When I first moved to Canterbury, I was worried about missing out on my seaside hometown beaches. With Canterbury being a city and all, it seemed that the closest thing I would get to a beach would be the river.

However, Canterbury is within an hour of lots of beaches, making it an ideal location to use as a base for seaside days out.

As I'm an avid beach goer, I made it my summer plans to visit different beaches every weekend. I haven’t managed to visit all of them yet - there are quite a few to get through!

But here is a rundown of my favourite visits and my yet-to-complete beaches. Have a look to see how many you have visited or yet to visit too.

Beaches ticked off the bucket list

1. Herne Bay

When I went to visit Herne Bay, I decided to take a bus ride from Canterbury bus station as it was only a 30-minute ride. You can opt for a train journey, which can take a bit longer with two trains from Canterbury East (to Faversham and then to Herne Bay).

Herne Bay is a smaller coastal town with a parade of shops and a street market – a bit like Canterbury, but smaller.

I couldn’t help myself when I walked past a burger stand and grabbed some lunch there before heading onto the beach.

2. Whitstable

My trip to Whitstable was a lot more recent than the rest. I decided to take a long walk from Canterbury to Whitstable to avoid public transport and to have a short visit at the beach.

The trail to Whitstable is known as the Crab and Winkle Way, a National Trail for cyclists and walkers.

It's meant to take approximately two hours to walk the trail, although do consider where you are starting from. The entirety of my journey took six hours, as walking to the start of the trail took me an extra hour! Ouch…

3. Margate

Margate beach is a popular tourist location during the warmer months! It has a beautiful sandy beach with amusements, arcades, and shops facing the seafront.

I personally tend to prefer the sandier beaches, like Margate, so it’s a great choice for a more comfortable visit. Margate is only a 35-minute train journey from Canterbury West – super handy for a quick and eventful day out.

4. Botany Bay

Botany Bay is situated between Margate and Broadstairs. It’s a secluded sandy beach, tucked out the way, making it a longer and more adventurous journey to the sea.

This beach is a little harder to get to, but it's worth the journey thanks to the beautiful soft sand. I had to take a bus from Canterbury bus station towards Ramsgate. It takes around 90 minutes, but it’s a great way to explore the coastal areas of Kent, and it's another beach to tick off your bucket (and spade) list!

5. Ramsgate

Ramsgate Main Sands is one of my all-time favourite beaches in Kent!

Ramsgate itself is a great seaside town and also has the largest Wetherspoons in the UK, known as the Royal Victoria Pavilion.

The beach itself is sandy and soft. There is also a marina with lots of fancy boats. There's plenty of parking if you prefer to drive there and, of course, direct trains and buses are available from Canterbury.

6. Broadstairs

I have saved the best to last…

Broadstairs is my favourite beach in Kent and was the first coastal town I visited. You can easily catch a train from Canterbury West, taking only 30-minutes.

Beaches on the bucket list

7. Sandwich

Sandwich Bay is only a 45-minute bus journey from Canterbury bus station or a 30-minute drive from Canterbury.

If you ever make a day trip there, you should also visit Sandwich Wildlife Park. They offer an experience of 90-minute guided tours around their park to visit the animals and get an insight on their facilities. Tickets aren't very expensive and tours take place from 1:30PM each day – but book in advance to avoid disappointment as spaces are limited.

8. Deal

Deal’s beach is a long stretch of pebbles with a pier as a grand tourist attraction. The beach is surrounded with a variety of independent seaside shops and restaurants.

Deal is about a 40-minute drive from Canterbury or accessible via a bus for a 50-minute journey from Canterbury bus station.

9. Westgate-on-Sea

Westgate-on-Sea is known for two beautiful sandy beaches - West Bay Beach and St. Mildred’s. Both surrounded by little cafes and the town with greenery.

Westgate-On-Sea is located near Margate, so it’s only a 30-minute journey by car. You can also catch a bus from Canterbury bus station, which takes around 50-minutes.

10. Folkestone

Finally – Folkestone beach!

Folkestone’s beach is known as Sunny Sands, next to Folkestone harbour, which is a popular sandy beach with close-by facilities of cafes, shops, and restaurants.

It’s around a 30-minute drive from Canterbury to Folkestone. If you’re taking public transport - like I do - then you can take a 47-minute bus from Canterbury bus station or two trains from either station in Canterbury.

Thank you for reading this blog! Why not let us know how many of these beautiful Kent beaches you have visited?

I know I’m definitely off to Sandwich’s beaches on my next seaside visit - how about you?