Heathrow Airport 1 hr 28
RHS Garden Hyde Hall (25 min)
Site run by horticulture charity, including bird hide and Dry Garden with bold architectural plants. Prittlewell Priory (6 min) Westcliff Beach (12 min)
Modest, classic beach for swimming & walks at low tide, with a nearby casino & ice cream parlor. Osea Island (57 min)
Estuary and beach Southend Central Museum & Planetarium (7 min)
Exhibitions of local natural history and archaeological treasures including a haul of Saxon gold. Hadleigh Castle (18 min)
Ruined 1200s castle, refortified by Edward III in the Hundred Years War, affording marsh views. Southend Pier and Railway (12 min)
Seasonal museum on the pier with 19th- & early-20th-century train cars, slot machines & costumes. Adventure Island (13 min)
Free-admission fun park with more than 40 rides and attractions from rollercoasters to ghost trains. Promenade Park (37 min)
Victorian riverfront park with ornamental lake, woodland walk and kids' adventure play areas. Thames Estuary (1 hr 29)
1 of the country's largest, this landmark estuary features shipping routes & various lighthouses. Bell Wharf Beach (14 min) Old Leigh Studios Gallery (13 min) Two Tree Island (15 min)
Grassy island nature reserve with walking paths & designated birdwatching areas. Chalkwell Beach (13 min)
Pebble & sand beach with a large granite obelisk from the 1800s & a promenade with snack kiosks. Sealife Adventure (11 min)
Sea life aquarium with sharks in walk-through tunnel tank, plus rays, turtles and insect displays. | 
