Camber Sands or Broadstairs for Day Trip ?

[IvySnail]

Looking to go with 1 year old and almost 3 year old....

Potentially a bunch of almost 3 year olds and a couple of babies too

Which is best for this age group?

Any tips/advice greatly appreciated

thx

[EDmummy]

I'd suggest Broadstairs as the wind is a little more predictable. I've driven all the way to Camber Sands before, weather glorious all the way there, only to find that it's impossible to sit on the beach without being whipped by sand. Water is also treacherous.

[Lochie]

Broadstairs is lovely too because there is alot to do there beyond the beach - fairground rides, mini golf, little arcades with 2p slot machines (my kids got addicted!), fantastic ice cream at Morelli's on the beach. There is not very much on Camber beach apart from the sand....

Have fun. We've just discovered Broadstairs and its my fave seaside town, its lovely!

[Crokes]

No experience of Camber Sands. Broadstairs is lovely as previous posters have said but watch out for the seagulls; not wanting to scare you off but try not to eat on the beach, because they prey on anyone eating/holding food (they?ll take it out of your hand whilst you?re eating!)& are pretty big close up (especially for little ones).

[brezzo]

margate is hard to beat for beach, and then only a short drive to Broadstairs for ice cream.

Would definitely pass on Camber

[Jess85]

Found Camber a little shabby personally...

[redjam]

Camber Sands has scarred me for life after we nearly lost a friend's young son there on a sunny day when it was packed. It is so huge and featureless that when he took his eyes off our group for a minute he then completely lost us and wandered off the wrong way. Longest half hour of our lives trying to find him again. Luckily one of the lifeguards discovered him as he was wandering around on his own crying, poor thing.

Also it was madly windy (despite being a glorious day) and the sand was constantly blowing in your eyes and mouth. Then there were the circling/divebombing gulls eyeing our picnic. And that's before you even get on to the tide coming in, which can be a bit hairy as it happens so fast (think quicksand - and remember those poor London boys who died a couple of years ago?). We only lasted about another fifteen minutes after we'd found the boy then we'd all had enough.

God, I'm making it sound terrible, aren't I? I've been there before and had a lovely time but honestly, that last time I was there was so traumatic I don't think I'll ever go back.

[DaveR]

Botany Bay for the beach then Broadstairs for ice cream, fairground stuff, bandstand etc. The beach at Botany Bay is bigger, less busy, has rockpools when the tide it out, and a stack at one end:

https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-east-england/kent/botany-bay.htm

It's about 10 minutes drive from one to the other.