Head to Ramsgate for coastal views, sea swimming and indie vinyl shops for days
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There’s a hell of a lot of good spots for a seaside break in Kent – but make sure you don’t sleep on Ramsgate. Ramsgate is a beauty, but it hasn’t become as achingly trendy as its nearby counterparts (we’re looking at you, Margate). That’s why we named it one of the best places to visit in 2024. You heard us!
This lovely town still feels like a proper seaside day out, with coastal walks, old-school arcades and an actual sandy beach. Yep, you heard us. Sandy. Spend a day here perusing record shops, sea swimming and sampling natural wine, and have easy access to anywhere else in Kent too. Here are the best things to do in Ramsgate right now.
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This guide was recently updated by Time Out’s guides editor Ella Doyle. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Ramsgate boasts a complex network of tunnels and caves. You can take a tour of the UK’s largest civilian wartime tunnels, which once brought Victorian train passengers all the way to the beach. However, it’s the less official row of smugglers’ caves built into the cliffs of Pegwell Bay that really gets the imagination going.
What Ramsgate lacks in the bougie Margate-style shopping experience, it more than makes up for with enviably-stocked charity and antiques shops. Try Petticoat Lane Emporium and Arch 16 Antique Vintage and Retro Junk. And we defy anyone to resist Cats in Crisis. Those after out-there sounds and cool rarities are well catered for at the excellent Vinyl Head and Island Vintage.
For all the brunchy classics and some seriously good pastries, the Modern Boulangerie is your best bet for brekky in Ramsgate; think eggs benedict on a croissant, pancakes, smashed peas and more. If you don’t make it for lunch, grab a kimchi cheese toastie instead, but whatever you do, do not leave without a cinnamon roll. That’s an order.
Ramsgate isn’t all fish and chips and old man boozers (though we love those too). New-ish wine and craft beer bar Penelope has taken the town by storm, open till 11pm on weekends and spinning vinyl into the evening. Pour over one of their cheeseboards for a few hours or take a bottle to go if the weather is just too nice to sit inside.
Head off along the winding and easily accessible coastal path to take in everything from the quaint boats of Ramsgate Port to Broadstairs’ buzzing Viking Bay. It’s a 40-minute walk that’s well worth your time and the reward of a pint of Whitstable Bay ale at the end. Alternatively, saddle up and try the recently opened Pier-to-Pier cycle route from Ramsgate to Deal.
If you've never seen seals up close, you're going to want to book this delightful boat trip from Ramsgate Harbour (if you have seen 'em up close, well, you'll know what we mean). Boat trips cost £25 for adults and £15 for kids, and take you up to Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve, where over 30 seals swim and flap around on the shore, as well as a ton of different migrating birds. If you're lucky, the captain's lovely dog will join you for the (1.5-hour) ride.
Ramsgate has a plethora of salt-of-the-earth-type pubs but you don’t want to miss the Royal Victoria Pavilion. Not only is it the world’s biggest Wetherspoons – enough of a draw just for curiosity’s sake – but the 11,000-square-foot Edwardian beauty has the bonus of being right on the beach. For something more independent, The Ravensgate Arms serves up excellent local beers in a cool, friendly setting.
Ramsgate has great fish and chip shops in (buckets and) spades. But for something different head to Flavours by Kumar, where Head chef Anil Kumar is an alumnus of London’s prestigious Cinnamon Club. Tucked away on a backstreet near Waitrose, its unassuming surroundings belie one of the best curryhouses in this corner of England.
Staying in Ramsgate until the sun goes down is well worth it –and not just to witness the pubs getting rowdier into the evening. There’s very little light pollution, so Ramsgate is well-positioned for a spot of stargazing. Lie down on the beach and keep your eyes trained on the sky for the kind of astral clarity you just don’t get in the Big Smoke.
The Albion House used its enforced closure in 2020 to have something of a makeover, improving on what was already one of south-east England’s finest boutique hotels. The hotel dates back to 1792, many of the original fixtures and fitting remain or have been lovingly restored. The result is a space that feels at once welcoming and historic, with rooms that have a modern aesthetic without compromising on the building’s past.
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