Families looking for something fun to do during the autumn and winter months should consider a visit to Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate in Kent - a coast for all seasons. 

It's a time of year when the fresh sea air feels a bit more salty, the big skies take on a more mellow hue and the beaches and promenades are less busy than during the main summer months.  What does remain the same is the amount of fun to be had around our naturally socially distanced coastline and at our unique and quirky attractions.

Here's our top three tips for making the most of a family trip to this spectacular coast this autumn and winter.

Hire a Coastal Explorer Pack

Hire a Coastal Explorer Pack, exclusive to the Isle of Thanet, for just £5 plus proof of ID for the day and start making family memories to cherish. 

The packs are full of activities, challenges and games.  Learn essential explorer skills such as how to make a sundial and use a compass.  Identify clouds, play hopscotch or create a masterpiece on the sand from things found on the beach.  For those who like to explore the rockpools, the pack contains all the equipment to become a real rocky shore researcher.  Simple fun is so often the best fun.

There are three slightly different packs, with information and activities relevant to each of the three towns - Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate.  Packs can be hired from Margate Visitor Information Centre which is open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm.  

www.visitthanet.co.uk/coastalexplorers

Cycle along the Viking Coastal Trail 

Enjoy a day of family fun on two wheels, breathing in lots of fresh sea air and discovering spectacular beaches and bays.

The Viking Coastal Trail is one of the most attractive leisure cycling routes in Kent and forms part of Regional Route 15 of the National Cycle Network.  The trail circles around the whole of the stunning Isle of Thanet coastline, taking in the resorts of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, before looping back through leafy country lanes and charming villages.  The complete trail is 32 miles in total, but it can be broken down easily into smaller chunks or themed rides.

It's perfect for families as the majority of the coastal element of the trail is along flat, family friendly promenades with stunning sea views.  There are plenty of places to stop for fresh-air picnics or fish and chips, plus cosy cafes and restaurants at many of the beaches and bays along the route.

Several local venues offer cycle hire, so you don't even need to have your own bikes to enjoy this experience, plus, after an active day in the fresh sea air, even the adults will sleep like babies.

http://bit.ly/VikingTrailBikes 

Visit an underground attraction

The chalk tunnels and caverns that lay beneath the Isle of Thanet hold many secrets, including being used by smugglers in bygone days.  Within the underground chalk are three unique and very different attractions, worthy of exploration by enquiring minds of all ages. 

Margate's Shell Grotto, a subterranean wonder with walls decorated with 4.6 million shells, was discovered by chance in 1835.  The shells form strange patterns and symbols on the Grotto walls and ceilings and mystery still surrounds who built them and why. 

Family ticket (2 adults and up to 2 children) £10.  Adult £4.50, child (4-16 years) £2, under 4s go free, concession £4.

Kids go free from 28 October to 1 November

www.shellgrotto.co.uk

Nearby is Margate Caves, which reopened last year after a 15 year wait.  The Caves were originally dug as a chalk mine in the 18th century, then were largely forgotten for over 100 years.  They first opened to visitors in 1863, known then as the Vortigern Caves, with reference to the wall paintings of a crocodile, an elephant and a lion.  They've  had a very interesting history since, with more wall paintings added.  

Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) £10.  Adult £4.50, child £2, under 3s go free, concession £4

www.margatecaves.co.uk

Get a taste for what life was like for some during the darkest days of WWII at Ramsgate Tunnels.  The Tunnels are a unique civilian wartime tunnel complex set partly in a Victorian railway tunnel.  They were built in 1939 and in 1940 over 300 families were permanently living in the evolving underground city, with many others taking refuge there when the air raid sirens sounded.  Hard hats must be worn and minimum age to visit is 5 years.  

Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £22.  Adult £8, child (5-16 years, accompanied by an adult) £5, senior 60+ £6.  50p booking fee applies to adult and senior tickets.

www.ramsgatetunnels.org

We advise that, if you plan to visit, you 'Know Before You Go' and book ahead as much as possible, including attractions, restaurants and accommodation  www.visitthanet.co.uk/knowbefore 

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Notes to Editors

There are films for:

Coastal Explorer Packs -  https://vimeo.com/269832784

'Escape the Everyday - A Coast for all Seasons - https://vimeo.com/466522694

General press enquiries:

Please contact Julie Edwards at Thanet Tourism - julie.edwards@thanet.gov.uk or 01843 577671

Assistance can also be given with digital images, reader competitions and press trips - and bespoke press visits can be arranged, including accommodation and sightseeing, for journalists with commissions.