Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0Family beaches and seaside days out in Kent
27 beaches and seaside days out in Kent that suit families, each checked against official sources. Of these, 26 are free to enter and 15 are marked as suiting toddlers.
Tides, parking and any seasonal dog or watersport rules vary from beach to beach, so check the council or owner's notice before you go.
Free to enter
Free entry. Parking, food and activities inside can cost extra, so check each listing.
Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0Botany Bay
Botany Bay is a sandy cove between Margate and Broadstairs, framed by white chalk cliffs and dramatic chalk stacks. Explore the rock pools and hunt for fossils, and at low tide walk round to Kingsgate Bay. There is a kiosk on the beach and seasonal lifeguards in summer.
Image: Visit ThanetDumpton Gap
Dumpton Gap is a quiet sandy bay between Broadstairs and Ramsgate with a promenade and kiosk. It is one of the best starting points for a low tide walk along the foot of the cliffs to Ramsgate. Come for a calmer beach day with children or dogs, or a couple of hours walking the shore.
Photo: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0Herne Bay Pier
Herne Bay Pier is a lively charity-run pier lined with beach hut shops and food stalls, voted top of the 2026 Bucket and Spade List of favourite seaside places. Ride the vintage carousel and helter-skelter, try crabbing off the end or browse local makers. It suits families and anyone after traditional seaside fun.
Image: Visit ThanetJoss Bay
Joss Bay is a 200 metre sandy bay near Broadstairs, best known as Thanet's top surfing beach and holder of a Blue Flag and Seaside Award for 2026. Families can build sandcastles, rockpool, bounce at the seasonal Kids Corner and grab snacks from the cafe. It is easy to spend half a day here in summer.
Image: Visit ThanetLouisa Bay
Louisa Bay is a small, sheltered beach a short walk from Viking Bay in Broadstairs, and one of the town's best spots for rockpooling. There is a cafe on the promenade and beach chalets along the front. It suits families with young children who want a quieter hour or two by the sea.
Image: Visit ThanetMargate Main Sands
Margate Main Sands is a wide sandy bay in the centre of town, a short walk from Turner Contemporary, Dreamland and the Old Town. Build sandcastles, hire a deckchair and stay for the sunset over the bay. It is a classic seaside half day for families, with cafés and seafood stalls nearby.
Image: Visit ThanetMinnis Bay
Minnis Bay is a long sandy beach at Birchington with a paddling pool, play area and a restaurant and kiosk on the promenade. Families come for sandcastles and rock pools, while windsurfers and kitesurfers use the open water. Plan on an afternoon, and check the tides first.
Image: Explore KentMinnis Bay to Reculver Walk
This flat, stile-free walk follows the sea wall for 3.7 miles from the beach at Minnis Bay to the twin towers of Reculver, with big sea views all the way. Bring binoculars for the birdlife and a picnic for the grounds by the towers. Allow two to four hours for the return trip, or catch public transport back.
Image: Visit ThanetRamsgate Main Sands
Ramsgate Main Sands is a long sandy beach right beside the Royal Harbour and marina, with a continental feel. Spend the day on the sand, then try the arcades, kiosks and al fresco restaurants along the front. It is an easy half day for families.
Image: Visit ThanetSt Mildred's Bay
St Mildred's Bay is a cliff-lined sandy bay at Westgate-on-Sea with a promenade, tidal pool and beach huts. Play on the sand, use the tennis courts or grab food at the beach bar and bistro, and read about the bay's history as a naval seaplane base. It is a gentle family beach for a few hours.
Image: Visit ThanetStone Bay
Stone Bay is a quieter, cliff-backed beach just north of Broadstairs town centre, best known for rock pooling. Explore the pools at low tide, hire a beach chalet, then stroll the promenade to Viking Bay and the town. It suits families with young children for a few hours.
Image: Visit ThanetViking Bay
Viking Bay is the horseshoe-shaped sandy beach at the heart of Broadstairs, the seaside town Charles Dickens chose for his holidays. Spend the day building sandcastles, swimming in lifeguarded water or trying the surf school, with a boardwalk, café, beach shops and deckchair hire on hand. It is a classic family seaside day.
Image: Visit ThanetWalpole Bay
Walpole Bay in Cliftonville is a long sandy beach best known for its large tidal pool, a favourite with Margate's sea swimmers. Explore the rock pools at low tide, take a dip in the tidal pool and warm up afterwards in the community sauna by the water. It suits swimmers, rock poolers and anyone after a quieter stretch of Margate coast.
Image: Visit ThanetWest Bay
West Bay is a sandy, completely tidal bay in Westgate-on-Sea, ideal for sandcastles and rock pooling. A pub, café and beach shop sit along the promenade, and beach chalets can be hired for the day. It is a laid-back choice for families with young children.
Image: Visit ThanetWestbrook Bay
Westbrook Bay is a sandy family beach just west of Margate, with a small strip of sand left even at high tide. It is a designated water ski area, and the promenade has an adventure golf course with tennis and bowls close by. Come for a beach day with a round of mini golf thrown in.
Image: White Cliffs Country (Dover District Council)Deal Beach
Deal Beach is a long stretch of pebbles with a promenade and one of only two piers in Kent, a short stroll from the town's independent cafes and shops. Fish from the pier, play crazy golf, paddle or swim, then wander into town. It suits families and couples for a relaxed half day by the sea.
Photo: Dr Astrid Stilma, CC BY-SA 4.0Dungeness National Nature Reserve
Dungeness is one of the largest shingle landscapes in the world, a strange and beautiful place of wooden houses, lighthouses, power stations and gravel pits. The National Nature Reserve is home to around 600 plant species and is a great spot for migrating birds in spring and autumn. Spend a few hours walking the paths, then visit the Old Lighthouse, the RSPB reserve or the miniature railway terminus.
Photo: Doyle of London, CC BY-SA 4.0Dymchurch Beach
Dymchurch Beach is a sweeping sand and shingle shore that is popular with sandcastle builders, paddlers, swimmers and kitesurfers. The village behind it has an amusement park, cafes and a pub, and a stop on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. It suits families planning a classic half day at the seaside.
Image: Explore KentEast Cliff and Warren Country Park
East Cliff and Warren Country Park runs from open clifftop lawns on the edge of Folkestone down into The Warren, a wild landscape created by 200 years of landslides beneath the White Cliffs. Families can use the playground and pitch and putt, while keener walkers head down to the shore for rockpooling and fossil hunting. Allow a few hours.
Photo: Leonard Bentley from Iden, East Sussex, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0Greatstone Beach
Greatstone offers two miles of sandy beach on the Romney Marsh coast, ideal for swimming, sandcastles and long walks at low tide. The open shore also draws kitesurfers and land yachters. Families can easily fill half a day, and Dungeness is close by for more exploring.
Image: Explore KentHythe Beach
Hythe Beach is a long sloping shingle shore with wide, uninterrupted sea views, a short walk from the winding streets and independent shops of the old town. Combine a seaside stroll with a ride along the Royal Military Canal or a walk from nearby Brockhill Country Park. It suits couples and families for a relaxed few hours.
Photo: Marathon, CC BY-SA 2.0Reculver Country Park
Reculver Country Park covers 26 hectares of clifftop grassland on the north Kent coast, dominated by the twin towers of a medieval church inside a Roman fort. Walk or cycle the clifftop towards Herne Bay, take in the views to Margate and explore the towers for free. It suits families, cyclists and dog walkers for an hour or more.
Photo: Poliphilo, CC0St Mary's Bay
St Mary's Bay is a long sandy beach on Romney Marsh, stretching between Dymchurch and Littlestone-on-Sea. Families come for sandcastles and summer swims, with a kiosk for ice creams and cold drinks, while winter brings bracing walks along the front. Allow a relaxed half day in summer.
Photo: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0Sunny Sands Beach
Sunny Sands is a sandy beach in Folkestone, and the sand here is good enough to host the town's annual sandcastle competition. Bring a bucket and spade, look out for the Folkestone Mermaid statue on the shore and pick up ice cream or fish and chips nearby. It suits families with young children and is perfect for a relaxed afternoon.
Photo: Richard Rogerson, CC BY-SA 2.0Tankerton Beach
Tankerton Beach is a shingle beach below the grassy Tankerton Slopes, lined with brightly painted beach huts. At low tide the sea pulls back to reveal rock pools and a long walk out across the foreshore, and the grassy banks above are made for picnics. It is a relaxed family beach for a half day of paddling, swimming and rock pooling.
Photo: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0Whitstable Beach
Whitstable's long shingle beach runs right along the town, so a walk on the shore leads straight to independent stalls, galleries, fish and chips and the famous oysters. You will often see windsurfers and sailors out on the water, and the 5km Whitstable Maritime coastal trail follows the shore. It suits couples and families wanting a seaside stroll with good food.
Check the listing for prices
Prices vary by activity or are set by the venue, so we do not guess.
Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0Samphire Hoe
Samphire Hoe is a country park beneath the White Cliffs, created from spoil dug out during construction of the Channel Tunnel. Follow the sea wall and paths for cliff and Channel views, spot birds, butterflies and rare plants, and stop at the tea kiosk. It is a flat, family friendly outing of an hour or two.
Questions people ask
Which beaches and seaside days out in Kent are free to enter?
Our listings show free entry at Botany Bay, Dumpton Gap, Herne Bay Pier, Joss Bay, Louisa Bay, Margate Main Sands, Minnis Bay and Minnis Bay to Reculver Walk and 18 more. Check each listing for anything charged on top, such as parking, food or activities.
Which of these suit toddlers?
Our listings mark Herne Bay Pier, Joss Bay, Louisa Bay, Margate Main Sands, Minnis Bay, Ramsgate Main Sands, St Mildred's Bay and Stone Bay and 7 more as suiting toddlers and young children.