{"id":687366,"date":"2026-07-12T08:46:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T08:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/687366\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T08:46:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T08:46:38","slug":"why-whitstable-is-one-of-time-outs-best-uk-seaside-towns-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/687366\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Whitstable is One of Time Out\u2019s Best UK Seaside Towns for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Old ports, retro resorts, underrated gems and burgeoning up-and-comers, Time Out\u2019s guide to Britain\u2019s best seaside towns<\/a>\u00a0in 2026 has them all covered. And while\u00a0the UK\u2019s top coastal spots\u00a0have a certain charm in the colder months, they\u2019re best appreciated when they\u2019re in their full glory during the summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ever since the weather started getting warmer we\u2019ve been going through our favourite coastal spots, from Southsea<\/a> to Oban<\/a>, one by one to tell you why they are so worth visiting. Next up is number 14 on the list: Whitstable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Time Out writer Ella Doyle described Whitstable as \u2018Margate\u2019s<\/a> prim-and-proper little sister\u2019 and said that it makes a \u2018perfect little break by the sea\u2019. It\u2019s\u00a0packed with indie shops, pubs, restaurants and galleries but it\u2019s compact enough that you can do all of its best bits in a day (though you will definitely leave wanting to come back for more).\u00a0<\/p>\n

As you mooch down the town\u2019s high street, you\u2019ll come across independent treasure troves like record stores\u00a0Gatefield Sounds<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Rock Bottom Records<\/a>, clothes shops\u00a0Ruskin<\/a>,\u00a0the\u00a0Clothes Horse<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Pink Flamingo<\/a>\u00a0and the excellent bookshop\u00a0Harbour Books<\/a>. For second-hand garb, Relate, Pilgrims Hospice and Demelza are the ones.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Whitstable
\nPhotograph: chrisdorney \/ Shutterstock.comWhitstable high street <\/p>\n

Of course, it would be a serious crime to go to a seaside town without spending some time actually by the sea. Here, you\u2019re never more than five minutes from the pretty, hut-lined Whitstable Beach. And if you want\u00a0to feel the sea breeze without getting your toes wet, pull up a stool at the Old Neptune which is about as close to the shoreline as a pub can get.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you visit in September, you can\u2019t miss the Whitstable Rocks Oyster Festival, which fills the entire town and brings a\u00a0lively weekend\u00a0of music, street food, parades, family activities and a Landing of the Oysters Ceremony. But if you\u2019re here any other time of the year, get your oyster fill from The Forge, a charming little shack next to the beach, or at the\u00a0pastel-pink\u00a0Wheelers Oyster Bar on the high street.<\/p>\n

\"Colourful
\nPhotograph: ShutterstockWhitstable harbour <\/p>\n

Whitstable got even better in 2025 thanks to the arrival of\u00a0by-the-slice pizza spot\u00a0Stern Slices<\/a>\u00a0at Harbour Market and the\u00a0Sea Scrub Sauna<\/a>\u00a0right on the beachfront (its cold plunge is a godsend in this heat). Build your perfect itinerary in Whitstable with help from Time Out\u2019s full guide of the greatest things to do there<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Want more where that came from?\u00a0These are all of the best UK seaside towns to visit in 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ICYMI:\u00a0UK Town of Culture 2028 shortlist\u00a0and Time Out\u2019s favourites to win<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plus:\u00a0None of the world\u2019s \u2018most liveable\u2019 cities are in the UK, apparently<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stay in the loop:\u00a0sign up to our\u00a0free Time Out UK newsletter<\/a>\u00a0for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n