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Margate The Bay

Kent, England


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Margate The Bay is a popular seaside resort situated in Margate, Kent, offering a sandy bay backed by a promenade and a variety of activities for the whole family. .

Margate The Bay is a well-known seaside resort with a long sandy beach and a promenade. The beach is backed by a traditional seaside resort and features a gently shelving sandy beach with a harbour wall at the eastern end and a rock formation exposed at low water at the western end.

The beach offers a wide, sandy stretch with a boardwalk that gives easy access to all visitors. The bathing water is a resort beach on the north Kent coast adjacent to Margate town centre. A saltwater pool is located on the beach below the high water mark. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including splashing at the water's edge, playing in the sand, and taking a trip to Dreamland, Margate's iconic theme-park.

The Old Town Quarter of Margate has undergone a successful regeneration in recent years and now provides a good selection of shabby-chic shops and atmospheric cafes. The Turner Contemporary, a prestigious modern art gallery, is located on the seafront and offers free entry and a full schedule of events and exhibitions throughout the year. Visitors can also explore the charming Old Town with a selection of shops, restaurants, and bars.

The Thanet coastline offers a variety of interesting walks, either towards Botany Bay and Broadstairs, or in the other direction, towards Birchington. For visitors who enjoy wild swimming, a trip to the Grade II listed Walpole Bay tidal swimming pool in Cliftonville is a must.

Margate Main Sands is a popular destination for families, with plenty of activities for children along the beachfront during the summertime. The beach is overlooked by the famous Turner Contemporary art gallery and is just a short walk from the charming Old Town. The beach is dog friendly in the winter months but restricted from 1st May – 30th September each year. The beach is popular with families, and the shallow waters are perfect for paddling, with RNLI Lifeguards on duty during the summer.

Margate The Bay is adjacent to the Kent Coastline Walk and the Viking Coastal Trail.

Harbour Sand Rock

Weather and tides for Thursday 4 June

Today
Chance of rain 82%
Max temperature 17°C
feels like 17°C
Wind 25mph
Max UV Index
Tonight
Chance of rain 47%
Min temperature 12°C
feels like 13°C
Wind 19mph

The tide at Margate The Bay is currently low. High tide will be at approximately 3:17 PM, and the next low tide will be at approximately 9:36 PM.

Today's air pollution levels are forecast to be Low

Detailed weather and tides »

Recommended holiday cottages near Margate The Bay

Things to do and see in the area

Margate Museum (0.2 miles)
CTRL ALT ESC Technology Based Escape Rooms (0.6 miles)
The Escapement - Margate Escape Rooms (0.6 miles)
Carlton Cinema (1.8 miles)
Yard of Ale (2.4 miles)
St Peter's Village Tour (2.5 miles)
Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum (2.9 miles)
The RAF Manston History Museum (2.9 miles)
Quex Park and The Powell-Cotton Museum (3.1 miles)
Stone Bay (3.3 miles)

All distances are approximate

Other beaches nearby

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Location: Margate

Location type: Urban

OS Grid: TR351708

Coordinates: 51°23'15"N 1°22'40"E

Mapcode: GBR WZS.TC9

What 3 Words: face.photos.lamp

Coordinates and location codes are for an approximate mid-point of the beach, and may not reflect the best access point or the most popular part of the beach.

County: Kent

Country: England

Local Authority: Thanet

Nearest postcode: CT9 1DG

(for sat-nav purposes only, a beach does not have a postal address!)

Important! Beach information is compiled from a variety of different sources and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of compilation. However, information may be incorrectly supplied by our sources or go out of date after publication. BritishBeaches.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy of any information on this page.

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Visitor information for Margate The Bay, Kent, England. Weather, tides, visitor comments, beach facilities, photos, nearest postcode, beach information and nearby accommodation.

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216.73.216.53 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:12 +0100