Margate, one of the best seaside destinations in Britain, is a fusion of entertainment, the arts, and a seductive sandy beach and is just over an hour’s train ride from London. Kent is becoming increasingly well-liked among day travelers and those seeking a vacation from the grind by working remotely from cafés and beaches and traveling into London as needed. Let’s explore the 10 best places to visit in Margate in 2024.
This classic beach offers families classic seaside fun and entertainment with a tidal pool, kiddie rides, and amusement arcades.
There is still enough of a beach to build sandcastles on, even when the tide is in. The old town’s only a short stroll away and offers restaurants, taverns, and seafood vendors. Children and adults of all ages love this fantastic British seaside experience, filling Dreamland Amusement Park with their joyful voices.
Margate is also arty, young, and charmingly odd, even though it has all the hallmarks of an English seaside resort, including a theme park, sandy beach, amusement arcades, theaters, and bingo halls.
While J. M. W. Turner, probably England’s finest painter, spent a significant portion of his boyhood in Margate and visited frequently in the 19th century, Tracey Emin grew up nearby.
The Turner Contemporary, a prominent art gallery by the river, bears his name.
The Old Town, which is very independent, contains taverns housed in historical structures as well as galleries and vintage shops.
The following is a guide to making the most of Margate and explains the best places to visit in Margate why it is one of the greatest days out in Kent:
Ways to travel to Margate
Trains run frequently through Margate, and the distance from the station to the seafront is only a short stroll. From London St. Pancras International, London Charing Cross, London Stratford International, and London Victoria rail stations, there are frequent, direct high-speed trains that take 1.5 to 2 hours to travel one way.
1. Margate Main Sands
One of the greatest in Kent, this gorgeously sandy beach is the center of Margate and one of the first things you see as you descend from the railway station. During the summer, it is crowded with day trippers and residents, so getting there early is advised if you want a nice site. There are several pubs, cafes, children’s play areas, and ice cream parlors nearby, and you may rent deckchairs and other types of beach furniture.
2. Margate’s Dreamland
Dreamland Margate puts the “amusing” in the amusement park by being simultaneously vibrant, nostalgic, and kitsch (in a good way). It was first introduced in 1870, albeit in a much smaller size, and has undergone significant alteration ever since. Dreamland, which had previously been closed, came back stronger and better than ever in 2015, and happily, it now seems to be open permanently. It hosted concerts, festivals, and other well-liked events during the summer.
3. Margate Harbour Arm
The harbor wall on the east side of the Main Sand begins adjacent to the Turner Contemporary and looks back towards the resort and its beach.
There are now restaurants, cafes, and a tavern in some of the low brick structures that previously housed fishing gear. There are benches in front, so you may enjoy the views.
The Harbour Arm Gallery has a busy calendar of exhibitions, and some have been converted into artist studios.
A bronze statue of a “Shell Lady” (a scaled-up version of sculptures depicting women fashioned from shells and sold in Margate’s souvenir stores) is at the end of the arm.
This one was named “Mrs. Booth” after the hotel owner whose establishment had a view of Margate Harbour. They’re all named after famous women from Margate’s history.
4. Turner Contemporary
A David Chipperfield-designed art museum, which debuted in 2011, is situated on the location of the boarding house where J. M. W. Turner stayed. The Turner Contemporary was a long-planned project that received Tracey Emin’s support because she was a Margate native.
The largest visual arts venue in Kent is the warehouse-like building with stark white walls.
The Turner Contemporary, which features both ongoing and one-time exhibitions, is open to the public for free; however, donations are much appreciated. Observe that Mondays are gallery-free days (except when there is a British bank holiday).
5. Botany Bay
You can reach Botany Bay from Margate by bus or a 45-minute beach walk. This iconic and historic Kent Bay is frequently used as a historical setting for films and television shows. This area, which is well-known for its stark white chalk cliffs, is also a wonderful swimming location and a good place to get away from the summertime tourist crowds on Margate Beach. There are also lifeguards on duty during the busiest travel season.
Keep an eye out for Neptune’s Tower, a historical folly (that resembles a castle) that dates to around 1760, while you stroll along the coast in this area. The Captain Folly clifftop bar, which is also castle-like but much more modern, is another place we’d suggest seeing. The beer garden at the Captain Folly is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque in all of Britain because of the panoramic views of the coast it offers.
6. Old Town Margate
The Old Town is Margate at its most fashionable and bohemian, set back from the Main Sands.
On this maze of streets and alleyways backed by Georgian and Victorian flat-fronted facades up to four stories high, there are barely any chain stores to be found.
Kitsch cafes, specialized food stores, independent art galleries, historic seafarers’ inns, and a tonne of vintage clothing and antique shops can be found on the ground floors.
It should come as no surprise that the Old Town has been named one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the UK. The Old Town’s historic maritime character and alluring storefronts can enchant you for a few hours.
7. Museum in Margate
The Margate Museum is situated in the Georgian Old Town Hall on Market Place and is lovingly maintained by devoted volunteers.
The judge’s court and police station were previously housed in this structure; they were connected by a covered bridge over an alley.
In the museum, you may learn about the development of Margate as a tourist destination and get lost in tales of historic shipwrecks and paddle steamers.
There is a display of bathing machines, which were little wooden shelters on wheels that Victorian travelers would roll into the water at the beach to bathe modestly. You may explore the former jail cells and discover how the two World Wars impacted Margate.
8. Shell Grotto
The Shell Grotto is a 30-meter subterranean tunnel, rotunda, and rectangular “altar chamber” carved out of a chalk hill and embellished with a mosaic consisting of around 4.6 million shells. It is still a mystery today as it was when it was found in 1835.
There are many theories, but no one is entirely certain how or why the Shell Grotto came to be. It might have been a folly that a wealthy local person discovered in the 18th or 19th century, a lodge for the Knights Templar or Stonemasons, or perhaps a room used for pagan ceremonies as far ago as 3,000 years ago.
The grotto’s beautiful mosaic contains local mussel, cockle, whelk, limpet, oyster, and scallop shells, but the background is entirely made of flat winkle shells, which could only have come from beaches west of Southampton, more than 150 miles away.
9. Antique stores
There are several unique individual vintage and antique stores in Margate Old Town. Visit Peony Vintage, owned by Georgie Roberton, who is dedicated to ethical fashion and personally chooses each article of apparel and accessories.
10. Hornby Visitor Centre
Anyone who grew up in Britain in the 20th century remembers the Margate-based hobby firm Hornby with nostalgia.
Train sets, Scalextric slot cars, Airfix model airplanes, the Meccano toy-building system, and Corgi die-cast toy cars are all produced by the company.
The visitor center takes you on a tour of the company’s past and showcases several of its founder, Frank Hornby’s, creations.
Children may play with buttons on the enormous model railroad displays, and you can expose them to the excitement of Scalextric racing on a track that timers their laps.
The visitor center offers programs like model painting during school breaks, and there is a cafe there as well.
