Things To Do In Margate Kent

So, you’re going to Margate. Maybe you heard it’s the “Brighton of the South” (which is like calling a teacup the “kettle of the cupboard”—technically true, but you’re missing the point). Margate is a seaside town that has gleefully refused to grow up, and honestly, we love it for that. It’s where peeling paint meets high art, and the seagulls have a criminal record for stealing pasties.

First stop: the Dreamland amusement park. This isn’t some sanitized, corporate theme park—it’s a beautifully chaotic relic with a roller coaster from 1920 that feels like it might disintegrate mid-ride. They kept the vintage arcade machines, the dodgems that smell of ozone and regret, and a terrifying “scenic railway” that operates on sheer British stubbornness. Pro tip: ride it after three beers to appreciate the full structural vulnerability.

Now, brace yourself for the main event: the Turner Contemporary gallery. It’s a gleaming white spaceship of a building, dropped right next to the shingle beach. Inside, you’ll find cutting-edge art that will either make you feel profoundly cultured or deeply confused—often both. Surprising fact: the gallery was built on the exact spot where J.M.W. Turner once said “the sky is the loveliest in all Europe.” That same sky now rains on tourists eating overpriced flatbread. Art, baby.

You absolutely must visit the Shell Grotto. Imagine a man in 1835 digging a well and accidentally discovering a subterranean passageway completely lined with 4.6 million shells. Nobody knows who built it or why. Theories range from “ancient pagan temple” to “a very bored Victorian with an epic collection of seashells.” It’s claustrophobic, damp, and magnificently weird—like a mermaid’s backstage dressing room.

Margate, Kent - 14 Things To Do Guide + Photos 2024 - CK Travels

For food, you can’t miss Peggy’s—a tiny, legendary kiosk that serves the best fish and chips in Kent. The batter is so crispy it shatters like glass, and the cod is so fresh it practically winks at you. Beware the seagulls: they’ve organized into tactical units. One will distract you while another swoops for your chips. Fact: Margate seagulls have successfully mugged toddlers. Twice.

Walking the Old Town is like falling into a vintage shop that threw up on itself. You’ll find antique typewriters, taxidermy in top hats, and vinyl records that smell like somebody’s granddad. The street art is everywhere—massive murals of oysters and drowning jester faces—and it makes for excellent Instagram content to convince mates you’re edgy. Bonus weirdness: a shop called “The House of Apes” that sells only gorilla-related tchotchkes.

Margate, Kent - 14 Things To Do Guide + Photos 2024 - CK Travels

If the weather turns (and it will), retreat to the Margate Winter Gardens. It’s a decrepit but glorious theatre that has hosted everyone from Ken Dodd to tribute bands. The seats are red velvet, the carpet smells of bleach and memory, and the curtains look like they haven’t been washed since the Blitz. Catch a show; the vibe is spookily charming.

Finally, do the smuggler’s walk along the cliffs at sunset. Locals will tell you tales of 18th-century smugglers hiding brandy in the caves. I believe it. The wind howls, the waves crash, and a single seagull will scream exactly when you least expect it. Margate is messy, salty, and gloriously unpretentious. Go there. Steal a kiss. Lose a chip. You’ll remember it.