Heathrow Airport 1 hr 33
Prittlewell Priory (17 min) Osea Island (1 hr 2)
Estuary and beach Promenade Park (41 min)
Victorian riverfront park with ornamental lake, woodland walk and kids' adventure play areas. Southend Pier and Railway (7 min)
Seasonal museum on the pier with 19th- & early-20th-century train cars, slot machines & costumes. Adventure Island (7 min)
Free-admission fun park with more than 40 rides and attractions from rollercoasters to ghost trains. The Kursaal (5 min)
Known for its Edwardian architecture, this landmark complex features a bowling alley & casino. Chalkwell Beach (12 min)
Pebble & sand beach with a large granite obelisk from the 1800s & a promenade with snack kiosks. Sealife Adventure (6 min)
Sea life aquarium with sharks in walk-through tunnel tank, plus rays, turtles and insect displays. Hadleigh Castle (23 min)
Ruined 1200s castle, refortified by Edward III in the Hundred Years War, affording marsh views. Westcliff Beach (9 min)
Modest, classic beach for swimming & walks at low tide, with a nearby casino & ice cream parlor. Thames Estuary (1 hr 29)
1 of the country's largest, this landmark estuary features shipping routes & various lighthouses. Bell Wharf Beach (16 min) RHS Garden Hyde Hall (29 min)
Site run by horticulture charity, including bird hide and Dry Garden with bold architectural plants. Southend Central Museum & Planetarium (16 min)
Exhibitions of local natural history and archaeological treasures including a haul of Saxon gold. Old Leigh Studios Gallery (14 min) | 
