Dreamland, Margate, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Dreamland is a seafront amusement park on Marine Terrace in Margate, Kent, and one of the best-known names in the British seaside holiday. The site has been a place of fairground entertainment since Victorian times, when it was a pleasure garden and menagerie, and it still draws crowds to the Margate shoreline.

The story behind it

Long before the rides, the land held the Hall by the Sea. In 1875 it came under the sole ownership of "Lord" George Sanger, a famous circus showman who had begun his career with travelling peep shows and by selling lettered rock. Under him the western half of the present site became a menagerie, alongside pleasure gardens, a tea house, swing boats and an early waxwork museum. At night the grounds were lit with Chinese lanterns and fireworks for Victorian holidaymakers.

The amusement park grew from those roots in the 20th century, and its wooden Scenic Railway roller coaster, dating from 1920, became its best-loved landmark. The ride was badly damaged by fire in 2008, and the park later reopened in 2015 with a focus on vintage seaside fun.

What to look for

• The Scenic Railway, the old wooden roller coaster that stands as the park's most famous symbol and recalls its early 20th century heyday.
• The bright signs and retro fairground styling along Marine Terrace, which show how seaside entertainment has been presented over the decades.
• The wide view across to the sands and harbour arm, a reminder of why Victorian visitors came to this stretch of coast.
• The mix of old and new buildings around the park, which hints at the pleasure gardens and halls that once stood here.

Tips for your visit

• Allow at least an hour if you just want to look around and take photographs, and longer if you plan to ride or eat here.
• Check current opening hours and entry arrangements before you go, as they vary by season and event.
• Late afternoon is a good time for light on the seafront, and evenings can be lively when events are on.
• The beach, the Old Town and the harbour are all within an easy walk, so Dreamland fits naturally into a day on foot around Margate.

See it on a quest

Dreamland is one stop on Historic Margate - Beach Boys and Bathing Belles: a Seaside Trail through Victorian Margate, a self-guided walk themed around Margate's Victorian seaside heritage. You reach the place on foot as part of a longer route through the town, the app tells you about each spot as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. There is no guide to follow and no group to join, and one ticket covers the whole group, so you can start whenever suits you.