Southend Pier
Waterfront · The world's longest pleasure pier reaches 1.33 miles into the Thames Estuary, with a train to ride along it.
Southend-on-Sea
A Victorian seaside resort crowned by the world's longest pleasure pier, stretching boldly into the Thames Estuary.
From King's Cross St Pancras: 1 h 18 min by train · 1 h 44 min by car
Travel times by TravelTime
Time there: 10–18 h to see all 9 places
Get directionsCityBy the seaBeachesCharming streetsCastlesStately homesMuseums
Must-see places
Adventure Island
Attraction · A seafront amusement park either side of Southend Pier, with five roller coasters and a 38 m drop tower.
Hadleigh Castle
Castle · The ruins of a royal castle overlooking the Thames Estuary, painted by Constable in 1829.
Two Tree Island
Nature · A nature reserve on a former sewage-works and landfill island, linked to Leigh by a bridge, with wading birds and hides.
Prittlewell Priory
Church · A former Cluniac priory in a public park, now a museum.
Southend Central Museum
Museum · Southend's main museum, home to the Anglo-Saxon Prittlewell Prince burial finds and a planetarium.
Southchurch Hall
Historic house · A moated, timber-framed medieval manor house, now a museum with a great hall and a Tudor kitchen.
Chalkwell Beach
Beach · A sand-and-shingle beach with beach huts, on the promenade between Old Leigh and Southend Pier.
Leigh-on-Sea Old Town
Old streets · A creekside fishing settlement of cockle sheds and old pubs, reached along the Cinder Path from Chalkwell.
Quick facts
The world's longest pleasure pier runs 1.33 miles out into the Thames Estuary, with a train to ride along it and a museum in the old lifeboat station at the far end.
Adventure Island, a seafront amusement park of 36 attractions including five roller coasters, sits either side of the pier.
Old Leigh's creekside cockle sheds, the ruins of Hadleigh Castle and the Anglo-Saxon Prittlewell Prince finds make it more than a beach day, about an hour from central London by train.
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