Plenty of seaside towns feel as if they've been switched off at the mains once the school holidays end. Deal isn't one of them. It's a working town with people living in it all year round, so the bakeries, butchers, bookshops and pubs keep their doors open long after the last deckchair has been stacked away. What changes is the pace. The beach empties, the light turns silvery, and you can walk the length of the seafront meeting only dog walkers and the odd hardy swimmer.

Sunrise without the alarm clock

Deal's beach faces east across the Channel, so the sun rises straight out of the sea. In June that means getting up before five. In the depths of winter it's closer to eight o'clock, which makes it the one time of year you can watch the sunrise from the shingle and still feel civilised about it. Take a flask, find a spot near the pier and watch the sky go from slate to pink to gold.

Planning a visit?

See what's happening in town while you're here, from markets and gigs to festivals and Christmas events.

See what's on in Deal

Big skies and wild weather

When the wind gets up, the sea off Deal puts on a show. Waves drag at the shingle with that famous rattle, and out on the horizon ships ride at anchor in the Downs, the stretch of sheltered water between the coast and the Goodwin Sands that has protected shipping for centuries. Wrap up, walk out along the pier, and then retreat somewhere warm.

Cosy pubs and long lunches

The old town is thick with pubs, many of them in buildings that were already old when smugglers were running brandy and tea up these streets. On a cold afternoon there are few better places to be. Deal's restaurants don't close for the winter either, and it's usually far easier to get a table at the places that are booked solid in August.

What's still on

  • The Saturday market runs every week of the year at the north end of the High Street, from 9am to 2pm.
  • Deal Castle and Walmer Castle are cared for by English Heritage and open on fewer days in winter, so check times before you go.
  • The Timeball Tower and the town's other small museums keep seasonal hours, so it's worth checking ahead.
  • The coastal walk south to Kingsdown is at its best on a crisp, clear day, with the white cliffs rising beyond the village.
  • In December the High Street is at its most festive, and it's a lovely place to do your Christmas shopping away from the crowds.

Why stay the night

A day trip is easy from London, but the best of an off-season visit happens either side of the day: the sunrise, the long evening in the pub, the empty beach at dusk. Staying over means you get all of it, and there's nothing quite like coming back from a blustery walk to a warm house a couple of minutes from the sea.