The 12 best things to do in Margate

Once the epitome of Victorian seaside hedonism, today, Margate presents a truly eclectic blend of things to do. Alongside recent additions – pioneering art galleries, sustainable spas and gourmet cookery schools – many of this Kentish town’s original features, which fell into disrepair when the advent of cheap air travel saw holidaymakers flock overseas, have been granted a new lease of life in recent years. From Dreamland’s famous funfair to mysterious shell-lined labyrinths, vintage emporiums and seaside attractions – not to mention the growing number of slick boutiques, bars and hotels that have earned it the not-always-complimentary nickname of Shoreditch-on-Sea – these are our favourite things to do in Margate, whatever the weather.

Take a dip in the tidal pool

Margate’s rolling golden beaches tempted people to take a dip long before the term wild swimming was coined. Today, the choice spot – especially if you want a proper swim when the tide is out – is the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, a Grade II-listed structure 15-minute walk east of the Main Sands. First opened in 1937, it’s the largest tidal pool in the UK and is as tempting to visit for arty Instagram shots as it is for swimming. But those who do take the plunge are warmly rewarded: local skincare brand Haeckels operates a free community sauna from a Victorian-style bathing machine next to the tidal pool, allowing you to thaw out in style.

Address: Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, Margate
Website: visitthanet.co.uk

Discover Margate’s mysterious grotto

First discovered in 1835, Margate’s Shell Grotto is something of an enigma. A series of underground tunnels decorated with an estimated 4.6 million shells forming depictions of everything from trees to goddesses (and even the odd phallic symbol), no one knows the true origins of this curious attraction. Theories range from Regency folly to secret shrine, but what isn’t in dispute is its standing as one of the town’s must-sees – a curious, intricate mass of cockle, mussel and oyster shells lining chalk walls complete with a cute gift shop to browse as you wait your turn in the grotto.

Address: Shell Grotto, 33 Grotto Hill, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 2BU
Website: shellgrotto.co.uk

Enjoy some retro fun at Dreamland

A visit to Margate in the warmer months would only be complete with a stop at Dreamland, the seasonal seafront funfair that has drawn visitors to the town since 1920. Renovated and reopened in 2015, it still delivers a very British sort of seaside nostalgia: think the wooden Scenic Railway rollercoaster – Grade II-listed and one of the oldest in the UK – and the indoor roller disco and retro chair-o-plane ride. Better yet, it’s free to enter, and rides operate on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Address: Dreamland Margate, 49-51, Marine Terrace, Margate CT9 1XJ
Website: dreamland.co.uk

Explore the burgeoning art scene

Margate has long been a source of artistic inspiration for everyone from JMW Turner – whose name now graces the Turner Contemporary and who famously painted the town’s incredible sunsets – to Tracey Emin, who grew up in the town and has returned to make it her home and workplace. It’s little surprise, then, that its art scene is flourishing. Don’t miss the changing exhibitions at the Turner (nor the incredible cafe courtesy of local bakers, Staple Stores) – but do also venture off the seafront to the Carl Freedman Gallery on Union Crescent, which hosts a rotating series of solo shows from the likes of Jon Key and Daisy Parris. Quench, established by artists Lindsey Mendick and Guy Oliver during the pandemic, is also well worth a visit.

Grab a drink at Margate’s newest (and fabulous) queer bar

Margate is not short of brilliant bars and social spaces (see Xylo, Daisy and Margate Off Licence, among others) – but CAMP is a new dedicated queer bar and, as such, is worthy of special mention. Set up by a team of locals keen to create a space to celebrate the town’s flourishing community, CAMP hosts regular events ranging from drag shows to a monthly book club, pub quizzes and more. It’s a welcoming, democratic space dominated by what appears to be the world’s biggest disco ball.

Address: Camp, 125 Northdown Road, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 2QY
Website: campmargate.com

Challenge yourselves to a little friendly competition

What would a trip to the British seaside be without a spot of old-fashioned fun? Margate has plenty to choose from: crazy golf at the wryly named Strokes on the beach at Westbrook or indoors at Lost Island if the weather isn’t playing ball, as well as more modern options like Black Axe Throwing Co in Cliftonville, whose name explains its premise neatly. After something a little less risky? Klak Boule Bar next door hosts boozy bouts of the French ball game better known as pétanque.

Treasure-hunt at Margate’s beloved vintage emporium

Part antique emporium, part bric-a-brac junk shop, Scott’s Furniture Mart has occupied Margate’s Old Iceworks building since 1978. You don’t have to be a restoration aficionado or vintage magpie to find it fascinating, though, such is the smorgasbord of contents packed tight and piled high across three floors. Upstairs you’ll find classic chairs and elegant wooden cabinetry. On the ground and basement levels, you can peruse everything from retro travel trunks to glassware, vintage postcards, trinkets and just about anything else.

Address: RG Scotts Furniture Mart, The Old Iceworks, Bath Place, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 2BN
Website: scottsmargate.co.uk

Relax and reset at Haeckels Spa

Haeckels started life in 2012 when founder Dom Bridges began harvesting the plentiful seaweed washed up on Margate’s shores, turning it into an elegant soap that celebrates nature and sustainability. Today, it’s a global brand whose skincare products still put the environment front and centre, and its HQ is Haeckels House on Cliff Terrace (there’s also an outpost on Broadway Market in London). The ground floor looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, where metal grates, glass and test tubes meet marine foraging, while upstairs, a stylish relaxation room overlooking the sea leads to calming treatment spaces. The menu of experiences ranges from reviving facials using hydrating algae to antioxidant-rich seaweed baths.

Address: Haeckels, 18 Cliff Terrace, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 1RU
Website: haeckels.house

Trace famous footsteps on an Empire of Light walking tour

2022 saw Hollywood descend on Margate in the form of Sam Mendes’ Oscar-nominated Empire of Light. Shot almost entirely in town, you can now retrace the footsteps of stars including Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward and Colin Firth on a self-guided walking tour, taking in locations such as the Sands Cafe where Stephen tells Hilary he’s got a place at university, the boating pool where they attempt to skim stones and Arlington House – Margate’s divisive, brutalist high-rise, which doubles as Stephen’s family home.

Website: visitthanet.co.uk

Discover Margate’s late-night scene

Beyond a surfeit of fantastic restaurants, Margate has its fair share of nightlife spots. For live music, Elsewhere (also known as Where Else) in the town centre is the place to go: a community space and bar hosting the likes of Self Esteem, Wet Leg and Yard Act. In Cliftonville – voted Time Out’s 8th coolest neighbourhood in the world 2023 – Margate Arts Club is hidden in plain sight (look for the jade shopfront with the word Pearl in gold lettering) and hosts bold and beautiful parties and LGBTQ+ events, while Faith In Strangers on Ethelbert Crescent hosts weekly DJ sets ranging from drum n’ bass to funk.

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Rustle up a masterpiece at Margate Cookery School

For a town of its size, Margate punches well above its weight when it comes to incredible places to eat. So it was only a matter of time before several local restauranteurs banded together to open Margate Cookery School. Spearheaded by Simona Di Dia and Harry Ryder of Bottega Caruso (Margate’s acclaimed Campanian bistro) and Kate de Syllas of Japanese-inspired Mori Mori, the school runs classes covering everything from pasta making to hand-crafted gyoza, as well as introductions to fermentation and pickling. Naturally, lessons end with pupils sampling their creations over a drink or two.

Address: Margate Cookery School, Unit 3, Crown Chambers, 6 Broad Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1EW
Website: margatecookeryschool.com

Go underground at Margate Caves

Initially dug as an early 18th-century chalk mine – a material in plentiful supply along this part of the south-east coast – Margate Caves were first opened as a tourist attraction in 1863. However, the then-owner fancifully claimed they dated back to 450AD. Reopened after a community campaign in 2019, complete with a new, purpose-built visitor centre, today you can tour the 94m-long caves staffed by volunteers keen to share knowledge of their history, from the original paintings of hunt scenes and soldiers to their use as an air-raid shelter during WWII. Keep an eye out for the faded depiction of the Thanet Giant – 7ft tall Richard Joy, a smuggler who lived in the area in the 1700s. Hint: look up.

Address: Margate Caves, 1 Northdown Road, Margate CT9 1FG
Website: margatecaves.co.uk