The seven Kent beaches crowned UK's best with Blue Flags
Seven beaches within 90 minutes drive of south east London have been named among some of the UK's best.
Keep Britain Tidy recently announced the winners of the 38th Blue Flag Awards, with 76 beaches across the UK receiving the coveted award.
The awards recognise beaches for their quality, management and facilities, with beaches scored on a number of factors from environment to accessibility.
Additionally Keep Britain Tidy also named 120 beaches for the Seaside Award 2025, with 17 in Kent.
Out of the 76 beaches named, eight of them were in Kent, with seven being within easy reach of south east London by car or train for a day trip to the coast.
Here's what you need to know:
A short walk from the popular seaside town of Whitstable, Tankerton Beach offers a single beach flanked by a grassy promenade and its colourful beach huts.
This beach is well known for its cleanliness and good water quality for water sports.
The quiet beach offers a good spot to relax with friends and family and is a short walk from Whitstable, where you'll find a plethora of cafes, restaurants and shops vying for your attention
This postcard-perfect beach, with its striking white chalk cliffs and sea stacks, is the perfect spot for photographers and nature lovers looking for a scenic beach to frequent for the day.
This postcard-perfect beach, with its striking white chalk cliffs and sea stacks, is the perfect spot for photographers and nature lovers. (Image: Tourism @ Thanet District Council)
This beach holds the Blue Flag and Seaside Award in 2025 and was rated for its cleanliness and safety with seasonal lifeguards and nearby toilets and cafes.
But Broadstairs isn't far away if you fancy heading into the town for some lunch or to explore its independent shops as well as its local museums.
6 minutes drive from Broadstairs, Joss Bay offers a sandy stretch of beach which is a prime spot for surfing, with its own surf school and spot to hire equipment.
Joss Bay offers a sandy stretch of beach which is a prime spot for surfing, with its own surf school and spot to hire equipment. (Image: Tourism @ Thanet District Council)
The beach won both Blue Flag and Seaside Awards this year and was rated for its safe and clean beach with seasonal lifeguards, a beach café and deck chairs to hire, if you fancy relaxing by the sea for the day.
Located in the busy and popular town of Margate, Margate Main Sands is a traditional seaside sandy beach with plenty of nearby attractions and easy access from Margate station.
Margate Main Sands is a traditional seaside sandy beach with plenty of nearby attractions. (Image: PA)
Margate Main Sands was awarded the Blue Flag and Seaside Award and was scored for its safety and water quality.
The beach is within a short distance of Dreamland with its plethora of rides and amusements, or you can easily walk to the Old Town where you'll find a huge variety of independent cafes, shops and little museums to explore.
15 minutes drive from Margate, Minnis Bay in Birchington is a family-friendly beach known for its wide expanse of sandy shoreline and quiet setting for those looking for a peaceful beach to relax.
The beach also won both awards this year, with top marks for its clean waters and well-maintained facilities, including a children's playground, toilets and deckchairs to hire.
Next to Ramsgate's vibrant town and Royal Harbour you'll find Ramsgate Main Sands.
This sandy beach won both awards this year for its clean and safe beach, with easy access to nearby cafes and toilets, with seasonal lifeguards on duty.
This sandy beach won both awards this year for its clean and safe beach. (Image: Tourism @ Thanet District Council)
But if you fancy exploring, Ramsgate has plenty to offer from its network of wartime tunnels to its Victorian glasshouse where you can take afternoon tea.
Finally on our list, St Mildred's Bay near Margate offers a sandy beach flanked by a promenade if you fancy a stroll somewhere a little more quiet.
The beach won both awards this year, receiving high scores for its water quality and cleanliness if you fancy a swim.
The beach is also within easy access of nearby toilets, cafes and has seasonal lifeguards.
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