Top 15 Must-Do Activities in Ramsgate, Kent

On the Isle of Thanet, Ramsgate’s stone-built harbour dates back to the early 18th century, serving as the navy’s primary departure point during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1821, King George IV, welcomed warmly by the townspeople, designated it as a Royal Harbour, a unique distinction in the UK. During the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, many civilian vessels were stationed in Ramsgate, with one, Sundowner, now a museum ship located near the town’s maritime museum.

Ramsgate, emerging prominently at the turn of the 19th century, features an elegant Regency streetscape, marked by Blue Plaques indicating residences of notable figures such as Charles Darwin and Vincent van Gogh.

1. Ramsgate Tunnels

During the Second World War, Ramsgate faced the threat of air raids and potential land invasions, leading to the excavation of extensive tunnels from the chalk beneath its streets. Initiated in 1939 after persistent efforts by then-mayor A. B. C. Kempe, these 2.5 miles of deep shelters housed over 300 families during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

The Ramsgate Tunnels have been accessible for visits since 2014, offering guided tours from Wednesday to Sunday, where visitors can hear stories about their construction and the wartime experiences in Ramsgate. Additionally, a 1.3-mile railway tunnel from the mid-19th century has been incorporated, which is open for free visits and features touchscreens, a wartime artifact exhibition, and a cafe.

2. Ramsgate Royal Harbour

Ramsgate’s port stands as the only Royal Harbour in the UK, a title it received in 1821, when King George IV departed and returned with the Royal Squadron. Pleased with the town’s hospitality, he granted it royal status. Subsequently, architect John Shaw and his son were commissioned to design several structures, including the Clock House, the lighthouse on West Pier, Jacob’s Ladder stairs, and an obelisk commemorating the king’s visit.

The Royal Harbour offers delightful surprises, featuring a diverse range of restaurants and inviting exploration, rewarding visitors who wander for an hour or two. The Royal Harbour Brasserie at the East Pier provides a scenic view of the marina.

3. Main Sands

Adjacent to the Royal Harbour, Ramsgate Main Sands serves as the central beach of the resort, especially appealing on sunny days. Its convenient location offers easy access to arcades, amusement venues, and dining options. Notably, the Victorian Royal Pavilion on the southern side currently operates as a Wetherspoons pub. Visitors can rent sun loungers or deck chairs for relaxation by the beach or enjoy a bracing swim in the chilly waters.

In the off-season, the promenade offers a pleasant walking experience, complemented by a bandstand reminiscent of a temple, with the lovely Regency townhouses of Wellington Crescent providing a picturesque backdrop.

4. Sights around Town

Ramsgate boasts over 900 listed buildings, predominantly concentrated around the harbour. With its Royal Harbour status and significance as a strategically important embarkation point during the Napoleonic Wars, the town is characterized by an abundance of Regency architecture. Strolling through residential streets adorned with flat-fronted homes and historical iron gaslights can be a rewarding experience.

The harbour’s prestige attracted numerous renowned 19th-century figures, and blue plaques commemorate the stays of important individuals such as Vincent van Gogh, Charles Darwin, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Karl Marx, and novelist Wilkie Collins.

5. Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve

This 1,520-acre nature reserve, located southwest of Ramsgate, holds international significance for its diverse bird populations. As part of the broader Sandwich Bay and Thanet Coast Ramsar Site, Pegwell Bay encompasses a variety of habitats, including chalk cliffs, shingle beaches, woodlands, salt marshes, inter-tidal mudflats, and unique dune pastures remain a defining feature within Kent.

A brief overview of the wildlife reveals a vibrant ecosystem: in spring, the woodlands come alive with the songs of warblers, cuckoos, and nightingales. During summer, ringed plovers can be observed nesting on the shingle beaches, while autumn sees numerous waterfowl resting in the salt marshes during migration. In winter, the Stour estuary provides a resting place for numerous seals.

6. Micro Museum

The Micro Museum is dedicated to home computing and technology, featuring an extensive collection of devices from the 1940s to the present. The owners have dedicated over 40 years to preserving and restoring typewriters, computers, and consoles, allowing many visitors to relive memories from their childhoods by trying out classic games long forgotten.

Admission includes unlimited access to numerous classic consoles within the museum. Highlights of the collection include various Ataris, a BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, alongside Game Boys and an array of SEGA and Nintendo consoles from the late 1980s onward.

The Micro Museum welcomes visitors on weekends and weekdays during school holidays.

7. St Augustine’s Church

The Gothic Revivalist architect Augustus Pugin, known for designing the Palace of Westminster, constructed this church atop Westcliff as a personal memorial chapel. A devout Catholic, Pugin envisioned this church as part of a Medieval-style Catholic community adjacent to his new home. Construction commenced in 1846, and the project continued after Pugin’s death in 1852, led by his sons over subsequent decades.

This personal venture aimed to encapsulate Pugin’s architectural principles, and visitors can pay their respects at his tomb, marked by an effigy created by his eldest son, Edward. Currently serving as a Catholic church, it acts as a shrine for St Augustine of England, the first Bishop of Canterbury, who landed in Pegwell Bay in 597.

8. The Grange

Within the same complex as St Augustine’s Church is Augustus Pugin’s Grade I-listed residence, constructed in 1844, shortly before the church project began. Interior work continued until 1850, with Pugin passing away soon after at the age of 40. The house, showcasing Gothic Revival architecture, represents a departure from the Neoclassical Georgian style that preceded it. Influential to prominent Victorian architects, such as Edwin Lutyens, the building narrowly escaped demolition in the 1990s, thanks to the intervention of the Landmark Trust.

Ground floor tours are held every Wednesday from 14:00 to 16:00, and prior arrangements may be needed to secure a place.

9. Maritime Museum

The distinguished Georgian Clock House, situated on the quayside of the Royal Harbour, houses Ramsgate’s Maritime Museum. Constructed in 1817, it is precisely located on the Ramsgate Meridian, five minutes and 41 seconds ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, prior to the synchronization of time within the UK. Visitors can explore diverse themes throughout the galleries, covering topics such as the harbour’s history, lifeboat rescues, fishing practices, navigation advancements, and the long-standing narratives of shipwrecks on the perilous Goodwin Sands.

The museum features numerous artifacts from vessels that have wrecked on this sandbank, including a 17th-century demi-cannon from HMS Stirling Castle, which sank in 1703. Just a few steps from the Clock House lie two museum ships: the motor yacht Sundowner, a “Dunkirk little ship” that participated in the evacuation from Dunkirk, and the ST Cervia, a seagoing tug built in 1946.

10. King George VI Memorial Park

This exquisite cliff-top estate, acquired by Ramsgate Council following the Second World War, was previously home to Sir Moses Montefiore, a prominent financier in the 19th century, at East Cliff Lodge. Although the original house was demolished in 1953, the remaining Italianate Glasshouse, sourced from Bretton Hall in Yorkshire, now stands restored to its Victorian grandeur since 2005, located against the stable courtyard’s outer wall.

The tea garden provides an elegant spot to refresh, while visitors can stroll along the cliff-top path to enjoy views of the North Sea.

11. Sailors’ Church

A quaint stop during a visit to the Royal Harbour, Sailors’ Church (established in 1878) features a brick-built structure adjacent to another Victorian building, the Ramsgate Home for Smack Boys, which housed trainee sailors from the workhouse. The church and school were originally linked by a charming weatherboard bridge, although the school moved to its own facility next door in 1881. Today, the church continues to hold services, while also functioning as a small maritime museum displaying historical photographs, boat models, and artwork.

The church retains its original lectern, wooden seating, and pulpit, in addition to a four-bay commandment table.

Access is possible via John Shaw’s Jacob’s Ladder, an elegantly designed staircase built into the Westcliff in 1826.

12. Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum

Situated just minutes away in Manston is a former international airport and RAF base. During the Second World War, RAF Manston served as a forward base and sustained multiple bombings in the Battle of Britain in 1940, making it a fitting location for a museum dedicated to the conflict.

Within two halls on the airfield’s northern side, visitors can view two iconic British aircraft from the war: one is a Spitfire Mk XVI (LF) TB752, which boasts a combat record and entered service in 1944, while the other is a Hawker Hurricane IIc LF751, also from 1944, initially serving as a training aircraft post-war.

Numerous fascinating artifacts, including engines, propellers, a refueling truck, radios, and a Hispano-Suiza Mk5 20mm cannon, typical of British fighter aircraft during the war, are displayed throughout the halls.

13. Ellington Park

As you explore Ramsgate’s Regency and Victorian residential streets, you may discover Ellington Park, located roughly a minute’s walk from Ramsgate railway station. This park encapsulates the characteristics of a turn-of-the-century park, featuring a bowling green, a decorative Edwardian bandstand, and a fenced playground for children.

While the original Victorian landscaping has diminished over time, a three-year plan announced in 2017 aims to restore these formal gardens, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. In the interim, summer weekends may provide opportunities for little ones to enjoy a ride on the miniature steam-powered railway.

14. Monkton Nature Reserve

Located in the rural hinterland of the Isle of Thanet, this enchanting nature reserve, established in an abandoned chalk quarry, spans 16 acres. This space features a variety of habitats, including ponds, chalk grasslands, and woodlands, with a remarkable total of over 350 flowering plant species, including eight different types of orchids.

Additionally, approximately 25 butterfly species thrive within the reserve, which is also home to the UK’s first man-made bat cave. Numerous spots are available for relaxation and observation, with a study center that hosts archaeology and natural history displays. The reserve is known for its low light pollution, making it an excellent location for stargazing, with a dedicated observatory built in 2015 by the Monkton Stargazers club, which organizes regular viewing evenings throughout the year.

15. Viking Coastal Trail

Ramsgate is situated along a 25-mile cycling and walking trail, which encircles the coastline and pastoral landscapes of the Isle of Thanet. The Viking Coastal Trail is primarily free of traffic, especially along the coastal sections, allowing travelers to traverse waterfront promenades, making it an accessible route for families.

Starting from Ramsgate, visitors can opt to head north towards Broadstairs, taking in the stunning North Foreland headland along the way, or venture inland at Pegwell Bay, where a Saxon-style cross erected in 1884 commemorates St Augustine’s arrival in Pegwell Bay in 597.