Heathrow Airport 1 hr 34
Old Leigh Studios Gallery (16 min) Prittlewell Priory (8 min) Thames Estuary (1 hr 22)
1 of the country's largest, this landmark estuary features shipping routes & various lighthouses. Sealife Adventure (15 min)
Sea life aquarium with sharks in walk-through tunnel tank, plus rays, turtles and insect displays. Chalkwell Beach (12 min)
Pebble & sand beach with a large granite obelisk from the 1800s & a promenade with snack kiosks. Southend Central Museum & Planetarium (13 min)
Exhibitions of local natural history and archaeological treasures including a haul of Saxon gold. Westcliff Beach (7 min)
Modest, classic beach for swimming & walks at low tide, with a nearby casino & ice cream parlor. Thorpe Bay beach huts (10 min) Adventure Island (5 min)
Free-admission fun park with more than 40 rides and attractions from rollercoasters to ghost trains. RHS Garden Hyde Hall (31 min)
Site run by horticulture charity, including bird hide and Dry Garden with bold architectural plants. Bell Wharf Beach (17 min) Hadleigh Castle (24 min)
Ruined 1200s castle, refortified by Edward III in the Hundred Years War, affording marsh views. Southend Pier and Railway (16 min)
Seasonal museum on the pier with 19th- & early-20th-century train cars, slot machines & costumes. Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre (5 min)
Community centre for sports tuition with a gym running group classes and on-site swimming pool. The Kursaal (13 min)
Known for its Edwardian architecture, this landmark complex features a bowling alley & casino. | 
