Warm sunshine in February is pretty rare in England. So, on the first glimpse of genuine sunny and (kind-of) warm weather, we took a day-trip to the classic British seaside town of Margate.
Now – Margate has a checkered history. 100 years ago, it was the seaside destination of England, but since then the town has had its ups and downs – with the town earning an unfair reputation as a down in the dumps seaside resort.
However, over the past few years, Margate has witnessed a not-so-quiet revival, earning the moniker of Shoreditch-by-sea. And, while the town still had a few of its rough edges (most places do, tbh!), the town is an incredibly cool and quirky place to spend the day, particularly when the sun is shining.
It’s got great bars and cute cafes with lovely seaside views and a cliffside walk. And it still retains some classic British seaside treats like the arcades and 2p machines.
So – if you’re looking for a daytrip to the seaside on a sunny spring Saturday or Sunday, look no further than Margate. Here’s our favourite bits:
Take a cliffside walk to Botany Bay
We got to Margate early and chose to walk along the beach and cliffside towards Botany Bay and Broadstairs.
We were treated with beautiful sandy beaches and crumbling white cliffside views off into the horizon. And, because we headed down early, we had the beaches pretty much all to ourselves.
The roundtrip from Margate to Botany Bay and back will take a few hours, so we’d recommend timing it so you’re back into Margate for lunch or dinner.
Walk around and explore the cute cafes and streets
Margate is brilliant for browsing, with a lovely smattering of vintage and retro shops, in amongst shops selling cute gifts and antiques. Take a few hours walking around, popping into the shops and walking down the narrow alleys. You never know what could be around the corner – we were equally fascinated and creeped out by some of the antiques on view in some of the shops.
There’s also tons of pubs, restaurants and cafes in town. With a surprising amount of vegan options too. We stumbled upon the all-vegan Seaside Kitchen & Cake Parlour and basically had our minds blown by the awesome gluten free pancakes and milkshakes. We wish we could have eaten everything there.
Watch the sunset accross the bay
After a day exploring the seafront and antique shops around town, we wound down with a coffee in a bar by the beach, watching the sun go down on the bay. The sun sets further down the coast, and silouettes Margates themepark Dreamland – you can spot the Ferris wheel in the distance – providing a relaxing scene to take in before grabbing the next train home.
What a beauty.
So if you’re looking for an day trip from London to the seaside, we’d highly recommend Margate. It’s got tons to do, lovely food and awesome vibes. And you really can’t beat a British Seaside on a fresh and sunny spring day.
These Wild Journeys 