Folkestone is a lovely harbour town in Kent and on the edge of the North Downs. It’s the perfect blend of beach and countryside.
Transport in Folkestone is exceptionally good. There are two main train stations (Folkestone Central and Folkestone West) with high-speed services to London St Pancras, taking 53 minutes. There are also services to Dover Priory station, which connects to Whistable and Ramsgate.
Stagecoach buses have connections to Hastings and Dover, which is a great day trip for families. The routes travel through Rye, St Marys Bay and New Romney, with some great sights along the way. The M20 motorway is a short drive from Folkestone town centre, giving great opportunities to travel further afield by car, whether for work or pleasure.
Folkestone has fantastic schooling for local children, from primary level and right through secondary school. All of the local schools have a good or outstanding rating from Ofsted. As the schools here are conveniently spread throughout the area, you’ll find the perfect school close by, no matter which part of Folkestone you’re living in.
The Creative Quarter is a gorgeous cobbled area that has 100 artistic shops and enterprises, including records stores, art galleries, literary cafés, and more. This part of town is a gorgeous, atmospheric place to while away the hours within the old, narrow streets.
The town centre has some big high street names, such as New Look, Boots and Primark. There are large supermarkets locally too, such as a Tesco Superstore.
Folkestone is a great place for nightlife, with fantastic bars and restaurants all over town. Rocksalt is a really popular restaurant and bar for locals. People enjoy sipping a cocktail on the rooftop while overlooking the harbour on a long summer evening or devouring a delicious meal made with fresh seafood and other local ingredients. Skuba Bar & Bistro is another great choice with flavourful food at reasonable prices. It’s popular not only with families earlier in the evening but also with partiers who make the most of the bar at the weekends. The Radnor Arms is a renovated, quirky Victorian pub with a great selection of food and drink on offer.
Folkestone has great local amenities with good healthcare including a local hospital, Folkstone Library, two Post Offices, and Folkestone Sports Centre, which has a gym, swimming pool, and more.
Families love living here because of all that the beach and harbour have to offer, and the fact that there are plentiful cafes and bars to enjoy all year round. People enjoy the beautiful coastline walks, especially the one from Folkstone to Dover. Easy access to London ensures that people living here get the best of both worlds; an idyllic seaside town, and all the fun and buzz of the capital city.
If you like exploring, then it’s worth visiting Folkestone’s iconic White Horse, which is known all over Kent. It’s a great place to visit, but be warned that the hill is quite steep so can provide quite a challenge.
