Southend-on-Sea is Essex’s largest town and its close proximity to London makes it a popular tourist destination year after year. Better still, it is located in the south east of the country in an area widely regarded as the driest part of Britain.
The town is chock-full of interesting attractions which are aimed at all the family, whether you’re looking for local history, the arts and culture, or family-oriented activities to keep you occupied. Some of Southend-on-Sea’s most popular attractions are:
Southend Pier. Measuring in at 1.33 miles, Southend Pier is the longest pleasure pier in the entire world! Built in 1830, it has recently been refurbished and hosts an RNLI lifeboat station and an exclusive Pier train. Nowhere will you experience better sights of the beautiful coastline of the Thames Estuary.
Central Museum and Planetarium. If you’ve never visited a planetarium then now’s your chance; there are live presentations throughout the day. Meanwhile, the museum reveals plenty of secrets about Southend’s eventful history.
Jubilee Beach. This sand and shingle beach stretches from the Pier to Thorpe Bay; there are also regular pleasure boat trips available.
Southend Cliffs. If you appreciate the beauty of nature, you’ll love these ornamental gardens, which also offer amazing views of the south east coast.
Prittlewell Priory. An excellent museum with the focus on educational activities, housed in the remains of a 12th century priory.
When you arrive in Southend-on-Sea you’ll discover a myriad of activities and things to do, just waiting to be discovered. The town is packed with a mixture of shops, making it one of the most popular shopping areas in the entire southeast, and there are plenty of coffee shops and restaurants where you can rest your legs and take a break. Just a few of the things to do include:
Shopping at The Royals Shopping Centre. Overhead, you’ll see a beautiful glass dome, which protects from the elements whilst letting the sun in. Down below, you’ll find shops ranging from Debenhams to Ottakars, Evans, Sarah Beth and more.
Visiting Adventure Island. This exciting theme park is host to more than forty rides and attractions that will appeal to the kids, as well as the inner child in all of us. Not only that, but the low rates make it one of the best value theme parks in the country.
Checking out Kursaal on the Eastern Esplanade. Here you’ll find an astonishing thirty lanes of ten-pin bowling, many themed restaurants and bars and a unique Mardi Gras play area. Better still, admission is free!
Taking a trip to the Sealife Centre. Lovers of nature will be in their element when visiting this marine centre, which offers an authentic voyage beneath the ocean, where you can glimpse colourful and spectacular marine life in a huge aquarium.
Take part in the Carnival! If your visit coincides with the month of August, you’ll find the annual Carnival in full swing. Events include special processions, fancy dress competitions, fairs, arts festivals, fireworks and more.
As you’d expect, Southend-on-Sea boasts a wide variety of places to eat. The scale ranges from the simplest caf