Margate beach: Is it sandy and is there a pool to swim in?

COASTAL town Margate has become a beloved seaside getaway for Londoners, famous for its cobbled streets, and maritime history.

It also has a thriving artistic scene and a beautiful beach, but what’s it like, and what else is there to do?

Is Margate beach sandy?

Many Brits will be looking forward to a well-earned break this summer.

But with the cost-of-living crisis, and more air travel chaos to come, finding somewhere cheap to travel to for a staycation will be a priority for lots of people.

You can find a handy explainer on some of the best secret British beaches here, with places that may be less busy than well known seaside spots.

Others will be looking to visit old favourites like Brighton or Margate.

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Margate is an historic harbour town, full of cool cafes, and shops, and even has its own world-class art gallery.

But it also has stunning natural beauty, most notably a golden sandy beach with seaside entertainment nearby.

Is there a pool at Margate beach?

The good news for travellers is there IS a tidal pool at Margate beach, in fact there’s two!

The tidal pools were constructed over 80 years ago, in order for beach goers to be able to be in the sea while the tide is at different states, according to The Isle of Thanet News.

Margate and Cliftonville’s beaches sloped, and the tidal range was considerable, which meant the low water mark could be a long way out from the promenade.

One is in Walpole Bay, and is Grade II listed, while the other is on Margate Main Sands.

What else is there to do in Margate?

This arty destination, dubbed “Shoreditch-on-Sea”, after the fashionable area of East London has a wealth of things to do, including Dreamland, one of the UK’s oldest theme parks.

Art lovers should one of the town’s superb galleries, like the Turner, Turner Contemporary or Carl Freedman galleries.

You could also catch live music and comedy performance at the Winter Gardens.

Visit margate-live.com to find out what’s going to be on.

Margate’s Old Town is popular with tourists, but locals say the Cliftonville area has the best hidden gems.

There’s weird and wonderful architecture too, like Margate’s Shell Grotto, which was discovered in 1835, though the purpose of the Grade I listed building remains unknown.

It’s made up of 4.6 millions shells and is open to the public, through pre-booking is advised.

For fans of classic indie band The Libertines, there’s the Albion Rooms, a hotel opened by the band in 2020.

It features vintage furnishing, an Apple Beats sound system.

There are also various cafes and restaurants to keep you going as you explore this characterful resort town.

You can find out more about fun things to do in Margate here.