Heathrow Airport 1 hr 29
Rochester Castle (35 min)
Landmark 11th century Norman castle with large keep giving views over the River Medway, plus tours. Elmley National Nature Reserve (17 min)
Family-run farm with marshland rich in wildlife, plus nature trails and custom-made huts to stay in. Southend Pier and Railway (1 hr 28)
Seasonal museum on the pier with 19th- & early-20th-century train cars, slot machines & costumes. Bell Wharf Beach (1 hr 22) Dickens World (35 min)
State-of-the-art animatronics, a 4D cinema and Victorian recreations expand on the work of Dickens. Thames Estuary (2 hr 14)
1 of the country's largest, this landmark estuary features shipping routes & various lighthouses. Old Leigh Studios Gallery (1 hr 21) Sealife Adventure (1 hr 27)
Sea life aquarium with sharks in walk-through tunnel tank, plus rays, turtles and insect displays. Upnor Castle (38 min)
Fort with tranquil grounds adjoining a riverside village with coin rubbing and canon firing. Chalkwell Beach (1 hr 25)
Pebble & sand beach with a large granite obelisk from the 1800s & a promenade with snack kiosks. Rochester Cathedral (35 min)
Norman building with a Romanesque facade, a 14th-century library door and daily CofE services. Royal Engineers Museum (33 min)
Interactive exhibitions and objects including photos, medals, a Harrier jump jet and a V2 rocket. The Historic Dockyard Chatham (35 min)
Historic Royal Navy warships and shipbuilding heritage in an 18th-century dockyard museum. Hadleigh Castle (1 hr 18)
Ruined 1200s castle, refortified by Edward III in the Hundred Years War, affording marsh views. Adventure Island (1 hr 28)
Free-admission fun park with more than 40 rides and attractions from rollercoasters to ghost trains. | 
