Things to Do in Essex

Essex packs a lot into a small area, from Colchester's Roman history to the wide beaches and piers of the coast. Southend-on-Sea alone offers everything from Southend Pier Museum to escape rooms and battle bars for a wet afternoon, while the Naze and Clacton stretch of coastline suits paddleboarding, kiting and other beach-based activity.

Inland, Saffron Walden and Brentwood tend towards quieter, more traditional days out, whereas Harlow has a cluster of adventure-focused venues like Urban Xtreme for anyone wanting an active outing. Harwich and East Tilbury add maritime and industrial heritage into the mix, and treasure trails such as the one in Colchester give families a low-cost way to explore town centres on foot.

With such a spread of options, it is worth deciding whether you want coast, countryside or town first, since Essex delivers convincingly on all three but rarely all at once.