WHEN there’s a chill in the air but you still fancy a trip to the seaside, you have to visit this one destination – it’s the warmest in the UK and HAS the least rain.
Not to mention it has some incredible beaches and the world’s biggest Wetherspoons – so it’s the perfect place for a break on the coast this September.
Kent is the warmest spot along the UK coastline in autumn – you can head to BroadstairsCredit: AlamyOr visit Margate which is also home to the world’s largest WetherspoonsCredit: Alamy
Away Resorts has found the best UK seaside spots by analysing average daytime temperature, sea water temperature, rainfall and in top spot, is Kent.
Kate Watts from Away Resorts said: “September can be a brilliant time to enjoy everything the UK has to offer.”
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She continued: “Our research highlights that you don’t need to go abroad to catch the last of the sun.
“From the Kent Coast to the Isle of Wight, Pembrokeshire to Cornwall, there are plenty of destinations around the UK where Brits can make the most of the coast before autumn arrives.”
Thanks to it being the warmest destination with temperatures of 19C and only 11 days of rain – Kent is the best place to visit in autumn.
And luckily, there are plenty of coastal spots within the county to choose from.
If you’re after a traditional seaside experience, head to Broadstairs.
It has seven sandy beaches and bays including Viking Bay – lots have traditional beach huts and stripy deck chairs.
One must-do is to pop into Morelli’s Gelato, a retro ice cream parlour, for some mega sweet treats – it first opened in 1932.
As for what else you can do there, Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey who hails from Kent tells us her favourite spots in Broadstairs.
Away Resorts has found the warmest spots along the UK coastlineCredit: Away Resorts
She said: “Bar Ingo is my favourite restaurant in Kent, offering Basque small plates with some of the friendliest staff (and in this year’s OpenTable Top 100), and I can never leave Arrowsmiths without picking up a few gifts for myself.
“You can also explore its history via Charles Dickens, exploring his home and namesake pub after he spent some time there.
“But come for Viking Bay, a rare sandy beach in Kent, with some fish and chips from The Mermaid or even a surf lesson or two and embrace the seaside town life.
“Make sure to stay at Smith’s Townhouse – having only opened last year, its one of the coolest in town without the price tag (with some of the best coffee in town too).”
Ramsgate is where you’ll find a soft sandy beach backed by the world’s biggest Wetherspoons.
Called the Victoria Pavilion, arguably the best views are up the top on the enormous rooftop terrace which looks over the coast.
The Old Neptune is right on the beach front in WhitstableCredit: AlamyDon’t miss the Folkestone Mermaid by the beach frontCredit: Alamy
Whitstable is another popular seaside town where you’ll find oyster shops, posh charity shops and art galleries.
One of the most beautiful beach pubs is there, called The Old Neptune; punters love it as they can enjoy a pint right on the sand.
Margate has been nicknamed Shoreditch on Sea thanks to its fancy wine bars, cafes and fine dining restaurants.
Or if you want a bit of nostalgia, head into the Dreamland theme park that visitors say is like ‘stepping back in time’ thanks to its vintage fairground rides.
Don’t miss Folkestone either which was voted Time Out’s best UK place to visit last year.
It has trendy shops and coffee spots on its brightly coloured high street and heading down to the beach don’t miss the Folkestone Mermaid – like they have in Copenhagen.
THERE’S lots of exciting things happening in 2027 across England, with plenty to interest all ages.
From the opening of the world’s first Minecraft land to a beautiful resort in Oxfordshire and the reopening of a funicular cliff lift in Kent – these spots should be on your radar.
A new resort in Oxfordshire will open in 2027Credit: CABÜChessington World of Adventures is opening its new Minecraft WorldCredit: chessington
Chessington, Surrey
If you’re a fan of the Minecraft video game, head to Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey for the opening of an immersive new land.
Minecraft World will cost £50million and will also have the first ever Minecraft coaster.
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There will be other interactive features too like “epic block built playscapes” along with themed food and drink stores and a gift shop.”
It’s easy to make a day of it too by checking out the other 40 rides and attractions at the theme park.
Paultons Park will open a new water coaster as part of Valgard: Realm of the VikingsCredit: Paultons ParkIt will be one of the biggest rides ever built in the theme parkCredit: Paultons Park
Over at Paultons Park in Hampshire, the theme park will be opening its very first water coaster.
Called Serpent’s Curse, it will be an exciting new additionValgard: Realm of the Vikingsand it will be one of the biggest rides ever built in the theme park.
The watercoaster will be 471-metres long, with top speeds of 44mph and will open next spring.
For ride enthusiasts the details say that it will have ‘a lift hill, fast-flowing twists and curves, and a dramatic plunge into a final splashdown.’
The exact date of the opening of the ride is yet to be confirmed.
Blackpool, Lancashire
The River Caves at Blackpool Pleasure Beach are set to reopen next yearCredit: AlamyThe ride first opened in 1905 and closed in 2024Credit: Theme Park Guide
The classic water ride first opened in 1905 before closing in 2024 due to technical complications – it will reopen next year after a period of “reimagination”.
It’s one of the oldest operating dark rides in the world and takes visitors through Ancient Egypt and lost jungles past dinosaurs and temples on a boat.
Amanda Jean Thompson OBE, the managing director of Pleasure Beach Resort teased some details, she said: “What I can tell you is what will remain – the Egyptian scene will remain but it and the Angkor Wat scene, which is so integral to Aviktas will remain, but rethemed and redone.”
She added: “I think the Blue Grotto may stay because I particularly like that area. The rest will be new and remains top secret for now, because I keep changing my mind.”
For anyone heading to Blackpool, another must-do is head to Sandcastle Waterpark which was recently voted the best waterpark in the country.
It’s kept at a toasty 29C and has more than 18 waterslides and attractions including a spa.
Don’t forget to pop into the seafront Wetherspoons either – called Velvet Coaster, it sits right on the front with views across the pleasure beach.
It’s across three floors, there’s a beer garden on the ground floor, a balcony on the first floor, and a roof garden on the pub’s highest level.
Morecambe, Lancashire
The new Eden Project in Morecambe is currently in developmentCredit: Lancashire County CouncilThe Bring Me Sunshine Garden will open next year as part of the first phaseCredit: Unknown
Work has officially started on the £100 million Eden Project in Morecambe and the majority will open in 2028.
But part of it will actually open next year – and it will be completely free to enter.
Called the Bring Me Sunshine Garden, it will have tall Austrian pine trees, grasses, a natural flower meadow as well as a solar-powered, shell-shaped outdoor pavilion and classroom that harvests rainwater.
The garden was shown off at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show and will open as a permanent part of the Eden Project in Morecambe in spring 2027.
The rest of the Eden Project Morecambe is scheduled to fully open in winter 2028.
There’s plenty to see in Morecambe like the Happy Mount Park, the Eric Morecambe Statue and The Smugglers Den pub all rated highly on TripAdvisor.
Folkestone, Kent
Head to Folkestone Kent to try out the reopened funicular lift next yearCredit: AlamyIt will reopen along with the cafe, waiting room and outdoor terraceCredit: Folkestone Leas Lift
If you love the Kent coast, Folkestone might be the seaside town to visit next year as its funicular lift is set to open after being closed for 10 years.
Folkestone’s Leas Lift first opened in 1885 and was forced to close back in 2017.
But a long campaign has finally seen restoration works start – and it’s set to reopen in 2027.
The £6.6million works will restore the main systems, which connect the top of the cliff to the beach.
The cafe is also being restored, along with the waiting room and addition of an outdoor terrace.
It remains one of the oldest in the UK, and one of just three of its kind left, being a water-balance funicular.
Along with its beach, the town has its own art trail, including a 2014 Banksy, as well as the Antony Gormley cast iron statues and ‘Folkestone Mermaid,’ similar to the one in Copenhagen.
Pop by its Artist’s Quarter to see local artwork and coffee shops.
Oxfordshire
CABÜ is currently building their third resort in OxfordshireCredit: CABÜIt will have 51 cabins, two swimming pools and a natural spaCredit: CABÜ
If a bit of R&R is part of your 2027 plans then perhaps a trip to Oxfordshire is on the cards.
CABÜ is set to open a new resort just outside of the Cotswolds – and it will be the third of its kind in the UK.
It will have beautiful luxury cabins, a relaxing nature spa as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
There will be a new range of 51 “ultra- cool timber cabins” which will have either one, two or three bedrooms.
Guests will be able to use all of the facilities which include a nature spa, hot tubs, saunas and plunge bucket.
There will be an indoor swimming pool too surrounded by loungers and huge windows which will let in lots of natural light.
During the warmer months, guests can enjoy the outdoor pool – also on site will be a shop, restaurant, two bars and a studio events space.
Skipsea Sands is undergoing a £5million makeoverCredit: Trip Advisor/ Skipsea Sands ManagementThorness Bay will add new facilities to its holiday park tooCredit: Unknown
If you’re looking for a holiday park break next year, then two Parkdean Resorts are getting major makeovers for spring 2027.
Added to the site will be the new Hat-Tricks Sports Bar with pool and darts.
Joe’s American Grill is its new dining and there will be Minigolf & Adventure Activities which include high ropes, low ropes and climbing wall.
The second resort undergoing an upgrade is Skipsea Sands in East Riding of Yorkshire.
As part of a £5million makeover, it has recently added a Clip & Climb wall, Bear Grylls Escape Rooms and Fairground Golf.
Paignton, Devon
The enormous Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton will reopen in summer 2027Credit: AlamyIt’s getting a revamp including a new restaurant and barCredit: Twelve Architects
If you fancy a trip to the seaside this summer, one of the biggest hotels in Paignton is getting a huge refurb.
The Redcliffe Hotel is set to open in early 2027 and when it does, it will have been closed for a full year for the refurbishment.
The hotel has Indian-style architecture and sits right next to Paignton Beach and Preston Sands.
During the refurb, the 67-room hotel will be reduced to 55 rooms and the ground floor function room will be converted into guest rooms.
There will be a new restaurant and bar, and enhanced spa facilities.
Outside, there will be a restaurant patio with seating pods, planters and benches, terraced terraced gardens, guest patios and a refurbished outdoor pool area as well.
If you want to find a slice of Greece in Devon, then head to Elberry Cove which sits on the South West Coast Path between Paignton and Brixham and has crystal clear waters.
The Folkestone Leas Lift is set to finally reopenCredit: Folkestone Leas LiftThe funicular was forced to close back in 2017Credit: The Folkestone Leas Lift Company Charity / Facebook
However, a long campaign has finally see restoration works start, with it planning to reopen by 2027.
The £6.6million works will restore the main systems, which connects the top of the cliff to the beach.
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Not only that but the cafe is also being restored, along with the waiting room and addition of an outdoor terrace.
It remains one of the oldest in the UK, and one of just three of its kind left, being a water-balance funicular.
It has since carried more than 36million people since it opened.
It had hoped to reopen by this summer, although this has since been delayed to next year.
But its great new for families visiting the seaside town, as it makes the cliff and beach much more accessible.
Chair of the Leas Lift Build Committee Jo Streeter said in regards to works starting: “We wanted to be absolutely sure that as well as getting value for money – which is vital for our funders and supporters – we selected a company that understands what the Lift means to Folkestone.”
The works are expected to cost £6.6millionA new cafe is also part of the plansCredit: Folkestone Leas LiftIt is set to open by 2017
Folkestone even had two other lifts – The Metropole Lift and the Sandgate Hill Lift – although these no longer exist.
And the seaside town has recently surged in popularity, with it being less than an hour from London.
The grapes are turning purple on tall green vines, which stretch down towards the distant flint-and-limestone tower of Chilham church. These rows of Pinot Meunier, destined for English sparkling wine, are 51% owned by French champagne house Taittinger. “England is now the most exciting wine region,” says host and sales executive Hilary Sharp as she leads me around Domaine Evremond vineyard, which opened its visitor centre last year to coincide with the launch of its first wine.
In his 2023 book Vines in a Cold Climate, drinks writer Henry Jeffreys charts the rise of English wine “from a joke to world-class in 30 years”. The book opens with an alcohol-fuelled scene of vine-planting at Domaine Evremond in May 2017: unseasonably cold, rainy, muddy, with rambling anecdotes from anglophile Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger about “English women encountered in his misspent youth”. The vineyard is named for the exiled French aristocrat Charles de Saint-Évremond, a symbol of hedonistic Anglo-French cooperation. The bon vivant introduced champagne to England and party-loving Charles II made him governor of Duck Island in St James’s Park.
Illustration: Guardian Graphics
We stroll past a Land Rover, parked up by a windbreak of crab apple trees. Harriet opens the back to reveal a tray of glasses with a chilled bottle of Domaine Evremond’s Edition I, and we’re soon sipping creamy, citrussy fizz with a view of vines. It tastes great to me, but I’m no expert.
Wine critic Jancis Robinson gave it a “distinguished” 16/20 and Jeffreys, in his Substack, Drinking Culture, describes “bright green apple fruit with a reassuring bass note of croissant and Marmite”. King Charles III toasted French president Emmanuel Macron with this wine at a state banquet last summer.
Taittinger’s vineyard director, Christelle Rinville, supervises the vines at Domaine Evremond, regularly taking Le Shuttle from Champagne and enthusing about flinty Kentish subsoils. One of the companies that dug through chalk to make the Channel tunnel excavated Evremond’s 25-metre-deep cellars, where 1.5 million bottles can stay cool around the UK’s first subterranean winery.
Domaine Evremond’s new winery building
An elegant umbrella-shaded terrace outside the chalk-cliff walls of the winery has long rustic tables with vases of wildflowers. Visitors can sample the wine (£12.50 a glass, £55 a bottle) from Wednesday to Sunday and there are year-round tours and tastings. Sitting here under blue skies, among banks of yarrow, knapweed, vetch and wild carrot scorched by the relentless sun, it doesn’t feel very English.
Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent. The unirrigated vines (unlike many other crops) seem to be thriving, and the harvest will be up to three weeks early. Jeffreys writes: “Currently the climate in south-east England is similar to that of Champagne in the 1970s.” Optimal latitudes for wine are supposed to be 30 to 50 degrees, with Champagne at the northerly end of the range. Chilham sits at 51 degrees north.
The vineyard is a half-hour walk through fields from the village, with its cafes, pubs and railway station, where only the front four carriages fit next to the short platform. Bearded butter-yellow cobs of sweetcorn are bursting out of pale green husks beside the path. I loop back to Chilham through Perry Wood. Just beyond the vines, I can see an old oasthouse through branches laden with rosy gala apples. The land was bought in 2015 from the fruit-growing Gaskain family, whose managing director, Mark Gaskain, oversees day-to-day operations in the vineyards as well as producing about 70 million apples a year.
Further on, an orchard of plums is drooping under the weight of purple fruit and crates are stacked up ready for harvest. In the hedges, sprawling hops and honey-scented wild clematis tangle with reddening rosehips and sweet, wine-dark blackberries. Sparrows snack on early-ripened hawthorn under arching beech and sweet chestnut trees, ancient ivy-wreathed hedge maples and squirrel-haunted hazels. Huge clumps of mistletoe hang from towering poplars.
Chilham Castle’s gardens were landscaped by Capability Brown and now include a vineyard. Photograph: Goddard New Era/Alamy
Cottage gardens are heady with late summer roses, scented lavender, aromatic catnip. I wander past wisteria-clad walls and a row of mud-built house martin nests with late fledglings still cheeping under half-timbered eaves while gathering swallows twitter on the wires.
Deputy church warden Lynda Twaite shows me round the flint-walled St Mary’s, pointing out memorials and a battered old school table, graffitied by 18th-century kids. The pilgrim route to Canterbury runs through the lime- and yew-shadowed churchyard. Across the square, I peer through the gates at creeper-covered Jacobean Chilham Castle. Its gardens, landscaped by Capability Brown, now include a new vineyard.
Before heading to the Woolpack Inn for the night, I take an evening stroll by the River Stour, with a view of weatherboarded Chilham Mill framed by willowherb and ripe elderberries. The river sparkles in the sun and turquoise damselflies hover among loosestrife and waterlilies.
The Woolpack’s garden has a Mediterranean feel, with pink hydrangeas, agapanthus and a 600-year-old olive tree. The brick-walled bar has a curving window seat, weathered oak beams and is stuffed with prints and plants and quirky lighting. After a multimillion-pound renovation a couple of years ago, suites and bedrooms upstairs are named after Kentish vineyards, while the big rooms in Rose Cottage, across the lane, come with their own private gardens.
The Woolpack Inn’s ‘Woolly cheeseboard ’is served on a slice of tree trunk. Photograph: Phoebe Taplin/The Guardian
I sit in the leafy shade with a “Woolly cheeseboard” on a slice of tree trunk. As much cheese-based installation as meal, its applewood-smoked and creamy goat are artfully arranged among crackers, olives, nuts, dried fruit, chutneys and tangy homemade pickles. To go with it, there are pints of Shepherd Neame’s toffee-appley Master Brew from down the road in Faversham, or glasses of the local cuvée at cellar door prices.
Domaine Evremond helped found the Wine Garden of England, a collaboration of Kent vineyards. August 2026 also saw the launch of a new tourism initiative, the Kentish Wine Way, encouraging people to visit “England’s largest and most awarded wine region”. The county has 120 commercially active vineyards and more than 25% of Britain’s vines by area, with last year’s harvest producing more than five million bottles. From the train window next day, after hours of walking through wooded hills and burdened orchards, several vineyards roll past, glowing in the evening sunlight.
Accommodation was provided by the Woolpack Inn (doubles from £140 B&B) and some transport by Southeastern (advance tickets from London St Pancras from £16 each way)
Five more Kent vineyards to visit
Balfour Winery
Balfour produced the first English wine to win a gold medal and a trophy at the International Wine Challenge for its 2004 Brut Rosé. Most days, you can pick up a map at the Cellar Door and wander free around the vineyards, orchards, wildflower meadows and ancient oakwoods – or book a range of experiences (from £15pp for a self-tutored tasting). There’s a free shuttle bus to Balfour from Marden train station Friday to Sunday (45 mins from London or Canterbury), and car-free visitors get 20% off the year-round tours and tastings.
Biddenden Vineyards
Five miles from Sissinghurst Castle Garden, the vineyard at Biddenden is the oldest in Kent. Drinks journalist Henry Jeffreys writes that the Barnes family are “apple growers who moved into grapes in 1969 when Joyce Barnes … heard a segment about English viticulture on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and decided to plant some vines”. You can still buy all kinds of fancy apple juice and cider here, as well as a range of experiences. Most run from May to September (from £15 for a self-guided tour and tasting flight) with a new behind-the-scenes production tour and tasting added this year for the colder months (£30).
Chapel Down
Photograph: Tim Winter
Chapel Down, near Tenterden, is England’s largest wine producer, with bottles in numerous supermarkets, made using fruit from more than 700 acres of vineyards across south-east England. A half-hour taxi ride from Ashford International, it offers various tours and tastings, including a cheese and wine pairing (£70).
Simpsons’ Wine Estate
Ruth and Charles Simpson started making wine in Languedoc in 2002 and, since 2012, in Kent, which they call “one of the most dynamic wine-producing regions of the world”. Bookable sessions include tastings (from £25) on a glass-walled mezzanine floor in the winery with velvet sofas and an optional helter-skelter slide to get back down after sampling their still and sparkling wines.
Westwell
On the edge of the Kent Downs, Westwell is close to Charing station and a short walk from the Pilgrims’ Way. The vineyard is known for its experimental approaches, including wild yeasts, small-scale production and cloudy, naturally sparkling Pet Nats. Alongside regular tours, there are Friday pizza nights and seasonal supper clubs. Tour and tasting £28.
