Why the Thanet Coast Suits a Short Break

Broadstairs and Ramsgate sit barely three miles apart on the eastern tip of Kent, yet they feel like two different holidays. Broadstairs is the prettier of the pair: a huddle of chalk-white cliffs, seven sandy bays and a compact town centre that still looks much as it did when Charles Dickens summered here. Ramsgate is bigger, saltier and more workaday, built around a Georgian harbour that once handled cross-Channel trade. Together they make an ideal weekend, because you can walk or hop on a train between them and still have time left over for a long lunch.

Both towns are at their best in the shoulder months. May, June and September bring warm sand without the August crush, and out-of-season rates for self-catering flats and guesthouses can be startlingly reasonable. If you want a short break that mixes sea air, decent coffee and a bit of genuine history, this stretch of coast delivers it without any need for a car.

Getting There and Getting Around

High-speed trains from London St Pancras reach Ramsgate in about an hour and twenty minutes, with Broadstairs one stop further along the same line. If you are driving, the A299 from the M2 runs straight into Thanet, and both towns have pay-and-display car parks close to the seafront — though spaces vanish quickly on sunny Saturdays, so arrive before eleven if you can.

Once you are here, you barely need the car. A frequent local bus links Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Margate, and the coastal path between Broadstairs and Ramsgate takes roughly an hour at a gentle pace, dropping down through Kingsgate and climbing again past the old smuggling coves. Bring proper shoes; the chalk paths can be slippery after rain.

• By train: St Pancras to Broadstairs or Ramsgate, roughly 80–100 minutes.
• On foot: Broadstairs to Ramsgate along the cliff path, about 3 miles.
• Buses: Regular services along the coast until early evening; check last times if you plan a late dinner.

Broadstairs: Bays, Books and Breakfast

Start at Viking Bay, the town's main sandy beach, complete with a Victorian pier and a horseshoe of cafés looking out to sea. Wander up Albion Street and the adjoining lanes for independent shops, second-hand bookshops and places doing a proper full English. Bleak House, perched on the cliff above the harbour, is worth the climb for the views alone.

The town's quieter beaches reward a little effort. Stone Bay, just around the corner, is sandier and calmer; Joss Bay to the north has the best surf on this coast and a clifftop car park; Kingsgate Bay, with its chalk arch, is the sort of place that fills a camera roll in ten minutes. Check tide times before settling down — several of these bays shrink dramatically at high water.

If your dates are flexible, two local traditions transform the town: a literary festival in June celebrating its famous Victorian resident, and a folk week in August that fills the pubs with music. Book accommodation months ahead for either.

Ramsgate: Harbour, History and Harbour-Side Suppers

Ramsgate's Royal Harbour is the only one in the country to hold that title, granted for its role in hosting Georgian royalty, and it remains the heart of the town. The marina is ringed by Regency terraces, chandlers and a good spread of restaurants where the fish is landed a few hundred metres away. Sit on the harbour arm with a coffee and watch the ferries and yachts manoeuvre.

History buffs should make time for the wartime tunnels buried beneath the town, an extraordinary network carved out as an air-raid shelter, and for the maritime collections near the harbour. Above ground, the Main Sands is broad and family-friendly, while the Western Undercliff offers a quieter stretch with rock pools at low tide. Ramsgate is also the cheaper of the two for eating out, and its pubs are friendlier to a wet Wednesday evening.

Where to Stay

Broadstairs leans towards seafront hotels, boutique guesthouses and smart self-catering flats above the shops. Ramsgate offers more space for your money: harbour-view apartments, converted Georgian townhouses and a handful of small hotels within walking distance of the station. Families often prefer the holiday parks and caravan sites on the western edge of Thanet, which come with pools and entertainment but need a car.

• Book direct where you can — small guesthouses often hold back their best rooms.
• Ask about parking before booking; on-street permits vary street by street.
• Sea views cost a premium in Broadstairs but far less in Ramsgate.
• Minimum stays of two or three nights are common in summer; weekend breaks are easiest in spring and autumn.

A Simple Two-Day Plan

Arrive Friday evening, check in, and eat near the harbour. On Saturday, walk the coast path from Broadstairs to Ramsgate, stopping at Kingsgate Bay for a swim if the tide is right, then spend the afternoon on the harbour and the evening over fish and chips. Sunday is for Broadstairs: breakfast on Albion Street, a slow morning on Viking Bay, a look around Bleak House, and a final pot of tea before the train home.

Pack a light waterproof, a refillable bottle and cash for the smaller cafés. Above all, leave gaps in the schedule — the pleasure of this coast is in sitting still and watching the light change over the water.