Viking Bay
Nostalgic seaside charm and family fun meets with great coffee and a fast-emerging food scene at this popular bay in the heart of Broadstairs town.
A stunning horse-shoe shaped beach just 75 minutes from London, Viking Bay and its sweeping stretch of golden sands, framed by white chalk cliffs and picture postcard beach huts, is what has made it one of Kent’s best beaches for over two centuries.
A quaint seaside retreat for children and adults alike, the bustling bay boasts all of the facilities you need for a fun-filled day out by the sea.
Accessible by steps, a lift (*open at peak times) or a slope via the neighbouring Louisa Bay, parents and grandparents can hire a deckchair and a windbreaker, while young (and the young at heart!) explore the tidal pool, clamber over rocks to try their hand at crabbing and indulge in all the fun of the fair at Kiddie’s Corner - complete with a roundabout, vintage boat swings and a bouncy castle.
Enjoying this bay is not subject to tide times, but it’s worth noting that medium and high tides are often better for sea-swimming (*please check the RNLI website for guidance on swimming safely).
Viking Bay is also a lifeguarded beach, so look out for the red and yellow flags which indicate the safer swimming areas and always supervise children.
The rock pool is covered at high and medium tides, so checking via the Tide Times app can help organise the best times for crabbing. During low tide, you can also walk along to most of the seven bays of Broadstairs and down to Ramsgate via the Viking Coastal Trail – one of Kent’s best coastal walks.
For thrill seekers, Kent Surf School, based on the beach, also offers group and solo lessons on body boards, surf board and SUP.
While the bathing machines of the 19th century and the beach’s famous donkey rides may be long gone, you can hire beach huts from Your Leisure via their website.
The bay is also a popular filming location, with its nostalgic charm recently attracting the filming of ITV drama, The Larkins.
While day trippers may also be flocking to the neighbouring town of Margate, Broadstairs retains the traditional appeal that first attracted the town’s most famous resident , Charles Dickens , back in 1839 – an era which saw wealthy Victorians, including Princess Victoria (who stayed at Piermont Hall) holidaying away from the city’s smog.
The name ‘Viking Bay’ originates from a quest by the Vikings, who sailed the North Sea to land in Broadstairs back in AD449, when the Isle of Thanet was still an Island separated from the Kent mainland.
In the 1500s, Broadstairs (meaning broad place) was famed for its shipbuilding, and fast became a smuggler’s paradise for imports of high-tax goods such as tobacco and spirits that locals in St Peters would hide in a maze of underground tunnels and caves.
If you enjoy a more legal tender of spirits, along with pubs a plenty in Broadstairs Town Centre, you’ll also find beach-side cocktails at the newly refurbished Furnicular café on the beach, as well as the increasingly popular Jetty Restaurant, which serves locally-sourced food – both serving takeaways if you don’t want to sit in. Just watch out for the seagulls!
Families and day trippers are always welcome to bring a beach picnic (and BBQs after 6pm) but there’s no shortage of great food by the sea.
For ice-creams, baguettes, burgers and chips – as well as drinks and coffee – the Viking Bay Café can be found at the centre of the beach.
Takeaway drinks are also available from the Tartare Frigate pub and cones of a mouth-watering array of freshly fried seafood and frites are available from takeaway hub, Flotsam and Jetsam, as well as a more traditional fish and chip shop.
Away from the beach and just as you exit the lifts, you’ll find Broadstairs’ iconic bandstand – a central hub for locals and holidaymakers serving Jersey ice creams, coffees and a selection of hot and cold foods to the sound of great music from the numerous acts that perform daily throughout the summer months.
Notes:
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on the beaches and Broadstairs is a dog-friendly town, but during the summer months from May through to September, no dogs are allowed on Viking Bay between 10am and 6pm.
Parking: Parking can be very busy in the summer months and Broadstairs boasts beaches accessible by train. However, there is street parking and three payable car parks are within easy reach of the beach.
Toilets: There are toilet facilities at Viking Bay, as well as a small shower situated under the steps by the restrooms.
