sands

Address: Droit House, Stone Pier, Margate, CT9 1JD

By Rail

Margate Railway Station is opposite the Main Sands. HS1 journey time from St Pancras to Margate is 1 hour 20 minutes.

By Road

From London – M2, A2, A299 (Thanet Way), A28

From Dover – A256, A253 Hengist Way, A256, A254

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