Whitstable and Herne Bay - Discover the Kent Coast you never expected
This is a coastline shaped by the sea in every sense. From the oyster beds that have fed Whitstable since Roman times to the artists, makers and independent spirits who have made this stretch their home, the north Kent coast between Whitstable and Herne Bay rewards visitors who come with curiosity and time to spare. Walk the shingle, follow the Oyster Bay Trail, eat the freshest seafood, discover studios tucked behind harbour walls. This is the Kent Coast crafted by the elements, and by the people who love it most.
Bears Ice Cream
Some ice cream shops are good. Bears is a Whitstable institution. Made in small batches using local dairy and seasonal ingredients, expect unexpected combinations alongside the beloved classics. On a sunny afternoon, the queue outside says everything. A scoop in hand as you wander the harbour is one of those simple, perfect coastal moments that Whitstable does better than almost anywhere. Don't leave without trying whatever the seasonal special is.
The Sportsman
Down a single-track road between Whitstable and Faversham, with a Michelin Star to its name, The Sportsman has earned its place among the finest restaurants in the country, and it looks, from the outside, like a pub. Inside, chef-patron Stephen Harris conjures extraordinary tasting menus from ingredients grown, reared and fished within a few miles of the kitchen. The slip sole with seaweed butter; the home-churned butter with smoked salt: this is cooking rooted in a single stretch of coast, and it shows in every course.
Whitstable Oyster Company
Occupying the old Royal Native Oyster Stores right on the beach, a Victorian warehouse of extraordinary character, it serves the town's most famous product in its most famous setting. Native and rock oysters arrive direct from the beds offshore; the menu builds outwards from there, with fresh seafood, local ingredients and a wine list chosen to match. Book ahead, arrive hungry, and sit somewhere with a view of the water. And for a little post-lunch leg stretch we recommend exploring the Oyster Bay Trail, which begins and ends here.
Whitstable Harbour & South Quay Shed
Whitstable Harbour is still a working harbour - fishing boats land catch, lobster pots stack on the quayside, and the smell of the sea is entirely genuine. It's also one of the most enjoyable places to simply be on the north Kent coast. South Quay Shed is a harbour-side gem: a market space and venue celebrating local producers, street food and makers, with a laid-back atmosphere that perfectly captures the Whitstable spirit. For the full harbour experience, take one of the lovely boat tours departing from the quay.
Whitstable High Street
Whitstable's High Street has resisted the tide of chain retail to become one of the most satisfying shopping streets on the Kent coast. Fishmongers, delis, vintage clothing, bookshops, galleries, jewellers and independent boutiques sit side by side, each reflecting the particular character of the town that has quietly attracted artists, makers and creative people for decades. The Oyster Bay Trail passes right through, so be sure to pause at the fishmonger for tomorrow's supper, pick up something beautiful in a gallery, then continue towards the harbour with a coffee. This is independent retail at its most genuinely characterful.
Sea Scrub Sauna
There are few better ways to experience the Whitstable coast than through the restorative ritual of sauna and wild sea swimming. Sea Scrub brings a Nordic sensibility to the Kent shoreline: a wood-fired sauna on the beach, the sea just steps away, and the kind of elemental, bracing joy that leaves you feeling profoundly alive. Sessions are bookable, intimate and deeply relaxing - a genuinely unexpected find on this stretch of coast, and one that fits the slow, considered pleasures of Whitstable perfectly.
The Hotel Continental - Fisherman's Huts
The Hotel Continental occupies one of the prime spots on the Whitstable beachfront, with a terrace that faces directly across the shingle to the sea. Its Fisherman's Huts are among the most sought-after coastal stays in Kent: self-contained, beautifully fitted timber huts right on the water's edge, each sleeping two and coming with everything you need for a perfect overnight escape. Wake up to the sound of the tide, make breakfast as the fishing boats go out, and take as long as you like over a morning coffee with the sea a few steps away. Utterly simple, completely memorable.
JoJos, Tankerton
Up the coast from Whitstable, in the quieter stretch of Tankerton, JoJos has been a beloved fixture on the local food scene for years. This intimate, BYOB restaurant delivers delectable dishes from a tiny kitchen, with a menu that leans into the best local produce the sea and surrounding farmland can provide. It's the kind of place regulars guard jealously and visitors stumble upon with barely contained delight. Combine it with a walk along Tankerton Slopes, the unusual raised beach with its lawned terraces, and you have a perfect evening on the north Kent coast.
The Duke of Cumberland
A short walk from the harbour and the High Street, The Duke of Cumberland is Whitstable's go-to for a relaxed, quality pub meal with a genuinely warm welcome. A proper local with a well-kept beer garden and a menu that takes seasonal, locally sourced ingredients seriously, it captures the unpretentious, convivial side of Whitstable that can sometimes get overshadowed by the town's foodie reputation. Whether you're after a post-walk pint, a lazy Sunday lunch or somewhere to end a day following the Oyster Bay Trail, the Duke delivers with easy charm. What's more, with cosy rooms, it's the perfect location for a weekend break.
Whitstable Rocks Oyster Festival
Every September, Whitstable does what it does better than anywhere else and turns it into a party. Whitstable Rocks Oyster Festival is three days of live music, local food, drink and the town in full, glorious swing. Centred on the harbour and seafront, the festival celebrates the native oyster with tastings, shucking demonstrations and an extraordinary gathering of the region's best independent food and drink producers. Local breweries, wine makers, chefs and artisans come together in a setting that is already one of the finest on the Kent coast.
This is Whitstable at its most exuberantly itself: generous, creative, rooted in the sea and the community around it. Whether you're an oyster devotee or simply looking for a brilliant late summer weekend by the coast, the festival delivers the full experience of what makes this town so loved.
Herne Bay Pier - Voted 2nd Best Pier in the UK
Herne Bay's pier has quite a story. The current pier, the third on this site, stretches 1,115 metres into the Thames Estuary and has been lovingly restored and championed by the Herne Bay Pier Trust, earning it recognition as the second best pier in the UK. It's a remarkable achievement for a community-led organisation, and the pier itself more than justifies the accolade: a genuine pleasure to walk, with views across to the Essex coast on a clear day and a palpable sense of history underfoot.
Over summer, the pier comes alive with an extensive programme of events running from 27 June through to the end of August, from outdoor cinema and live music to family activities, markets and community celebrations. It's a perfect addition to any Herne Bay visit.
The Bay Restaurant
Right at the heart of Herne Bay's seafront, The Bay Restaurant is the town's most accomplished dining destination - a relaxed but serious kitchen making the most of the fish and shellfish landed nearby and the produce of the Kent countryside behind it. The menu changes with the seasons and the catch; the cooking is confident without being showy. Grab a window table, watch the estuary light shift across the water, and let a long lunch or dinner remind you exactly why food eaten by the sea always seems to taste better. The Oyster Bay Trail finds a fitting finale here.
