Southend-on-Sea

Southend-on-Sea is a beachside town with plenty to do and see for holidaymakers of all ages. Southend - as it's commonly referred to as - boasts 9 beaches with a mix of sand and shingle, so whatever your preference of beach you're sure to find it here!

If you visit during the winter: beyond the beaches there's a whole lot more to this (mostly) sunny town...

Southend is home to a whole host of restaurants serving locally sourced food; such as the Estuary, which serves generous portions of top quality local seafood. There are also plenty of fish and chip shops if you fancy a traditional taste of the British seaside.

Kids will be forever entertained by Southend's many attractions, such as crazy golf, the sea life adventure and Adventure Island - yep that’s right - Southend’s very own theme park. If football is your thing you can even catch a match at Southend United's home ground: Roots Hall.

For those looking for a romantic stroll on a warm summer day, why not try one of the many pretty parks or gardens Southend has tucked away.

There's much historical culture to explore here, such as the Queen Victoria statue, which was presented to mark her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

There is also the Southend Central Museum, which houses collections of local and natural history and contains a planetarium constructed by astronomer Harry Ford in 1984.

The most notorious icon here is Southend Pier. The pier is 1.34 miles long, making it the longest pleasure pier in the world, placing Southend in the record books. It's a fantastic stroll and an essential addition to the to-do list!

So there you have it: a seaside town for all ages and an almighty pier to boot. What's not to love?