Elev8 Broadstairs

The Elev8 observation tower in Broadstairs is essentially what it says on the tin - a lift ride up to views across the Kent coast that you wouldn't otherwise get standing on the street. It's a straightforward affair: you go up, you look out, you come back down. Nothing fancy, but on a clear day the vistas towards the Thames Estuary and along the Thanet coastline are genuinely decent.

This works best for families with younger kids who fancy a bit of height without committing to a proper walk, or anyone after a quick coastal photo stop. It's the sort of thing you do in thirty minutes between other activities rather than centre a morning around. We'd give it a miss on grey or drizzly days when the visibility turns everything murky - you're paying to see something that isn't there.

Broadstairs itself sits just east of Birchington, so if you're staying at Birchington Vale Holiday Park or The Foxhunter Park, you're minutes away. Elev8 slots neatly into a seaside afternoon alongside a proper walk along the cliffs or fish and chips on the beach. The town's got enough charm to make a half day of it without stretching.

Check ahead on opening hours and admission costs before you go - these tower attractions sometimes have odd seasonal timings. Not worth a special journey on its own, but if you're in the area it's a quick, easy bit of fun with a view attached.