Margate beach, known as Main Sands, is a wide, golden bay that starts almost at the railway station’s front door. It suits Londoners who want sand without a long drive, families who like a lifeguarded beach with everything close by, and anyone who wants a gallery, a cocktail and a sunset in the same afternoon. Few English beaches pack so much into a short walk.
Margate
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
Stephen McKay / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Main Sands
A wide, golden bay that starts almost at the station's front door, with soft sand, a gentle shelf and rock pools uncovered on either side at low tide.
Take an early train and have the sand to yourself.
DeFacto / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Turner Contemporary
The free gallery on the harbour side of the bay pairs art with sea views, and it makes a good rainy-hour fallback.
Check the gallery's website for current opening days.
Oast House Archive / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Harbour Arm
Take a drink out along the Harbour Arm at sunset and watch the sky change over the north-facing bay, with Sargasso's sharing plates close by.
Peter Turner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Margate Old Town
Just behind the sand, the Old Town's dining rooms and pubs, such as The Lifeboat pouring local Floc beers, are the best of Margate's grown-up food scene.
Angela's of Margate requires booking.
Tom Harvey / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Walpole Bay Tidal Pool
A huge, four-acre Grade II listed sea pool from 1937, built so people could swim whatever the tide, on the way to Cliftonville.
Walk the foreshore at low tide, return along the clifftop.
Margate seafront and Main Sands
Main Sands curves between the harbour and the Old Town, with the Turner Contemporary gallery on the harbour side and the classic seafront arcades behind. The sand is soft and the bay faces north, which means long, slow sunsets over the sea in summer. Margate’s food scene has grown up fast, and the best of it sits within a few minutes of the beach.
The beach shelves gently and the tide retreats a long way, uncovering rock pools and chalk ledges on either side of the bay.
Margate harbour and the Harbour Arm
At the western end of the bay, the old stone Harbour Arm curves out into the sea beside Turner Contemporary. It is the best place in town for a sunset drink, with bars and restaurants along it and wide views back over the beach and the Old Town.
How to get there
By train. Southeastern’s high-speed service runs from London St Pancras to Margate in about 90 minutes. Slower trains run from London Victoria in about 1 hour 50 minutes. Margate station is a short, flat walk from the sand.
By car. From London, follow the M2 towards the Thanet coast. Seafront parking fills early on hot days, so the train is usually the easier choice.
By coach. National Express runs from London Victoria Coach Station to Margate in about two hours.
Facilities
The seafront has toilets, cafés, ice-cream kiosks and takeaways within a few steps of the sand. The promenade is flat, which makes it easy with pushchairs and wheelchairs. Turner Contemporary, at the harbour end, is free to enter and makes a good rainy-hour fallback. Check the gallery’s website for current opening days.
Lifeguards and safety
RNLI lifeguards patrol Margate Main daily from 23 May to 6 September 2026, from 10am to 6pm. Cover then drops to weekends only from 12 to 27 September. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
- The tide goes out a long way and comes back quickly over the flat sand. Check tide times if you walk out to the rocks.
- Outside the patrol season there’s no lifeguard cover. Swim only if you’re experienced, and never alone.
- In an emergency at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Water quality
The Environment Agency rated Margate The Bay "Good" in its 2025 bathing water classifications. Walpole Bay, just east of the centre, was also rated "Good".
Dogs
From 1 May to 30 September, dogs are banned from Main Sands at all times of day. On nearby Westbrook Bay and Walpole Bay, dogs must be on a lead between 10am and 6pm in the same period. Fulsom Rock is open to dogs all year. Outside those months, dogs are welcome on Main Sands.
Walpole Bay Tidal Pool
Walk east along the coast towards Cliftonville to reach Walpole Bay Tidal Pool. It opened in 1937 and covers about four acres, a huge sheltered sea pool by any standard. It is Grade II listed and was built so people could swim whatever the state of the tide. The pool has needed repairs in recent seasons, so check Thanet District Council’s updates before you plan a swim.
Tip: Walk to Walpole Bay at low tide along the foreshore, then return along the clifftop for views back over Margate.
Nearby food
The seafront and Old Town cover every budget and mood. These spots are well established and recommended by The Good Food Guide’s 2026 Margate guide:
- Peter’s Fish Factory: takeaway fish and chips on the seafront, ideal for eating on the sand.
- Sargasso: Mediterranean-style sharing plates on the Harbour Arm, with some of the best views in town.
- Angela’s of Margate: a small, fish-led dining room. Booking is required.
- Bottega Caruso: low-key, homely southern Italian cooking.
- The Lifeboat by Floc: an Old Town pub pouring beers from the local Floc brewery.
Best time of day
Morning is best for families. The beach is calmer, the tide pools are worth exploring at low water, and you can claim a spot near the lifeguard flags before the midday trains arrive. Late afternoon and evening are Margate at its finest. The bay faces north and the summer sun sets over the water, so take your drinks to the Harbour Arm and watch the sky change.
Tip: On summer weekends, travel down on an early train. You’ll have the sand to yourself for an hour before the crowds arrive.
Margate beach out of season
Margate works all year, and from October to April the beach is empty and atmospheric. Outside the summer months dogs are welcome on Main Sands, so it is a good time for a long walk on the sand.
- Turner Contemporary: free to enter and right on the harbour. Check the gallery’s website for current opening days and exhibitions.
- Dreamland: the seafront amusement park runs its rides on a seasonal timetable, mostly at weekends and in school holidays, and its venue hosts concerts and events through November and December. Check the official site for ride days before you go.
- The Old Town: independent shops, cafés and restaurants stay open, and the seafood is as good in February as in August.
- Walpole Bay: the clifftop walk east towards Cliftonville is at its best on a clear winter day.
There are no lifeguards outside the summer season, so treat winter swimming with care.
Plan more around the south-east with our guide to Brighton beach, or see the full list of the best beaches in England. Kent also has Leeds Castle, and our best things to do in London guide helps if you’re starting there. For events, check this weekend’s picks.
FAQ
Is Margate beach good for swimming?
Yes. Main Sands is lifeguarded daily from late May to early September, and its water was rated "Good" by the Environment Agency in 2025. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
Can you take dogs on Margate beach?
Not on Main Sands from 1 May to 30 September. Dogs are allowed on a lead at Westbrook Bay and Walpole Bay outside 10am to 6pm in that period, and at Fulsom Rock all year.
How long is the train from London to Margate?
About 90 minutes on the high-speed service from St Pancras, or around 1 hour 50 minutes from London Victoria.
Is Margate beach sandy?
Yes. Main Sands is a wide bay of soft, golden sand, with chalk ledges and rock pools at either end that appear at low tide.
Is Margate worth visiting out of season?
Yes. Turner Contemporary is free to enter, the Old Town restaurants stay busy, and an empty winter beach at sunset is one of Kent’s best walks.
