Heathrow Airport 1 hr 57
Colchester Castle (31 min)
Stately castle completed in 1100, featuring interactive exhibits, a jail & landscaped gardens. Flatford Mill (27 min)
Early-1700s riverside mill once owned by family of artist John Constable & used in his paintings. Colchester Castle Park (29 min)
Lush, expansive park and gardens hosting varied programme of shows, music concerts and festivals. Naze Tower (16 min)
This 18th-century, 8-story tower features an art gallery, a museum & a rooftop viewing platform. The Naze (17 min)
Peninsula with areas of salt marshes & bramble thickets sheltering birds like lapwings & redshanks. Walton Pier (12 min)
Amusement complex with tenpin bowling, funfair rides, arcade games, bar and cafe, plus sea fishing. Firstsite (27 min)
Eclectic contemporary art from new and emerging creatives among free galleries, plus films and cafe. Walton-on-the-Naze Beach (12 min) Clacton Pier (16 min)
Restored Victorian pier with a funfair, amusement arcade, eateries, aquarium and tenpin bowling. Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens (18 min)
Renowned gardener's creative, themed gardens with woodland and water areas, plant shop and tearoom. Brightlingsea Beach (23 min) Cudmore Grove Country Park (44 min)
Park & beach with walking trails through meadows, a playground & the ruins of a 16th-century fort. Landguard Fort (49 min)
Vast military structure dating from the 18th century, site of the Royal Marines' first land battle. Harwich Redoubt Fort (24 min)
Built in 1808, this circular fort features a museum that displays some of the original cannons. Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park (32 min) | 
