Herne Bay Beach

Herne Bay Beach is a straightforward Kent seaside spot rather than a big-ticket attraction: a long promenade, shingle and sandy stretches, pier, gardens, amusements and a children’s play area all run along the front. It sounds like the sort of place where you can do as much or as little as you fancy, which is often exactly what families need. Parents seem to like the practical bits: clean promenade, toilets in sensible places, benches, food outlets and plenty of places for an ice cream or coffee. Reviewers also mention it being dog friendly and wheelchair friendly, with cold-water showers on the beachfront thrown in for good measure. It’s good for a stroll, a picnic, and a low-effort day by the sea. The downsides are the usual seaside irritations: parking costs money, and one reviewer found the area run down with antisocial behaviour on the day they visited. The beach itself is pebbly/shingly rather than soft sand, so if your children insist on bucket-and-spade perfection, manage expectations. Worth a visit, just not one to romanticise too hard.