Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside

April 17, 2017

I absolutely love the beach - there is nowhere I would rather be. Yet surprisingly I very rarely have made the trip to the great British seaside. As a child we used to go to Sandbanks for holidays, but as a teenager and adult, other than the odd drunken night out in Brighton visiting friends at uni there, I have not made the most of the fun to be had on our very doorstep.

So when the offer to go with friends to Whitstable was made I jumped at the chance. As luck would have it as it neared closer, the weather was looking fabulous and it turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. 
 
We set out early to avoid any traffic and made it there in great time. The journey was an hour and 45 mins and the little one slept most of the journey and our little boy has always been great in the car. Snacks and constant talking pretty much kept him occupied, we also packed a few of our go to KeepEmQuiet entertainment items. And little lego men - the current obsession. (Do anyone else’s kids have phases of total obsessions? We have had balloons, stickers, bouncy castles, Michael Jackson and now Lego figures, and when I say obsessed.... it is life!)
 
Whitstable is beautiful. It’s a pebble beach and luckily my friend advised us to bring wellies for the kids (I reckon jelly sandals would be good too) but there is great fun to be had, and sand can still be found for building sand castles. We set up base at The Lobster Shack - wooden tables right on the beach. Get there early as it got very busy! 

 

 

 

 

As parents of two little ones the most successful lunches are the ones where the kids can run around right up until they eat whilst we can have a glass of wine - so this was perfect. Little trips down to the water looking for crabs, up until the fish and chips and fresh lobster arrived. With Sarsons vinegar on every table, this was a true British seaside lunch feast enjoyed by all. 

 

With lunch done and ice creams being enjoyed we walked the short picturesque walk to meet our friends at our home for the night - the charming, cosy, family friendly Kiora Beach House. The property has 4 bedrooms, with all 3 bedrooms on the 1st floor having stunning views of the beach. Sleeping with the sound of the waves is as peaceful as it gets for me and was just what my mind needed in the midst of the Easter madness.  

 

 

 

 

 

With 5 little ones between our party we had the sweetest Easter Egg hunt in the divine garden, followed by a serious sugar high and some running around on the beach. As it turned to evening and the tide went out we were able to walk so much more of the beach and splash about in the shallow waters. Thanks to Peppa Pig mine found some very muddy sandy puddles and needed a much needed bath that evening. The sunset was magical and Kiora was the perfect place to take it all in as we enjoyed our first barbecue of the year, and a lot of rose once the kids were tucked up for the night. It was a magical 24 hours. Kiora gets very booked up so be sure to make your reservations in advance. I also noticed a cute hotel next door for other accommodation ideas in the area most notably The Hotel Continental

 

 

 

 

With the weather being as fantastic as it was we didn’t have to think about activities to do other than enjoy the nature at our feet - but if the weather were to have taken a turn, there is so much to do with kids. Play Zone at Herne Bay is a short drive with a great indoor soft play area, and there is bowling right next to Kiora, as well as the local high street with delightful quaint shops and boutiques.

 

If you are stuck for a plan this Easter I could not recommend packing up your kids in the car, getting on the road early and taking a trip to the seaside. The sea air and fun to be had was what we all needed and the kids seem to still be sleeping better because of it days later. It’s good for the soul to get out of the city and reset - and this trip has definitely made me want to do a lot more weekend trips to the beach in the coming warmer months. What’s your favourite UK beach destination? 

 

 

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