We were in Whitstable for a weekend to celebrate a good friend’s 50th birthday. Whitstable really is a beautiful gem of a seaside town. Beautiful castle and gardens, lovely shops and restaurants. Clean, classy and unspoilt.

This High Street is basically the vast majority of the shopping area in this seaside town. It is one long road that splits into two at one end and runs parallel to the coastline. There are lots of cafés and eateries in the street and a wide range of shops, many of which are individual outlets and not brand names. The street is also home to a museum, a block of toilets, an art gallery, a good Wetherspoon's and a theatre. All considered, more than most High Streets in Kent have to offer.

Well worth a visit. We rented an Air BnB in the centre and had a wonderful weekend. Great walks, super restaurants and easy to visit Canterbury for a day out. Thoroughly enjoyed the seafood and their world famous oysters. We were lucky with the weather so could enjoy the stunning sunsets. Had recently read the 'Whitstable Pearl' series of books by Julie Wassmer so it was fun identifying various landmarks mentioned in the books, particularly the 'Neppy' (the Old Neptune pub).

Lots of good shops (a lot of them independent) and eateries, along with a museum and a theatre. It's very easy to spend a couple of hours wandering around. There is only one drawback and that is the cost of the car parks. However, if you drive around you can find free street parking.

Unlike Deal this place has arrived. I really like Whitstable. It has an ambience about it. Has a number of chains and well to do clothing stores like Crew Clothing, Weird Fish, White Stuff the latter two Canterbury no longer has along with Fat Face and out of town offers good facilities too with an array of supermarkets namely Tesco, Sainsbury, McD's, KFC, Costa Drive thru and an M and S food hall and Home Bargains all places a town should have. There are quirky shops. The place is generally nice to visit with a nice beach and places to eat at. Despite the DFL and ANB's it has arrived unlike nearby Deal Kent.