After my travel hangover at the end of last year, I made a vow to myself to explore more of England and more broadly, the UK. Sometimes it’s so easy to fall into routine and stick around in London, but I wanted to take advantage of how close some spectacular towns and cities are! Each village literally has it’s own personality and it’s always so lovely to share. After spending a weekend in Oxford, I was itching to get to other parts of the country! When the opportunity for a quick little daytrip from London arose, Kristabel of I Want You To Know and I decided to head to Whitstable for the day. I took the plunge with zero expectations and was completely taken aback by how colorful and vibrant the harbor town was. So, here’s a little glimpse into my day trip to Whitstable from London!
11:25am
Kristabel and I caught the Southeastern Railway train from St. Pancras International train station right in the middle of London in King’s Cross. I love that station as it buzzes and vibes the true authenticity of London. Train travel in London is very easy and this was no different. The train ride turned from cityscape to rolling hills and soon we arrived for our day trip to Whitstable!
12:45pm
Whitstable is a charming little town and very walking-friendly! We decided to walk through the little residential streets to grab lunch at The Lobster Shack—a true beach bar serving up hot and cold seafood. Kristabel and I decided to go for the half grilled lobster with chips and it hit the spot. Make sure you don’t fill up too much as you might want to save room for other little snacks and bits throughout the day! No day trip to Whitstable is complete without a bit of seafood!
1:30pm
After our delicious {and extra buttery} lobster, we decided to walk a bit near the shores. There are lots of cute and colorful beach huts that you can’t miss! Lined perfectly against the shores, you can walk or ride a bike and enjoy the sound of the water and birds. It was a perfect time to digest our food before hitting up the main town.
2:00pm
We got a few photos, took in the surroundings and made our way over to the high street, which is called Harbour Street. It’s not intimidating and overwhelming list most high streets are and instead are full of shops that celebrate UK-made products and some sweet storefronts. Here are some of the shops to explore:
SUNDAE SUNDAE • The perfect place to grab an ice cream right after lunch. The shop is full of retro things and it’s so cute! The queue was crazy in the afternoon.
FRANK • If you’re looking for gifts, this is the place! All the things are handmade focusing on small brands, individual makers, sustainability and ethical manufacturing.
THE CHEESE BOX • The green storefront is so inviting that you can’t help, but go in. I would recommend grabbing small bits of local cheese before you had back to London.
THE WHITING POST • If you’re looking for a clothing shop that celebrates British designers, then this place is it! You’ll see new brands and old and everything hits every budget.
CHARITY SHOPS • I kid you not, the charity shops are a goldmine here! I ended up finding a basket bag for only £2.50. They have lots of vintage crockery starting at 50p.
What I Wore
dress c/o SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE flats JOSEFINA sunnies ILLESTEVA denim jacket ANTHROPOLOGIE purse KATE SPADE NEW YORK
4:30pm
After a couple of hours, we decided to walk towards the seafront. It was so scenic with the bright colored houses, wildflowers and sunshine! If you’re up for it, you should definitely have a drink at The Old Neptune and enjoy their patio. Pay close attention to the houses there, they have cute names and placards, which make good photo memories.
5:10pm
We decided to meander back and stop by Windy Corner Café for a quick coffee to go and a little sweet treat for the road. At this point, you’ll need a little refreshment—so definitely stop by! They also carry cute jams and pickles that are locally made too. One thing I especially loved was that there were little illustrations and watercolor paintings of Whitstable done by locals. Very cute, economical and great souvenior.
5:30pm
We had just over 40 minutes before our train, so we decided to grab some oysters at The Forge. We could tell it’s where the locals went because that’s all we saw. Grabbed a plate of a dozen oysters and truly enjoyed ourselves. You can also grab some beautiful photos of the sunset and, water and boats here too!
6:35pm
We grabbed the train and headed straight back to London! It was fuss free and straight over to where the day had started.
If you’re looking to escape London then a day trip to Whitstable, trains to Whitstable are just about an hour from central London and to the harbor town. I literally need to make more of an effort to add in a day trip to London every now and then. Also, for additional inspiration on coastal cities, I’ve written about 7 things to do in Margate! Hope you enjoyed my day trip to Whitstable guide! Feel free to leave questions below!
