The Smaller Explorer
  • Adventure
    • Activity
      • Camping
      • Climbing
      • Cycling
      • Expedition
      • Festivals
      • Running
      • Walking
    • Environment
      • Beach
      • Mountains
      • Nature
      • Snow
      • Water
      • Woodland
  • Explore
    • Farms
    • Garden centres
    • Galleries
    • Museums
    • National Trust
    • Parks
  • Travel
    • Responsible travel
    • Overseas
    • UK
  • Seasons
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
    • Winter
  • Age ranges
    • Teeny
    • Primary
    • Secondary
    • Going solo
  • What’s on
  • Reviews
  • About

The Smaller Explorer

family travel and adventure

  • Adventure
    • Activity
      • Camping
      • Climbing
      • Cycling
      • Expedition
      • Festivals
      • Running
      • Walking
    • Environment
      • Beach
      • Mountains
      • Nature
      • Snow
      • Water
      • Woodland
  • Explore
    • Farms
    • Garden centres
    • Galleries
    • Museums
    • National Trust
    • Parks
  • Travel
    • Responsible travel
    • Overseas
    • UK
  • Seasons
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
    • Winter
  • Age ranges
    • Teeny
    • Primary
    • Secondary
    • Going solo
  • What’s on
  • Reviews
  • About
TravelUKWhitstable

Weekend adventures: Whitstable with kids

written by smallerexplorer February 5, 2018
Weekend adventures: Whitstable with kids

Whitstable has long been popular with the down from Londoners, and it’s old fashioned charm is no longer a secret to those wanting a quick break away from hectic city life. However, it’s also a great place to visit with children, and will tick that ‘wholesome childhood memory’ box as well as being enjoyable for all the family. Here’s our verdict after our trip to Whitstable with kids.

What to do in Whitstable with kids

We arrived on a blustery, moody afternoon. Rain poured down in sheets as we scrambled to get all our belongings into our home for the weekend. iPads assembled and hot chocolate made, we hibernated inside and hoped that the weather would be kinder in Whitstable in the morning. Otherwise we had a lot of Netflix watching to do.

It was, luckily. Still breezy, but bright and refreshing. Seagulls whirled and shrieked like alarm clocks and the briny, fresh air did more for me than any double espresso could. We explored the high street first. The windy, medieval main Harbour Street and High Street are a combined 1.5ish miles long, packed full of interesting, unique independent shops. Vintage clothes emporiums sit next to old-school homewares stores. Teeny, tiny art galleries perch opposite kitsch ice cream parlours. There are also plenty of shops to keep little ones happy. Buttercup and Peekaboo for children’s clothes, toys and gifts. Sugar Boy and Sundae Sundae for an overdose on retro sweets and ice cream and the Kite Shop for, yes, kites.

After filling up on shops, coffee and cake, we giggled as we tried inching our way down ‘Squeezegut Alley’, a bottleneck lane that ends up on the Island Wall. Dreamworthy clapboard holiday homes spill onto the coastline and gaze out to sea on the Island Wall. It was back in the 1990s that many Londoners cottoned onto the fact that this charming little Kent seaside town had got it going on, and these Island Wall homes got snapped up.

Prices here now rival the outskirts of London. Yet despite its popularity Whitstable manages to retain it’s old fashioned charm. It’s arty but not pretentious. Chic but straightforward. Cute but not too quaint. There is a pleasant convivial feel about it and a wide demographic of ages pottering about.

For lunch, it would have been rude not to have fish and chips on the beach. Oysters and prosecco for the adults. Standard fare in Whitstable. We spent the rest of the afternoon mooching about the seaside. It’s a shingle beach, and, shhh, not actually that Instagram-worthy. Black, crunchy seaweed mingles with scrubby, salty grass and some of the beach huts look a little unloved, but this just adds to the dischevelled Hamptons vibe. Whitstable is like an old leather sofa or reclaimed kitchen table. Not manicured but loved all the more for it. Kids don’t care about any of that though. They were more than content filling buckets with stones, and emptying them again, attempting to skim stones across the breaking waves and running about playing catch.

One of the highlights of Whitstable is the chance to go crabbing. The best spot is apparently at West Beach, a 15 minute walk west of the centre, but we tried at the pier the following morning. The harbour is another good option. Grab a line at Sundae Sundae or George’s mini mart and some bacon rind from one of the butchers on the high street. Put some bait into the net, lower into the water, and wait. Happiness is watching your kids shriek with delight as they strike gold, pull up a crab in their net, then inspect it open mouthed with concentration.

Back at our cosy old fisherman’s cottage, rosy-cheeked and smelling of the sea air, we had another hot chocolate before heading home. And we never though once about our iPads since that first evening. Crabbing is far more interesting than Netflix.

Other things to do in Whitstable with kids

Visit Whitstable Museum and Gallery, on the High Street. Small but perfectly formed.

Watch the boats come in and go out at the working harbour., built in the 1830s.

Explore Whitstable Castle and gardens, a 10 minute walk South of Harbour Street. Great for cream teas.

Hire bikes and cycle the excellently-named Crab and Winkle Way, a disused railway line that runs 7 miles from Whitstable to Canterbury.

Go animal mad at Wildwood at Herne Bay, which also contains a good adventure playground.

Where to eat in Whitstable? 

There’s plenty of chain restaurants if you want to keep it easy, but most places in Whitstable are welcoming to children. We stopped for steaming coffee and toasted teacakes at the Whitstable Coffee Company (39 High Street). For dinner we had fish and chips from VC Jones, a family-owned fish and chip shop. Wheelers Oyster Bar and Jo-Jo’s are the most popular places in town to eat, for oysters and Med-inspired food, though may not be that suitable for the younger ones.

Where to stay in Whitstable? 

Whitstable is crammed packed with cute two to three bed terraced cottages (generally furnished with a nautical theme). We booked through AirBnB and stayed at Seabird Cottage, a converted fisherman’s cottage just off the High Street. If you are going with a larger crowd, you can’t beat The Beacon House.

whitstable with kids

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
crabbingseasidewhitstable
0 comment
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
smallerexplorer

previous post
Camping with a baby and a toddler
next post
50 thing to do before you’re 11 3/4

You may also like

Amazing family-friendly hiking routes around the world

May 22, 2018

The best walks in London

February 10, 2019

Wild and wonderful family walking in Northumberland

October 29, 2018

Book review: Amazing Family Adventures by Jen and...

March 12, 2018

The most beautiful UK beaches for families

September 5, 2018

Dorset: Featherdown Glamping at East Shilvinghampton Farm

July 16, 2018

The big family travel bucket list

March 30, 2018

Family day trip to France itinerary: where to...

August 29, 2018

The best school holiday destinations

December 12, 2018

Dorset with kids: family beach guide

July 16, 2018

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

About

About

for families who like to explore

The Smaller Explorer is a blog for adventurous families. I search out the best of what's out there that's fun for kids AND adults (and maybe a bit of a break from the norm), plus provide lots of achievable ideas for exploring and having adventures in the UK and overseas.

What’s on

Events in June 2022

MMonday TTuesday WWednesday TThursday FFriday SSaturday SSunday
30May 30, 2022 31May 31, 2022 1June 1, 2022 2June 2, 2022 3June 3, 2022 4June 4, 2022 5June 5, 2022
6June 6, 2022 7June 7, 2022 8June 8, 2022 9June 9, 2022 10June 10, 2022 11June 11, 2022 12June 12, 2022
13June 13, 2022 14June 14, 2022 15June 15, 2022 16June 16, 2022 17June 17, 2022 18June 18, 2022 19June 19, 2022
20June 20, 2022 21June 21, 2022 22June 22, 2022 23June 23, 2022 24June 24, 2022 25June 25, 2022 26June 26, 2022
27June 27, 2022 28June 28, 2022 29June 29, 2022 30June 30, 2022 1July 1, 2022 2July 2, 2022 3July 3, 2022

Recent Posts

  • 15 simple ways I’ve reduced my carbon footprint (plus how to get involved in climate action)
  • What we did on the 30 Days Wild Challenge week 4
  • 30 Days Wild Day 30: River paddling
  • 30 Days Wild Day 29: A run in the countryside
  • 30 Days Wild Day 28: WoWo Camping

Instagram

  • I dont post photos of myself very much but Ihellip
  • I think all kids collect stuff dont they? This littlehellip
  • This week has run away from me Been super sociablehellip
  • Sycamore Gap the most photographed tree in Britian
  • Oof feeling a bit low today B is not sleepinghellip
  • happyhumpday We are half way through the week and myhellip
  • Ive just uttered the words dont throw that coconut inhellip
  • Can we go back to Northumberland please? I forgot howhellip
  • This is as good as it gets for the Lewishellip

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram Email

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss a blog post

Trips100 - Travel Blogs
Trips100
BritMums
Lonely Planet Pathfinders badge image

About us

the smaller explorer is an online magazine for adventurous parents. We search out the best of what's out there that's fun for kids AND adults, plus provide lots of achievable ideas for exploring and having adventures in the UK and overseas.

Popular Posts

  • 1

    The best walks in London

    February 10, 2019
  • 2

    Family-friendly mountain climb at Pen y Fan, Wales

    May 30, 2018
  • 3

    Wild and remote places in the UK to explore with and without your family

    January 4, 2019

Archives

  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube
  • Email
  • Bloglovin

@2017 - PenciDesign. All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by PenciDesign


Back To Top
Posting....