Find the nearest Beaches in Kent
Planning a trip to the Kent coast and looking for where the nearest beach is, our beach lists will help you discover the nearest beach to me. Then for each beach, we will answer questions around location, rural or town, sandy or pebble, rockpools, tide times, weather forecast, dog restrictions, bathing water quality, closest beach cafes and provide general information on the beach and its facilities.
When on a beach page use our tools to search nearby Kent seaside towns and the surrounding coast for things to see and do or places to stay and eat.
If you are looking for an award-winning beach then you can browse our Blue Flag lists or Seaside Award lists.
Finding the right beach in Kent is easy – simply explore the beach links below, to find the closest hit the jump to my location compass or use the search bar to plan where your next Kent beach visit should be.
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- Ramsgate resorts popular main sandy beach approximately 250 meters long with promenade. The resort beach is situated right next to the glorious Royal Harbour and Marina. Facilities include first aid station, lifeguards, cafe, deckchairs and sun loungers hire, toilets, lift and shops.
- Stone Bay beach is a quiet, sandy bay approximately 200 meters long, with chalk cliffs, rock pools and promenade. Facilities at the beach include a cafe, chalets for hire, toilets and disabled access via Broadstairs Harbour at Viking Bay.
- Walpole Bay beach is approximately 400 meters long sandy beach with promenade and tidal swimming pool. Walpole Bay includes Palm Bay, Hodges Gap and Foreness Point. Popular for watersports. Facilities include lift, toilets, lifeguards, chalets for hire, golf, putting, tennis and indoor bowls nearby.
- Sunny Sands beach is a sandy beach to the east of Folkestone harbour. The beach can get very busy in the summer as it is a rare sandy beach on this stretch of coast. Facilities include parking available next to the harbour, promenade, toilets, cafe, pubs and beach shop.
- Dymchurch beach is a large sand/shingle beach within reach of local amenities. A good family beach with plenty of room. The beach is backed by a big concrete sea defence and promenade that has steps down to the beach and disabled ramps in places. The concrete promenade has a selection of kiosks and the central part of the beach has the toilets, slipway for boats, shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants from the town. You have two choices for parking. The Martello car park on the West end of the beach or you have a car park in the center on the other side of the road to the beach.
- Joss Bay beach in Broadstairs, Kent is a 200m sandy beach sheltered by large white chalk cliffs below the North Foreland Lighthouse and is just one of the Seven Broadstairs Bays, Joss Bay is known as the home of Kent surfing and one of the most popular South East England surf spots. The beach is popular with families and not just surfers and due to being close to Broadstairs can get crowded. The flat rocks at the end of the beach can provide hours of exploration for the kids. The bay was named after an 18th-century smuggler called Joss Snelling and is one of the seven bays in Broadstairs. Activity wise, we have talked about surfing but kitesurfing is a struggle due to the cliffs behind the beach and the number of summer visitors. Facilities at the beach include surf school and surf/kayak hire facilities, toilets, cafe/restaurant, shops, deck chair/ windbreak hire, car parking, lifeguards in summer months, disabled access, seasonal children play area.
- Grenham Bay beach is different to those surrounding it in that it does not really have sand but consists of many rock pools below the Kent cliffs. This is an excellent beach for those with children wanting to explore the rock pools rather than relaxing on the sand. The beach is backed by a large concrete sea defense that links it to its neighbour beaches of Minnis Bay and Epple Bay. Car park at the top of the cliffs. We have no dog information for Grenham Bay beach.
- Tankerton Beach a sandy beach backed by a promenade. No parking so access is only for the local caravan parks or you have to use the bus stops along the road.
- Littlestone beach is one section of a long stretch of sandy beach. Parking, slipway, toilets, pub. We have no dog information for Littlestone beach.
- Sandgate beach is a pebble beach that sits just in front of the town. Access to the shops, pubs and restaurants within Sandgate.
- Botany Bay is an old fashioned sandy beach ideal to keep the family entertained. The beach is almost 200m long with chalk cliffs and stacks, rock pools to explore and gentle swimming conditions. This part of the Kent coast boasts the longest stretch of chalk cliffs in Britain with Botany Bay being the northern most of seven bays in Broadstairs. When the tide goes out you have a chalk reef which is thought to be one of the best in Britain. You can also navigate around chalk stacks to Kingsgate Bay but be aware that as the tide comes in the ends of the beaches get cut-off and so you may have to walk back along the cliff path. Facilities include toilets, seasonal kiosk (hot and cold food), disabled access, deck chairs, windbreak hire, lifeguards in summer months and parking.
- Dumpton Gap is a quiet, sandy bay with some rocks approximately 150 meters long with promenade and backed by white cliffs. The beach at Dumpton Gap provides a quieter option over the busier beaches of Ramsgate and Broadstairs. For the adventurous at low tide, you have an excellent walk to Ramsgate, although please check the tide times. Alternatively, you can take the West Cliff Promenade into Broadstairs. Facilities at the beach include a promenade, toilets, cafe, chalets for hire, disabled access via a steep slope.
