Nestled along the south-east coast of England, Margate lures you in with its sandy beaches, trendy art galleries and vintage amusement parks. You’ll also find mysterious underground passages, 15th-century estates and natural history exhibits.
Things to do in Margate
Dreamland Margate is a throwback amusement park where you can enjoy old-fashioned pinball machines, vintage arcades, a bijou cinema and memorabilia from once-thriving fairgrounds. Don’t miss riding the Scenic Railway wooden roller coaster. Take a break by sunbathing and swimming at Margate Beach or head over to Botany Bay for fossil hunting, chalk stacks and rock pools.
At the Harbour Arm, you can enjoy a meal at BeBeached Café, then pop into Turner Contemporary art gallery to see rotating exhibits of paintings, sculptures and mixed media. Lombard Street Gallery showcases local artists’ and artisans’ paintings, ceramics, textiles, crafts and jewellery.
At Quex Park, explore a 15th-century estate housing the Powell-Cotton Museum’s collection of history and ethnography. At the Tudor House, you can take a self-guided tour to get a glimpse of life in the 1500s and admire the authentic period clothing.
Explore the subterranean passages of Shell Grotto, which is lined with at least four million seashells and leads to a mystical mosaic chamber with an unknown history. Pick up some shells at the grotto shop or have afternoon tea in the underground cafe. Check out the Victorian prison cells at Margate Museum, then discover historic World War II planes at the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum.
Getting around Margate
Buses, trains and taxis offer transportation to and around Margate and you can hire a bicycle for exploring the coastal areas. Rental cars are available in town or at London City Airport, about 122 kilometres away.