Whitstable, Kent

When DFLs (local slang for Londoners) find this small town on the north Kent coast in the 1990s, they come on the weekends for seafood at Wheelers on the main street and pints of Kentish ale at the beach-side Old Neptune bar. However, it's still a charming location to visit for a dose of vitamin B12 (by a dozen or so oysters), followed by a stroll down the shingle coast where you can observe Second World War sea forts across the waters and seals in the harbor. There are several places to dine. For mackerel fillets and small dishes with a Mediterranean influence, avoid the pricey Royal Native Oyster Stores and go to JoJo's in Tankerton, which is nearby.

Or go to Samphire, a Whitstable restaurant serving lamb from the Romney Marsh and cuttlefish risotto. The Handsome Sam, The Black Dog, and the bigger Twelve Taps for hoppy experimentation are all part of the developing micropub sector in this area. But favorite activity is to get a pot of cockles and whelks from the quayside or some fish and chips and oysters from The Forge shanty, then eat them on the beach under a wooden groyne while sipping English sparkling wine, if possible.

• Ticket price: £10.20
• Tripadvisor Rating: 4.5/5
• Review: Just fantastic
  
• Phone: 01227 281726
  
• Official site: https://www.whitstablecastle.co.uk/