Joe Minihane

People are obsessed with Kent for a reason, and to be honest, the biggest reason is probably Margate. This humble seaside town blew up a few years ago (mostly with day-trippers), and since then its seen a string of fantastic restaurants, bars and more open on its seafront.  Put simply, Margate is the perfect day out, from its quaint vintage shops to its old-school arcades, as well as its thriving contemporary art scene (shout out to the Turner Contemporary, one of the best in the business). We’ve curated the perfect day in this delightful seaside town: here are the best things to do in Margate right now.  RECOMMENDED:🐠 The best restaurants in Margate🏡 The best Airbnbs in Margate🌤️The best things to do in Kent🌊The best seaside towns in the UK At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

With Margate and Whitstable stealing so much of the limelight, it’d be pretty easy to sleep on the lovely city of Canterbury – but you’d be missing out. The mature, older sibling of Kent’s go-to towns, this place is a cracking spot for a day-trip, and not just because it’s only an hour away from London! From Canterbury’s oldest pub and lovely walks along the River Stour to wonky houses, tiny tearooms, and (obvs) the Cathedral, there are plenty of famous spots to see if you’re heading here as a tourist for the weekend. Here are the best things to do in Canterbury. RECOMMENDED:🎡The best things to do in Margate🐟The best things to do in Whitstable🍃The best things to do in Kent⛰️The best national parks in the UK🏖️The best seaside towns in the UK

  Ponies, horses and deer mellowly wandering around, bike rides through tranquil, lush forests, mystical scenery and knockout spa hotels? The New Forest stretches across three English counties (Hampshire, east Dorset and Wiltshire) and certainly has a whole lot going for it – but where are you supposed to start? That’s what we’re here for. The best parts of the New Forest include anything from fishing to paddle-boarding, quaint tea rooms to local museums, family activities, couple getaways, the lot. Whatever you’re after, whether that’s how to spend a day, a weekend, or a new life among the trees, our list of the best things to do will surely come in handy. Take a look. RECOMMENDED:⛰️The best hikes in the UK🍃The best road trips in the UK🌤️The best national parks in the UK

Brighton is a shopaholic’s dream come true. No matter what you’re looking for, whether it’s an independently produced bottle of natty wine or an independently-run bookshop, on-trend menswear or quirky, pretty knick-knacks, your own personal trove of treasures is nestled in the city somewhere.  And sure, central Brighton is a brilliant place to start, with the main shopping streets of the Lanes and North Laine brimming with antique jewellery, curated second-hand clothing collections and chic, contemporary homeware respectively. However, you’d be a fool to overlook the Seven Dials, the Fiveways, Kemptown and Hove, neighbourhoods which are all home to a lovely selection of shops in their own right. Overwhelmed? Don’t fret, weary shopper – you’ve got a local on hand to guide you through all the aisles, rails and shelves in this town. So, here are the best places to go shopping in Brighton. RECOMMENDED:🦐The best restaurants in Brighton🌃The best things to do in Brighton🥐The best brunch spots in Brighton☕The best coffee shops in Brighton This article was recently updated by Liv Kelly, a writer from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Heading on a day-trip to Winchester is like stepping back in time. Best known as the former capital of England, it’s kept its traditional charm, even with all the trendy spots that have popped up there over the years. And that’s what makes it such a great place for a city break – beautiful architecture and winding lanes lead into streets lined with hip bakeries.  Part of its popularity is down to the city only being an hour’s train from London, and a short drive from the New Forest and the south coast, so you can head up for a full weekend, or just a perfect day out. We’ve carved out the perfect itinerary for Winchester, from river walks to brunch spots and indie shops to sunny beer gardens (and you can take it as slow as you like). Here are the best things to do in Winchester right now.  RECOMMENDED:🌳The ultimate guide to Hampshire🌤️The best places to visit in the UK🚞The most beautiful places in the UK✨The best day trips from London

The UK has plenty of brilliant options if you’re after a day trip by the seaside, but as someone who spent the first 22 years of their life in this fantastic city, I’m here to make the case that Brighton is the very best. Yes, the beach is pebbly, and yes, there are lots of seagulls, but there’s more than enough to do whether you’re here for a day, a week or a month.  The Royal Pavilion, the Brighton Palace Pier and The Lanes are some of the city’s most famous fixtures, but Brighton’s nightlife scene, a culmination of funky bars, lively, old-fashioned pubs and quirky concert venues, is one of the greatest things about this place, too. And then there’s all the seafront cafés, independent shops, and hidden-away museums. It’s a lot to take in, right? Well, luckily you’ve got me on hand to guide you. Read on for my favourite things to do in Brighton. RECOMMENDED:🍝The best restaurants in Brighton☕The best coffee shops in Brighton🐟The best places for fish and chips in Brighton🍺The best pubs in Brighton This guide was recently updated by Liv Kelly, a writer from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Here at Time Out, we love a good curry. And the best thing about the UK is that every city has a great curry spot – each of them with their own fabulous signature curry. So Time Out editors and contributors have put our heads together to select the very best out there.  Be you a korma person, a balti person, a blow-your-head-off-spicy kind of person or fancy something else entirely, there’s a curry on this list for you. From veggie delights at London’s Rasa to the classic balti at Birmingham’s famous Shababs, here are the best curries in the UK right now. Enjoy!  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in the UK🍺 The best pubs in the UK☀️ The best beer gardens in the UK📍 The best places to visit in the UK This guide is by the editors and writers at Time Out UK. For all our latest recommendations, check out our travel guides page.   

Brighton's breezy access from London and its proximity to the rolling countryside of the South Downs has made it an easy go-to for city escapees for decades. And while its myriad pleasures, from chips on the pier to ice cream on the beach, via antiques shopping and trawling for vintage finds in the Lanes, are readily available on a day trip, it's better to make a night of it. Stay at one of Brighton's best hotels and you can kick back with a cold drink in one of the city's excellent pubs and head to a club and party into the small hours without having to make the mad dash for the last train. Whatever your budget, these are the places to spend the night in the UK's coolest seaside city. RECOMMENDED:🏠 The best Brighton Airbnbs👪 The best things to do with kids in Brighton 🍺 The pubs in Brighton for beers and grub Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Where do Brightonians get all their energy from? Is it that healing sea air? The adrenaline from keeping a watchful eye on where the next seagull will swoop from? Perhaps, but the most likely answer is that it’s just from a good old-fashioned cuppa joe.  The residents of this seaside city spend more per head on coffee than anywhere else in the UK, so no wonder they’re all so wired. But take a stroll through the Lanes, the Fiveways or pretty much anywhere in Hove and you’ll realise why. The coffee scene here is the best in the country, and there’s a thriving scene of independent businesses grinding, churning and pouring coffee from all over the planet, as well as from local roasteries. So, with so many to choose from, here is our guide to the best coffee shops in Brighton. RECOMMENDED:🥐The best brunch spots in Brighton🦐The best restaurants in Brighton🌤️The best things to do in Brighton🐟The best fish and chips in Brighton This article was recently updated by Liv Kelly, a writer from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Southampton’s proximity to the lovely town of Winchester, the New Forest and the Isle of Wight have made it a popular stop-over destination, but the seaside city deserves its own look-in, particularly because of its prospering food scene.  There’s a myriad of cracking restaurants in Southampton, whether you’re after a classy, sophisticated evening of French flavours or some slap-up pizza from the town’s favourite truck. Be it a celebratory dinner or a quick bite to eat before sightseeing, there’ll be something to hit the spot on the city’s menu – have a look at our handpicked list of the best restaurants in Southampton. RECOMMENDED:🌤️The best things to do in Southampton🏖️The best seaside towns in the UK💕The best things to do in the UK🌃The most beautiful places to visit in the UK At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Brighton is as synonymous with good old-fashioned fish ‘n’ chips as the next seaside town, but as someone who grew up in the city, I can assure you the restaurant scene here is also well worthy of your attention. It’s got everything from Indian and Italian to Mexican and Korean cuisine on offer, plus all that locally-caught seafood which hasn’t just been whacked in a deep-fat fryer (although if that is what you’re craving, there are boatloads of good places for fish ‘n’ chips).  On the swishier side, Brighton has a handful of Michelin guide restaurants and a venture by a former MasterChef champion, but the city boasts plenty of hearty, tasty, budget places to eat as well. So whether you’re a fully-fledged carnivore or a die-hard vegan, there’s guaranteed to be somewhere that’ll really hit the spot. It’s a lot to digest, right? Thankfully, you’ve got a local on hand to guide you through it all – here are my absolute favourite places to eat in Brighton. RECOMMENDED:☕The best coffee shops in Brighton🥓The best brunch spots in Brighton🐟The best places for fish and chips in Brighton🍺The best pubs in Brighton This article was recently updated by Liv Kelly, a writer from Brighton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Home to the likes of Deal and Margate, Kent has its fair share of gems. But in my opinion, you haven’t really done Kent until you’ve seen Whitstable. Glorious in summer but equally as charming when it’s raining, this seaside town is one of the best in the UK, period.  Come for the Old Neptune, a historic pub right on the beach, but stay for the beer tasting flights round the corner, and the beach shack serving up cold beer and oysters. Spend your days charity shopping, pub hopping and tucking into the freshest seafood you’ve ever tasted. Be you a local, on holiday or a day-tripper from the smoke, trust us, these are the best things to do in Whitstable right now.  RECOMMENDED:🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Whitstable🌤️ The best things to do in Margate📍 The best things to do in Kent⛪ The best places to visit in the UK Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides editor. She is based in London but her heart (and family) is in Whitstable. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Brighton’s incredible new beachfront lido is go. Work on the 50-metre pool – the UK’s first National Open-Water Swimming Centre of Excellence – has been confirmed to start this winter, with plans for the first swimmers to take the plunge in summer 2022. The pool is being built by developers Sea Lanes Brighton, close to a dilapidated stretch of seafront. Over the past three summers, Sea Lanes has run a pop-up site close to where the pool will eventually sit on the beach, with local faves Bison Beer running a bar and swim tour operator Swimtrek offering training in a clever ‘endless water’ swimming machine. Beach Box Spa completed the package, offering hardy sea swimmers a chance to warm up in its saunas between cooling dips in the English Channel. Photograph: Sea Lanes The pool, which is set to be fully accessible, is set to be a complete game-changer for this part of town. ‘The pool will provide much needed swimming facilities in Brighton,’ says Sea Lanes director Joe McNulty. ‘It act as a gateway for those looking to gain the confidence to swim in the sea, as well as a training hub for open-water swimming events, triathlon, sea safety and lifeguard courses.’The pool got planning permission back in March 2021 and will be run by South Downs Leisure. As these amazing pictures show, it will sit on the beach itself, with Sea Lanes still operating on the road side. Time to pack your swimming kit and get set for a seaside adventure in 2022. Can’t wait until then? Here are 14 more

For years, the train line between London and Brighton has been a byword for misery. Chronic delays and endless strike action have often meant it would have been quicker to cycle from the capital to the coast. And while many have been spared the pain of dealing with last-minute cancellations and train breakdowns over the past 12 months, there’s one way to experience this famous tourist route in real style: Belmond’s Golden Age of Travel Brighton Belle service. This is train travel as it’s meant to be. The route kicks off at Victoria, with its art deco carriages (including three painstakingly restored cars from the original Brighton Belle) trundling through the South London suburbs and on to a circular route through the Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex countryside. Champagne is served as you settle into your plush armchair, before a leisurely five-course lunch. The train then follows the route of the famous Brighton Belle north to London from the seaside. The Belle ran for 41 years, from 1933 until 1972, and was the world’s only all-electric Pullman train. The services were renowned for their opulence, beyond even the best first-class experience on British Rail, with fancy fittings and at-seat service. Brighton resident Laurence Olivier famously campaigned to have kippers and eggs reinstated to the service’s menu in 1970 after his favourite breakfast option was suddenly removed. Recreating Olivier’s regular trip doesn’t come cheap, with Belmond’s service costing £365 per person for