Oyster Festival and Sea Side Adventures in Whitstable

This past weekend, a few friends and I made our way down to Whitstable, on the southeast coast of England. The town is fairly sizable and very cute. Located by the sea, Whitstable is known for it's fresh seafood, particularly oysters, which have been consumed since Roman times. Whitstable is also famous for it's annual Oyster Festival, which is exactly what drew us here. We started our day pretty early, leaving Victoria Station at 9:30 am. An hour and a half later, we were in Whitstable.
Whitstable Harbor

Although Whitstable Harbor plays host to the annual Oyster Festival, there was a lot more than oysters there. I can't even recall the number of vendors, but all sides of the harbor (and beyond) were lined with stalls. There was fresh seafood, cooked seafood, burgers, lots of cider stalls, dessert stands, and much much more! Wanting to taste as much as possible, my friends and I shared many delicious dishes
This mango cider was sooooo delicious! 
Loving the nautical themed decorations 
Such stunning seafood
One of many fresh oysters stalls 
So many stalls
Love this sign
The soft shell crab and fish burgers here were delicious! 
These doughnuts look too pretty to eat
One of many local dessert/bakery stands

As I mentioned earlier, my friends and I decided that in order to taste as much as possible, we'd share a bunch of dishes. This was a winning strategy. I started my time at Whitstable with a pint of hard mango cider. I've never seen this before, nor have I tasted it, and man, this was delicious! It was a bit sweet, but not too alcoholic...very easy to drink. I wish I could get this more often! We also enjoyed a wide selection of foods including: fresh oysters, fried soft shell crab burger, grilled salmon with a fennel/hot pepper/pickled cucumber/avocado salad, french fries topped with fresh crab/harissa/charred corn/cilantro, regular french fries, fresh whelks, fresh cockles, fried whitebait, and I nibbled on my friend's smoked kipper sandwich with garlic butter. Everything was spectacular. Wish I could eat this all of the time! 
We enjoyed quite a feast!

The harbor had more than food vendors and delicious treats, there was also some entertainment. In what looked like a community center type area, there was live music. When we appeared, the local "Rock Choir" was performing. Just as the name implies, this was a massive choir that sang rock songs. They were really good! 
More seafood
The Rock Choir

We stayed and listened to the Rock Choir for a few minutes dancing in the back. After a few songs, we decided to hang out and relax on the beach for a bit. It was a bit chilly and cloudy, but still a nice day. Note: Whitstable has a pebbled shore, not sand. 
When I took this photo, the beach wasn't very busy, but 30 min later -- it was PACKED! 
So many sailboats! 
View of the Harbor Beach from the Pier

We probably spent about two hours at the festival. We wandered around quite a bit, oogling the different stalls, our mouths salivating. We also tasted quite a lot, as you saw from the photo, but we also managed to just relax on the beach, sitting and chatting. It was really fun. After a while, my friends, who'd been to Whitstable before, proposed we walked along the beach, towards town, and relax at a seaside pub.
Passed this very popular seafood restaurant/oyster bar
The path by the beach is lined with these adorable beach houses, which are all former fishermen's homes

After about a 10 minute walk from the harbor, we arrived at the Old Neptune, a very quaint and adorable beach pub. As we approached the pub, it seemed a bit dead, but the moment we went behind, back on to the beach, I was quickly proved wrong. We were not the only ones with the brilliant idea to relax at this beachside pub. It was packed! Lucky for us, we were able to find some seats at a table and it was there that we sipped our drinks, talked and laughed, as we enjoyed our seaside surroundings. Perfection. 
The Old Neptune
View from our seats

We stayed at the pub for quite a while, but it was getting late, and we needed to start heading back to London. Before departing Whitstable though, we quickly walked through the town of Whitstable. It was so cute! The streets were a bit narrow, but they were lined with very interesting and cute shops. Also, all of the building were so colorful! 
The High Street
Got very excited when I saw this building because my boyfriend and I are huge fans of Peter Cushing
Famous eatery in Whitstable
I thought this Hotel looked quite lovely
Local farm store and cafe
Love this sign
Sounds delicious!

I had such a great day at Whitstable. I had been itching to visit the seashore -- I am on an island, after all! Getting to Whitstable from London was so easy and the time we spent there was super enjoyable. I got to eat delicious food, explore a very cute town, and spend the day with good friends. What could be better?! 

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