Whitstable is a quaint seaside town popular with visitors the UK, and the world, over.
The town has had a working harbour for centuries, and the town is world famous for its oyster beds just off the coastline, which have protected geographical status.
Famous for its native oysters, which have been harvested since Roman times, the town was first recorded as Witenestaple in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the world’s first steam-hauled passenger and freight railway service ran to Whitstable from Canterbury.
This pocket guide looks at some of the best bits this lovely seaside town has to offer, leaving you free to explore the rest for yourself.
Where to stay in Whitstable
Just metres from the beach, Whitstable’s historic fishermen’s huts were formally stores, and have been converted into high quality studio accommodation. Maintaining their steep internal steps and their century and a half old features, the wooden huts offer B&B splendid overnight accommodation, many with a sea view.
The Crescent Tuner is located a short drive from the beach, with enviable views across the local landscape as far as the sea from its vantage point high up on Wraik Hill. It offers 17 boutique bedrooms, an on-site restaurant, and an iconic beach hut, the Sundowner, which comes complete with chandelier, BBQ and three canoes. The hotel will even provide you with a chef!
Hotel Continental has recently undergone refurbishment, and now offers seaside style from its beautiful beach-side setting, the only hotel in Whitstable that is on the beach, to be found at the start of the promenade. For larger groups, the hotel’s Penny Lodge apartment with views of Whitstable Castle caters for up to six adults and two children, and comes complete with two parking spaces.
Where to eat
Samphire is an independent, family run bistro in the heart of the town, and has always showcased the best seasonal ingredients from the local area, including fish from the harbour. Named after the succulent water-located halophyte, this lovely restaurant changes its menu seasonally, and you’re always guaranteed a friendly welcome, and a delicious meal.
Wheelers Oyster Bar on the high street is the oldest restaurant in town and offers diners a sit-down meal in its parlour or a perch-down meal at its seafood bar. It runs a small menu that changes seasonally, six starters, six main dishes and six desserts, and although it isn’t licensed, this little gem allows guests to bring their own alcohol and won’t charge corkage.
Top Tip: Book early to avoid disappointment, this is a famous and popular place to eat and getting a table is something of a local sport!
Whitstable is home to the only specialist British cheese shop in the UK, The Cheesebox. Winner of Kent Life Best Independent Food & Drink Retailer 2015, the shop sells only British cheeses bought from artisan cheese makers. You can try before you buy, and the shop has pop-up tasting sessions: take a cheese selection box away, or order one for delivery. Located on Harbour Street, just follow your nose and you’ll find it.
Where to shop
Whitstable’s high street offers an array of independent shops as well as some small chain stores. Harbour street, nearest the harbour (unsurprisingly) is somewhere visitors can spend a few happy hours exploring the tiny stores located in historic buildings and offers everything from kitsch to quirky, so you’re sure to find something different to take home as a memento of your visit.
What to do
You can’t visit the seaside with visiting the seaside, and Whitstable Beach is a sociable place to explore. Pebbles and oyster shells jostle for supremacy on the shore, and the town’s famous oysters are available to buy from shops, pop-up eateries or from the fishermen who bring them in and sell them on the harbour.
A little further east is Tankerton Slopes, from which you can walk The Street, a narrow sand spit that extends into the estuary which becomes exposed at low tide.
There are several galleries in the town, including the Horsebridge Arts centre, where static and visiting exhibitions display the work of local jewellers and artists. The town’s Oyster Festival, held annually, is a tradition of celebration that dates back to Norman times, held during July.
How to get there
Trains from London to Whitstable depart from London St Pancras and London Victoria, and take around 90 minutes. The station is located at the eastern end of the town, and only a short walk from its centre.
Parking in Whitstable is scarce, although there are a number of pay-as-you-go car parks at either end and throughout the town. At weekends and during holiday time, the primary school next to the library at the top of Oxford Street offers parking for a charitable donation.
