Camber Beach

Camber Beach is a proper family seaside day out: a huge stretch of sand, shallow water when the tide is out, and dunes that give kids somewhere to clamber and hide. Reviewers loved the clean beach, the warm-ish water for paddling, and the way the tide leaves a channel for children to play in. It sounds like the sort of place where you can happily lose a whole day to buckets, picnics and sand in unfortunate places. For families, the big win is space. Several reviewers mention that if you arrive early you can bag a good spot on the dunes, and there are enough places selling food and drinks to avoid total picnic panic. There’s also a cafe on the beach, so at least you can get a coffee while the children excavate half of Kent. The catch is the usual seaside nonsense: it can get busy, the wind can be fierce, and parking is repeatedly described as expensive, with one reviewer calling it a rip-off. Toilet provision also sounds a bit patchy, with one review noting no separate women’s toilets. Bring layers, bring snacks, and don’t assume the car park will be your friend.