Best beaches in Kent for families

Kent has more coastline than most people realise. The trick is knowing which bits are actually worth the drive. Kent has over 90 miles of coastline and somewhere around 50 beaches, which sounds like plenty until you realise that roughly half are shingle, several face the wrong way for a decent afternoon, and a few are best described as functional rather than beautiful. This guide covers the ones that are actually good for families. The ones where children find things to do, the water is safe for paddling, and you don't spend the afternoon wishing you'd stayed home. Viking Bay in Broadstairs is the one that keeps coming up. Horseshoe-shaped, sandy, sheltered. Rock pools at low tide. A tidal pool for smaller children who want to splash without the full sea being involved. It gets busy in July and August so arriving before 11am makes a real difference. The town behind the beach is worth knowing about too: good ice cream, decent fish and chips, a high street that hasn't been entirely taken over by chains. Minnis Bay at Birchington is the practical choice for families with very young children. Sandy beach, shallow gradient, calm water, short walk from the car park. None of that sounds exciting but when you're carrying a toddler, a windbreak, a cool bag and three bags of sand toys, it matters more than any view. It's the most sensible beach in Kent. That's not glamorous praise but it's genuinely useful information. Botany Bay, between Margate and Broadstairs, is the dramatic one. Chalk stacks rising out of the sand, rock pools at low tide, the kind of beach that actually looks like the photos. The car park fills fast on hot days so go early or accept you'll be parking on the road. Dymchurch is worth mentioning separately: two miles of gently sloping sand, safe swimming, amusements on the seafront, noticeably less crowded than anything on the Thanet coast. Further round toward Folkestone, Sunny Sands is a small sandy cove that most people drive past without stopping. Don't drive past it.