By My family and I recently traveled back to England for a family reunion to celebrate a special birthday for my mother in law. We chose Whitstable, a sea-side town on the north coast of Kent, which is in the south east of the UK as the destination for us to all meet. The weather was beautiful and we all had an amazing time. Read on to find out how we managed to coordinate a large family get together for fun for the family of all ages!
First we booked a family holiday home well in advance. Sometimes a beautiful home in a sea-town will book up quickly, so it is always best to secure a reservation as early as possible, sometimes even 6 months early. I chose Homeaway.com as my go-to site for finding a suitable property. It has an easy to use interface where you can communicate directly with the home owner. Of course there is always Airbnb as well, but we found Homeaway.com to be perfect site to find a home to fit our family’s needs.
The house was gorgeous in person and in the perfect location. It was located right on Nelson road which is a short walk to the harbor in one direction, and lots of shopping and restaurants in the other direction. We couldn’t be happier.
Next up was the itinerary. There are so many things to do in Whitstable. The top of our list was having an afternoon tea in Whitstable Castle. The castle has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment and provided a glorious English garden retreat for our family to enjoy. Not to mention, the afternoon tea was pretty delicious!
With so many restaurants to choose from for an evening meal, sea food is always a great choice, especially since Whitstable is right on the coast. We met up with some friends who live nearby and went a gastro pub close by called the Pearson’s Arms to watch a remarkable sunset.
No visit to Whitstable is complete without a walk along the spectacular harbor. The coastline is a mixture of sand and rock, so wearing soft comfortable footwear is essential. It’s not a sunbathing beach, more of a lingering walk along the coastline sort of beach, although I am sure many do go for a swim in the height of summer.
We enjoyed a lovely celebration meal at a magnificent gastropub called The Chestfield Barn. Which is a short drive outside of Whitstable. The food was not only lovely but the staff did a great job with accommodating our large party for a family reunion to remember.
It was truly one of the best holidays ever. Do you have any tips for organizing large family vacations? Leave me a comment!
Until Next time,
Mrs of The Home By Christina Elizabeth 