FORGET the Costa del Sol – the hot new place to be is the Costa del Kent.
As the Sun’s unofficial Kent expert (having made the move from London to the seaside county during Covid), it’s fair to say it’s my new favourite place for a staycation.
Having lived in both Folkestone and Margate, the beauty of Kent is not just its beaches, but how easy it is to explore thanks to a vast rail network and roads connecting them all.
But how to do you know which ones to visit? Well, there are six major seaside towns that are the most popular, but which to pick depends on what you love.
Are you more of a traditional beach town fan with sticks of rock and fairground rides, or do you love a fancy wine bar and boutique stores selling fancy trinkets?
I’ve ranked the six most popular resorts on the Costa del Kent – and how to pick the right one or you.
6. Ramsgate
Coming lowest in my list is Ramsgate – that’s not to say that it is a bad place to visit, but I feel it ranks the lowest in comparison to the others.
On arrival, the train station dumps you in the middle of a housing estate, so you have to get a bus to the seafront. Not a great first impression.
It also doesn’t have the prettiest seafront, with the marina overlooked by chains such as Travelodge and boarded up shops.
But while not the prettiest, this doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit.
History buffs will love the Ramsgate Tunnels, with guided tours of the WWII shelters.
It has a great drink scene – for coffee, try Giants, and for wine, try Noa Rooftop – and pop into the shops and cafes found in the bridge arches.
And of course it is home to the world’s biggest Wetherspoons, Victoria Pavilion with is both right on the beach and has a rooftop bar.
While short of any boutique hotels, you can grab a cheap £35 stay at the Travelodge which is a short walk from the beach.
5. Whitstable
Whitstable is one of Kent’s more established seaside towns – I think of it as the St Ives of Kent.
It has all the trimmings you’d expect – oyster shops, fancy charity stores and pricey art galleries – but I like my places with a bit more edge, hence its lower ranking.
It is also relatively small, so you can expect it to be very busy in the summer months as tourists flock to it by train (don’t even try and find a car parking space).
But its is beautifully traditional, where you can take the kids to go crabbing in the harbour, or grab some fresh lobster from The Lobster Shack.
Kids will definitely love Bears Ice Cream Imaginarium which has some very unusual flavours….
Pub lovers will need to go to The Old Neptune, where the beer garden is on the beach, or you can go to the recently-opened Keller for fantastic wine.
Otherwise its a place to simply wander the high street and peruse the shops, nearly all locally run.
I stayed at The Marine Hotel which has sea-view rooms that feel just like a retro B&B but more chic (and expect to see wedding parties downstairs, it’s a popular spot).
4. Margate
You might be surprised to see Margate not in the no.1 spot, having sung its praises for many years after living there for nearly two years.
Yet having since explored the rest of the county, its nickname the Shoreditch on Sea has almost worked too well in making it popular, with so many fancy wine bars and cafes that even I, an ex-Londoner, now feel out of place.
But if you can step outside of this, the food and drink scene here really is one of the best.
Two must-visit pubs are the Rose in June and George & Heart, which are both traditional but modern when it comes to the food and vibe.
And I adore Lilie’s Margate which serves some of the best tapas, and the Italian at Bottega Caruso which was even praised by Madonna (yes really).
Of course if you want some fine dining, you’re spoilt for choice, from the pier-front Sargasso to elevated Brit cuisine of The Wellington, and of course it has the famous Turner Contemporary for art along with the Carl Freedman Gallery.
And there are still inklings of the town’s retro seaside days – the historic Dreamland theme park which feels like stepping back in time; the cheesy arcades that blare loud music; the vintage beach fairgrounds that pop up every summer.
While it can feel slightly performative when it comes to the cool factor, there is little that can compare to stepping out of the train station and seeing that glorious rich yellow sand, begging you to come and sit back and relax.
3. Deal
Deal might be small, but she is mighty when it comes to being one of Kent’s best seaside towns.
Due to her size, she is more suited to a day trip – anymore than a few days and you might find yourself a bit bored.
But head straight to the brutalist pier to get a sense of the place, walking past fisherman catching for the day, followed by lunch at Deal Pier Kitchen at the end.
If Chat GPT spat out a seaside town, Deal it is, complete with rustic old pubs that locals have been going to for decades, as well as your classic chippies, ice cream parlours and arcades.
But it has element of cool – at the end of the High Street is fancy stores selling chic interiors, pup treats and curated gifts.
Restaurants like The Blue Pelican have been raved about for its fresh fish, or grab a Caribbean inspired roast dinner at The Port Arms.
The Rose Hotel is the coolest place in town, with whimsical rooms above a moody restaurant with a menu to match.
Explore its history in Deal Castle and you’ve ticked all the boxes for the ultimate seaside escape.
2. Folkestone
My beautiful hometown of Folkestone came in a close second, only because, as a local, I am its harshest critic.
It’s popularity has come with downsides – in that I mean huge construction works going on that has caused chaos on the roads in town, as well as seen some awful building plans that if, given the go-ahead, will ruin the beachfront.
But outside of that, I am ready to sing its praises. Come to the beachfront for the Harbour Arms, full of shipping containers selling food and gifts right by a huge TV screen for films and sports events.
Head down the pier and catch some live music at the weekend (best listened to from the top of the converted red The Solstice Bus bar, or the The Lighthouse Champagne Bar).
There is the Sea Scrub Sauna, the largest beach sauna in the UK; Boardroom for darts and shuffleboard or the just-reopened Lower Leas Coastal Park, the biggest free park in Kent.
When it comes to impressing out of towners, I always take them to Pomus for a rotating menu of small plates and wine, followed by a cocktail at Gaia and an ice cream at Herbert’s Gelato (try the malted milk).
And that’s all before perusing the multicoloured shops down the Creative Quarter, all independent sellers.
I feel Folkestone has the mix of fashionable new establishments along with the conventional English seaside resort – so with that, almost comes out on top.
1. Broadstairs
For me, Broadstairs has the best of both traditional and the emerging trendy spots which takes it to the top of the list.
It’s been named everything from the best seaside commuter town and best places to live to one of the best for a day trip.
Head straight to the beach and see boats coming in for the day, traditional beach huts and stripy deck chairs.
Then go drop some pennies at the arcade before a towering ice cream from the retro Morelli’s Gelato.
But weave down the pretty streets and you will feel inklings of ‘cool before the crowds know it’s cool’
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 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).
And what really takes her to the top is her being all weather – being just as beautiful in summer as she is in autumn and winter.
See you there?