The coast of England has always been an essential part of its heritage and history. The cliffs are dotted with small fishing villages that have seemingly remained unchanged for hundreds of years, and other areas are drawn out from the rolling green hills with small coastal communities at the end of them. Whitstable, one such town, is situated just an hour east of London, along the Thames estuary and facing out to the North Sea, making it an excellent choice for a weekend break.
When to visit Whitstable
Whitstable is the perfect destination for a short break during the winter months ideally, avoiding the busy summer crowds that the town attracts, and because it is so close to London, you will only need to book one or two nights away. Even if you do not live in London, booking a short break to Whitstable would be a perfect short break with friends or family. The town is also located just 6 miles from the cathedral city of Canterbury.
The town is famous for its oysters, harvested from the sea off the coast at Whitstable and seen at low tide; in fact, you can often stroll out on the seabed and visit the oyster beds. The Oyster Festival takes place in the summer each year, and locals flock to celebrate this delicious delicacy.
The town also boasts several lovely pebble beaches where you can enjoy swimming in calm waters whilst enjoying stunning views across the Thames Estuary on a clear day. With plenty of award-winning cafes, bars and restaurants offering delicious menus made using local produce, you indeed will never go without.
Whitstable is a beautiful coastal town and a great place to spend a winter break. It will allow you to enjoy the fresh air and take a break from the busy city life. Whitstable has its advantages. The sea is only a few meters away from anywhere in the bay that forms the town; the beach, with its pebbles and shingle, stretches for miles allowing easy access.
If you like swimming, you can do it almost anywhere. But if you want to swim in water that is not only not freezing cold but positively warm, then by definition, you must wait for summer when it can go up to 20C/68F.
In summer, the sea breeze is a blessing, and during the heat of the summer, a walk along the seafront is one of life’s true pleasures. In fact, there are many things about Whitstable that are pleasant once they have been rescued from the cliche of the town.
The main shopping streets are worth exploring as there are many interesting local non-chain shops, including those specialising in local food produce and locally produced goods.
There are many things to do in Whitstable with families or groups of friends, including visiting the different seafood restaurants, cafes and pubs. Whitstable offers superb seafood restaurants with fresh fish supplied from the harbour just for the local restaurants, which means that the menus are constantly changing. A popular choice would be to visit one of the numerous “chippies” or fish & chip shops, with the locals choosing to go to one in harbour street known as “Jones” or “V C Jones” Fish Bar.
Next door to this is the Tudor restaurant, a popular place that once enjoyed the regular custom of Peter Cushing, the famous British Actor who would always be seen enjoying a meal. In fact, Whitstable has attracted many famous residents over the years; many want to reside in the town where locals really show no interest; it is just the tourists who ask for the odd autograph! This sums up the people of the town, tranquil, quiet, peaceful and calming characters who just go about daily life.
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