WHITSTABLE or BROADSTAIRS?? We're going tomorrow. Which is more like Cockleshell bay??

[princessmel]

With 2 dc's. Aged 6 and 4.

I know Whitstable has pebbles but they have been to Brighton a lot and not complained about the lack of sand. I'm thinking sand might be nice though.

I am looking for a real life Cockleshell Bay. Cute boats, a beach, pebbled streets and little shops that are sweet for looking in and wandering about.

Oh and which is furthest/easiest journey? We are in Herts.

tia.

bump

??

Whitstable is a long pebbly beach. Broadstairs is sandy and in a crescent shape protected from the sea by a harbour wall. There are beach huts and donkeys (well in the summer) and a seafood stall etc. I would do Broadstairs every time unless you wanted a swanky oyster based meal.

There are lots of Dickens references as he lived there for a while. And there is a lovely pub on the seafront with large garden, and mini golf. I used live not far from there and get homesick sometimes.

Thanks Portofino

I think we'll go there then, it sounds lovely.

I just want somewhere pretty and qaint so that we can sit while the children dig/play/paddle (maybe) till we've had enough! We're taking a picnic.

Then look in a few gift shops! ds does love to get a souvenier

"Cute boats, a beach, pebbled streets and little shops that are sweet for looking in and wandering about."

Broadstairs fulfills these criteria.

Have a good day

Perfect

Whitstable satisfies that description too. Whitstable always reminds me of the Boden catalogue.

There's not exactly a "seafront" in Whitstable though. It is lovely in it's own way. Art galleries and oysters though rather than beach.....For kids I'd always do Broadstairs. I SOOO miss living by the sea. A nice bracing walk on along the seafront, and a fry up on the pier. Perfect Sunday! I could cry!

Have a lovely day, Mel. And report back so that I can have a nostalgia fest....

Well we went to Broadstairs and it was lovely Children were really well behaved and had a lovely day. They really enjoyed themselves. I feel very tired and achey now after the journey (am 33 weeks pregnant!)
Broadstairs was just what I was looking for. Sand, boats and beach huts. It was even sunny!!

The only blip was that when we got there, half the beach was roped off by police as there had been a sexual assult on a 40 year old woman the night before
The tapes were removed not long after we got there, but the childrens playarea was off limits.

tbh we didn't find that many shops, but by the time we'd come off the sand it was 4pm and I wasn't able to walk too far. Are there any shops towards the bandstand end as we didn't get that far?? The band were playing though and we could hear them on the beach