To book a holiday in Margate?

[VerbenaGirl]

Was lacking inspiration for our hols this year... Budget quite tight, husband won't fly, kids don't travel well... Then remember hearing that Margate was on the up... Any thoughts and/or experiences?

I'm not able to upload more then six photos per day, can send you some more if you're interested.
Also that really brutal building you see in some photos is a famous building in Margate which was social housing. Now these apartments are selling like hot cakes for the special views they offer.
Remember Turner said there's no sunset like the sunset in Margate.
Oh and it's hot from April to mid September here.
May bank holiday was 30 degrees and I was stuck in hospital.
But yes let the grumpy outsider tell you her opinion!!

Try Folkestone. It's easy enough to drive to all the places people have mentioned but the town is a nicer place to stay.

Come off it mowgel , lots of us live in Kent and it's not guaranteed sun from April to September , yes the summers are improving but you can't say it's hot all the time anywhere in England . If I dig around I can probably find a picture of me and the dog at Westgate where I'm wearing a woolly hat from the May/ June last year !

We went to Margate a couple of years ago. I didn't really like it as the beach was very smelly. There was a mountain of rotting seaweed on it. The beach pool was absolutely grim. We mostly went out to other places. Dreamland was half opened so we didn't go.

Positives were the Turner Contemporary (Grayson Perry exhibition on when we visited). Crazy golf along the beach the other way.
The weather!

I would say thanet itself is a nice place to stay, I love Margate for the day but the risk with Margate is that whilst the old town is really nice and theres dreamland etc. If your not careful you could end up staying in quite a dodgy part of the town.
The beaches in thanet are nice and Kent has the most blue flag beaches of any county in England so they are clean.
Whitstable can get very busy in summer, I don't like going there because its so busy, the beach is stoney and if you come at low tide theres no sea. Its again nice for a day trip but Id much rather stay in Margate than Whitstable. Theres loads of nice things to do if you have a car, I loved quex park as a kid and theres howletts zoo, Canterbury, Deal castle (which has dungeons you can go in), Dover Castle, Walmer Castle etc.

Me and dh (without the dc) stayed in Margate for 2 nights last year as a rockabilly band I like were playing one of the pubs.

We stayed in the Sands hotel and it was very nice.

We did go to the turner but I'm not a massive art fan anyway so we were in there maybe 20 minutes.

The beach is lovely and sandy but of course you need the weather for this.

The shell grotto is worth a look I liked it shellgrotto.co.uk/

Dreamland we went too as I wanted to go on the scenic railway and the wheel. We enjoyed it

The old town I really liked but then I love the retro/vintage shops so it's right up my street.

We had dinner at the Ambrette theambrette.co.uk/margate.php?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb I couldn't believe how good the food was but that might not be the right restaurant with dc

However the GB pizza company would be a good one for with dc, we ate here the second night and the pizza is good. greatbritishpizza.com/

The bernies choclate bar was nice. Lovely waffles and hot chocolate

Yes some of Margate is run down but there is a lot of beauty too.

As others have said you can use Margate as a great base for visiting other places;
Dover castle
Canterbury
Deal & Deal castle
Whitstable
Broadstairs
There is an RAF museum near manston
Quex park
Wigham wildlife park

Foral,
You must have been the only own. Generally speaking the weather is great here.
Don't get me wrong we go away all of the time for hot weather but it's great here.
Love to see a pic of you in Wooly hat😂

Ooo 'ello Floral I didn't know you hung out around Westgate; only just noticed you on this thread! I live in Kent too but we still come down to Margate every year; when I say Margate I mean Westbrook - where the Westbrook cafe is - and we've sat on the front in the rain eating chips there (although the owner allows dogs inside which is great). We are VERY committed to being there, die hard seaside enthusiasts. In fact we are looking to retire there!

With our previous dog he was (fairly) content to wait until 6pm in the summer and then get on the beach, but new dog likes to go go go so where are the best dog friendly beaches? Anything open in the main season rather than October-April only?

I actually live about 30-40 min drive away from Westbrook , that's the one we go to as well I always call it Westgate. Dumpton gap is open to dogs all year , it's further to go for us but we do it occasionally , they also have a very nice cafe . I'd love to retire to the coast but DH is not so keen .

Dumpton Gap we've been meaning to try - good tip. So we may have sat adjacent at Westbrook with dogs and never knew? Small world etc.

YABFU to put that chas n dave song in my head, OP!!

"Be'ave yerself Grandad or yer won't.m be going daaaaahn to Margate"... bah!!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=_kzpHzUJCd4

Well I'm easily recognisable , I'm the one wearing a woolly hat !