Broadstairs: Bucket & Spades Fun

A lovely sandy beach on the Kentish coast, Broadstairs is the perfect place for some classic bucket and spade fun.

Summer days are here with a long stretch of hot weather. When we want to escape to the seaside, our first pick is usually wonderful Whitstable, or bustling Brighton. Both beach towns are under 90 minutes away from London by train. But we recently discovered just a few train stops from Whitstable is the lovely town of Broadstairs. So on a beautiful morning, we took a day trip to the seaside with Lady Yeya and her BFF’s family. 

The Jewel of the Isle of Thanet

Located between Margate and Ramsgate, Broadstairs is known as the ‘jewel’ of the Isle of Thanet. If you are looking for a quintessential British seaside town with a vintage charm, Broadstairs is just that. Unlike Whitstable or Brighton, Broadstairs has a wide sandy beach with a relaxed vibe lined with rows of beach huts. 

Broadstairs is perfect for a ‘bucket and spade’ seaside fun. In fact, there is not one beach in Broadstairs, but a series of seven coves including Stones Bay, Joss Bay, and Botany Bay. If the main beach, Viking Bay, is too busy for your liking, take a left past the pier to Stones Bay where the crowds are smaller, but the beach is equally nice. We enjoyed the cliff top views from the pedestrian promenade looking across the North Sea and the cute mix of shops and restaurants along Harbour Street and Albion Street.

Seafood & Frites on the Beach

We meant to explore Broadstairs including Dickens House Museum and the Viking Coastal Trail after lunch. But alas we couldn’t pull ourselves away from the beach and the fresh sea breeze. Lady Yeya and her friends had a blast building sandcastles that we didn’t dare to interrupt their perfect bucket and spade beach day. Instead of lunch at Wyatt and Jones, we ordered a sampling of fried seafood from their sister restaurant Flotsam & Jetsam to eat on the beach. We are after all at the British seaside and what is more classic than fish and chip? 

After a blissful day enjoying the beach and people watching, we treated ourselves to ice cream from Morelli’s, a Broadstairs institution since the 1950s. Sadly we had to catch our early evening train back to London. But we look forward to our next visit and we’ll be sure to stay for a long weekend to check out all the Isle of Thanet has to offer. 

Happy summer everyone!