There is so much bringing you to Broadstairs in the autumn, with the soft coastal light, quiet beaches and uncrowded streets that come with October. The sun is still high enough in the sky for daylight until early evening and for the stunning sunrises to happen at a civilized hour. A pleasing mix of old-school charm and modern style, bijou Broadstairs makes for a great getaway.
Once a tiny fishing village, visitors to the 21st-century Broadstairs are spoilt for choice with the pick of top independent restaurants, coffee shops, bars and bistros. Along with fabulous views over one of Kent's prettiest beaches, Viking Bay, the Broadstairs Apartments team knows how lucky we are to have all this on our doorstep. In fact, we're just a convenient 10-minute walk from the sea and all the town has to offer.
A beach walk is essential when spending time in Broadstairs, whether you choose Viking Bay, Louisa bay or Stone Bay. These beautiful beaches are all connected when the tide is out, making it easy to walk from one to the other. Often you can have the shoreline all to yourself apart from an occasional dog walker and it's definitely not too late in the season for a paddle. Brave souls might even take a dip for the full-on authentic coastal experience!
When you get to the achingly photogenic pier, stop off for cockles and mussels as you watch the colourful little fishing boats moored against the jetty. Across the way, 18th-century pub the Tartar Frigate with its flint facade will beckon. Or head up onto the promenade towards Victoria Gardens to seek out Italian gelato heaven at famous ice-cream parlour Morelli's - you won't regret it!
Of course the culinary delights of Broadstairs do not stop at ice-cream. Nestled towards the bottom of Harbour Street sits the stylish Wyatt & Jones, with a second-to-none seafood menu and fabulous views across Viking Bay to match. Over on Oscar Road is Michelin-starred Stark, where the accomplished chef decides on the dishes to be served, so you get what you're given (and what you are given will be excellent without fail, we promise.)
If it's just light refreshment you're after, plenty of tempting coffee houses and cafes are dotted about. Make sure you take some time out to sit in the Albion Hotel restaurant gardens to take in the big skies and cloudscapes. Down on Viking Bay itself is the Funicular Cafe, an exciting new venture operating out of the old funicular that used to transport holidaymakers back up to the promenade from the beach. And if we're honest, simply parking yourself on one of the benches lining said promenade to watch the world go by can be really rather pleasant, especially if you pair that with some freshly made fish & chips.
Also well worth a visit is the historic Dickens Museum, housed in a beautiful Georgian cottage where you can learn all about 19th-century writer and Broadstairs resident Charles Dickens. The renouned novelist famously lived in Bleak House, an impressive clifftop villa presiding over the seafront. Head down Albion Street, walk past the Old Curiosity shop and follow Fort Road meandering up the to the main gates.
Should you be unlucky enough to get bad weather while you're here, you could duck in to the tiny grade-II listed Palace Cinema, a Broadstairs gem combining the slickness of a modern picturehouse with the quaintness of the vintage fixtures and fittings. The current custodians are determined to keep independent cinema alive with an imaginative programme, community events and that all-important personal touch.
A slow wander around the town offers plenty of browsing options too, with an array of independent stores. From gifts, books and vintage, to clothes, gorgeous flowers, indoor plants, even fossils and semi-precious gems, you are certain to find something you didn't know you needed. Broadstairs traders take huge pride in their establishments and window-shopping is de rigeur.
So, stay at Broadstairs Apartments and you will soon see what has attracted holiday-makers to our lovely seaside town since Victorian times. Without the summer crowds but before winter sets in, you'll be rubbing shoulders with the locals, who know just what a great time of year autumn in Broadstairs really is!