Today I want to share my guide to a day trip to Deal, Kent. This coastal town in England has everything from seaside castles to historic streets, and lots of smuggling lore to boot.
Day Trip to Deal
Located between Ramsgate and Dover on the southeast coast of England, under-the-radar Deal lies where the North Sea meets the English Channel.
The town often gets overlooked in favor of popular coastal destinations in Kent like Margate and Whitstable, but it’s worth a visit in its own right for its legendary history, beautiful streets, and seaside charm.
How to Get to Deal
It’s easy to take a day trip to Deal from London and other parts of southern England. There are direct high-speed trains to Deal from the UK capital, and the journey takes less than an hour and a half.
There’s parking in Deal, too, so driving is an option if you prefer to take a day trip from London by car. The journey time from the capital is around two hours.
Things to Do on a Day Trip to Deal
Once in town, there are a lot of fun things to on a day trip to Deal. Whether you prefer castles or cafes, pastel houses or pebble beaches, Deal has something for everyone.
Deal Castle
One of the main attractions in town is Deal Castle. This hulking fortress is right on the beach and it’s a great place to start a day trip to Deal.
Established by Henry VIII, Deal Castle is one of seven forts built between 1539 and 1540 to defend ships in Kent and guard against enemy invaders from France and other parts of Europe.
Today the castle is an English Heritage property that’s open to visitors. I start my day trip to Deal by exploring the rooms, soaking up the sea views, and learning about the history of the fortress.
Middle Street
Speaking of history, Middle Street is not only one of the prettiest streets in Deal, but also one of the most historic places in town. Seeing it is a must on a day trip to Deal.
Lined with colorful heritage houses from the 17th and 18th centuries, Middle Street and the narrow lanes that come off it were at the heart of Deal’s legendary smuggling trade.
Tobacco, tea, spirits, silk, lace, and other goods were smuggled in from the sea between the 17th and 19th centuries.
They passed from secret compartments in ships to the warren of streets and hiding places in local houses before being sold on the black market.
While smuggling may be a thing of Deal’s past, the houses and streets it took place in are preserved in time. Walking down Middle Street is a treat for the eyes, what with all the historic details and pastel facades.
Homes with names like Birdcage Cottage and Ole Malmsey add loads of charm to the area, and a heritage trail with signs giving information about Deal’s history in English and French bring the street’s past to life.
Deal Beach and Pier
But the town is on the seaside, and as beautiful as the inland area is, no day trip to Deal would be complete without a stint on the waterfront. This place is one of the best beach day trips from London, after all.
The Deal beach is a pebble one that slopes into the sea. It stretches from north to south and is punctuated by sights like Deal Pier. Built in the 1950s, the pier has a restaurant at the end and offers great views of the shoreline.
The beach is also a good place to spot colorful fishing boats, Deal Castle, and seafront restaurants and pubs.
I spend time taking it all in before walking south along the coastal path in Deal to get to neighboring Walmer. There are beautiful historic houses along The Beach, a seafront street that sits beside the trail.
Deal Memorial Bandstand
On my way from Deal to Walmer I pass waterfront highlights like the Deal Memorial Bandstand.
It’s dedicated to the 11 musicians who were killed in 1989 when an IRA bomb exploded at the Royal Marines School of Music in Deal. Free concerts are held here in the warmer months.
Walmer Castle
When I reach Walmer, I pop over to Walmer Castle, another of the seven forts built by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1540. It’s a great place to visit on a day trip to Deal.
Like Deal Castle, it’s an English Heritage site in Kent. But Walmer Castle is as different from its neighbor as can be.
While the former is a shell of a fortress on the beach, the latter is fully furnished inside and features lush gardens outside.
This is due to the fact that Walmer Castle was repurposed into a home for the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports by the Duke of Dorset in 1727.
Since that time, Walmer Castle has been a residence of everyone from the Iron Duke of Wellington to the Queen Mum.
Each warden has left her or his mark on the home and grounds, from the Duke of Wellington’s deathbed to the Queen Mother’s garden.
I enjoy exploring the grounds, especially the sea of topiary hedges, kitchen garden flower beds, and reflecting pool. The castle itself is an impressive sight, too.
Where to Eat and Drink in Deal
Back in Deal, I check out the local food and drink scene. There are a lot of places to choose from here, and no day trip to Deal would be complete without a meal (or three).
At the start of my visit I pop into a cafe called Hog & Bean for a latte and a scone. The place has better ambiance than food, but it’s still nice to refuel inside.
When lunchtime rolls around, I grab fish and chips from one of the many restaurants along the waterfront and eat on the beach. It feels quintessentially English, not least because it’s raining.
In the late afternoon, I stop at The Ship Inn pub in Deal. This historic watering hole on Middle Street has a dark green wood bar and everything from a piano to a log burner inside.
The walls are covered in nautical memorabilia, and old revolvers and rowing oars catch my eye as I sit down for a drink.
Shopping in Deal
In addition to food and drink, a day trip to Deal wouldn’t be complete without some retail therapy. There are great shops in Deal, and I seek out the best on the high street.
I love the home furnishings at Smoke on the Water, and there are fun clothes and accessories at Urban Chic. The Deal Bookshop is sweet, although purists might lament that it’s a Waterstones in disguise.
Dunlin & Diver has goods from small designers and makers to drool over. And don’t even get me started on how much I love the facade of Le Pinardier, a local wine bar and shop.
Beyond stores, there are art galleries like the alternative Don’t Walk Gallery in Deal. It features emerging and established talent in sculpture, illustration, photography, printmaking, and painting.
Across the street, I pop into The Village Indoor Market, a weekend special with stalls selling a variety of antiques, crafts, and fashion items.
There’s also a Saturday market in the Union Road car park with food, drinks, antiques, cards, crafts, clothes, and more.
Museums in Deal
Another way to spend time on a day trip to Deal is to visit the town’s museums. There are lots of small ones here, including the Deal Timeball Tower. This seafront number has a unique Greenwich Mean Time signal on its roof.
Dating back to Victorian times, the time ball drops every day at 1pm and hourly from 9am to 5pm when the museum is open during the warmer months.
Not far from the time ball, the Deal Maritime and Local History Museum is another of the town’s highlights.
It showcases the evolution of Deal, Walmer, and the surrounding area in Kent with replica boats, nautical displays, and exhibitions. There’s even a boatyard.
Beyond museums, the historic Town Hall in Deal sits stately on the high street. There’s a Wednesday market here that offers prepared food and fresh produce each week.
There are blue plaques dedicated to Joseph Lister (of antiseptic fame) and other local heroes dotted around town, too.
Sandown Castle
I know, I know. I’ve written a lot about castles in this blog post. But this town has more than its fair share of fortresses, and they’re all worth seeing on a day trip to Deal.
Sandown Castle is another of Henry VIII’s seven forts in the area. It’s as different from Deal Castle and Walmer Castle as they are from one another.
That’s primarily because Sandown Castle is in ruins. Way up at the north end of Deal, what remains of the castle can be seen in a garden by the beach.
It takes some imagination to envision what it looked like in its prime, but it’s still nice to walk along the waterfront and admire the garden it’s in.
The Rose Hotel
With so much to do in and around town, a day trip to Deal hardly feels like enough time. If I could do it over again, I would stay a night at The Rose hotel in Deal.
This stylish number on the high street is an eight-room boutique hotel in Deal. Housed in a former pub, it now boasts of a great restaurant, chic rooms, and stylish atmosphere. It’s perfect for a weekend getaway from London.
Deal Day Trip
But alas, my visit is a day trip to Deal. When evening comes, so does my train back to London.
As I speed along the coast and through the Kent countryside, I start to plan my next visit to Deal. I hope it will be soon, and if you’ve enjoyed this blog post, I hope you can visit in the near future, too.
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