Herne Bay is a family-friendly seaside resort town popularly known as Kent’s Classic Seaside Town. This beautiful place sits along the Kent coast and features traditional resort attractions such as a long sandy beach and an amusement pier. If you want to escape the city of London, which is 60 miles away, Herne Bay welcomes you to explore its vibrant art scene, music, and culture.
History of Herne Bay
The story of Herne Bay goes back to the late 18th century when the town was known only to smugglers, laborers, and fishermen. After the period of the fishermen's cottages in the early 1800s, change in terms of building new and proper houses began in 1820. During that time, the growing interest in the coastal air and people bathing in the sea drove people to explore the seaside towns of Kent, like Margate and Herne Bay.
After a while, a new wave of interest in the town was brought about by George Burge, a London entrepreneur who worked with Thomas Telford, a famous Scottish engineer, to build the pier in Herne Bay in 1831 after raising £50,000.
In 1837, Anne Thwaytes elevated the town even further by funding the development of a clock tower by giving £4,000. The tower stood at 75 feet at the seafront, and historians state that it is the world's first freestanding purpose-centered clock tower.
On the other hand, the pier made of wood instead of steel was infested by woodworms, making the repairs slow and costly. In 1861, the arrival of the railroad in Herne Bay made steamers the common mode of transport, leading to the destruction of the pier in 1870. After that, a new iron pier was built in 1896, the second longest in Britain, at 3,787 feet.
How to get to Herne Bay
The town is easily accessible by car or train from London. Additionally, the Southeastern railway runs direct trips to London St Pancras and London Victoria every hour. The direct train takes about 1 hour 25 minutes. After arriving at Herne Bay, you can walk to the seafront within 20 minutes. If you are driving, using M2 or M20 is the easiest option because it takes under two hours to reach Herne Bay from London.
Top Activities to Undertake in Herne Bay
There are lots of activities to do in the seaside town, including long walks, shopping, eating and drinking, water activities, and the following:
Paddleboarding while standing up with AquaPaddle
If you fancy water activities, paddling while standing up is one activity that is common with AquaPaddle. You might have done this activity in the lake, but have you tried it on the sea where you have to deal with tides, waves, and wind gusts that bring on a different paradigm of challenges? This type of paddle boating is an adventure you would like to explore. You can also rent a SUP or kayak, as well as classes to teach you how to balance on the paddle.
Explore the colorful beach huts
You might have seen an image of colorful huts online or in a music video. If you have, it might be the shots from the long row of pastel-colored beach huts that run between Herne Bay Pier and Hampton Pier.
The Seaside Museum at Herne Bay
One of the top attractions in the town is The Seaside Museum, which hosts numerous exhibitions throughout the year and features works from local photographers and artists. If you want to take your family on a seaside trip, you will also find incredible activities for kids.
Beach Creative
Visit Beach Creative, an organization led by volunteers, is creating a vibrant art space with artist studios, a Toast Cafe to recharge your energy, and an exhibition space.
Herne Bay Pier
Herne Bay Pier offers families free fishing and crabbing. Each August, you can attend the Herne Bay Festival for crabbing and sandcastle competitions. A small harbor on site also houses small boats and a launchway for jet skis and small crafts.
Walks to Neptune’s Arm
Walking down Neptune’s Arm is a treat if the weather is calm. This section of the harbor wall is the breakwater that stretches around the bay, almost touching the pier. The beauty of Neptune’s Arm is that it has a viewing platform where you will get a beautiful view of the town and the pier from the other side. But the high tides make the spot risky if the weather is bad.
You can close your visit to Herne Bay by checking out the medieval Reculver Towers, which are remnants of the 3rd-Century Fort that overlooks Reculver Beach. This spot is ideal for walking along the Oyster Bay trail along the North Kent coastline, where you can rock pool, hunt for fossils, and sunbathe.
The position of Herne Bay in Kent makes it experience the best sunsets. If you can stay nearby until early evening, you will snap beautiful photos of the golden lights touching the water and the gorgeous clock tower.
Coach and minibus Hire prices Estimates
See our estimated pricing below:
mini-bus: Starting from £317/day
midi-bus: Starting from £702/day
35-passenger coach: Starting from £915/day
large coach: Starting from £1183/day
two-level coach: Starting from £1580/day
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