Campsites in Essex

Essex is more than just TV show fodder, and beneath the televised surface, there’s an awe-inspiring array of activities. For seaside fun close to London, you can’t do better and the county packs a punch with hauntingly beautiful forests, a great coastline and some of the nation’s best museums and castles.

Don’t Miss

• Colchester Zoo
• Chelmsford Cathedral
• Clacton Pier
• Colchester Castle

World class museums and historical brainteasers

Essex has a selection of the country’s best houses and gardens to explore, starting with the RHS Garden at Hyde Hall. Hylands House and Estate should also not be missed. Looking like the set of a period drama, the house dates from 1730 and is steeped in history.

Next up, Audrey End house is a imposing 17th century stately home. From there it's an easy move to Layer Manmey Tower, which is a fine example of a Tudor Palace, and Colchester Castle's grand Norman opulence.

Delving further into history, Infatestone Hall -a 16th Century Manor house- has been passed through the generations and carries some jawdropping tales with it. Tidbury Fort, situated on the banks of the River Thames was built to protect London from attack by the Spanish Armada, so pop along to find out how the battle went! Hadleigh Castle, too, is a wonderfully romantic ruin overlooking the Essex marshes.

A pleasant, and often overlooked, gem is Chelmsford Cathedral which is free to enter and usually has a variety of music concerts and choral services taking place. The truth is that the architecture is stunning and it's a lovely escape from the noisy city. 

The Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey is Essex’s largest industrial heritage site and one of great importance in the UK- have a look around this 200 year old landscape.

Next, you can’t say you’ve been to the real Essex till you’ve discovered its museums.  The Combined Military Services Museum will be a real hit with anyone interested in military history, there is an extensive collection of uniforms, a spy section with all kinds of gadgets, and loads of military equipment to see.

The Anglian Railway Museum in Wakes Colne can tempt you with interactive displays detailing the industrial and social history of the county since the 19th century. Next up, the Hollytrees Museum in Colchester houses an array of old clocks and dolls houses to entice your inner child and Colchester's Natural History Museum is guaranteed to surprise you. It’s hard to believe mammoths and hippos once roamed this part of Essex, but it’s a fact- so now’s the time to find out how they lived.

Don’t miss the Chelmsford Musem too, for a window into the lives of various animals including birds and beetles and geology collected from the local area that visitors will find fascinating. These are the parts of Essex culture that don’t make it into the media!

When you’re full to the gill with sights, and need to chill out in a seaside town, the waterfront in the fishing village of Old Leigh in Leigh-on-sea is a popular spot on a summer’s day. There are some good pubs and shops here and it’s a pleasant place to wander. The historic quayside town of Burnham-on-Crouch, one of the UK’s premier yachting venues, also makes for a nice visit. 

Salt and sea breeze

Look no further than Southend-on-Sea and Clacton-on-Sea for the razzle-dazzle of  traditional seaside resorts, with all the trimmings. In both you’ll find safe and family friendly beaches. Frinton-on-Sea is more refined and the beach there is uncrowded and undeveloped. If you want to get a bit more remote, try Bradwell-on-Sea where no glitz will disturb you and bling is nowhere to be seen.

If you’d rather keep your toes out of the water, you need the Sealife Adventure in Southend-on-Sea, which has a wide array of exotic marine life. Time your visit for the exciting feedings, where you can watch piranhas chomp and meerkats nibble to their heart’s content.

The Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty can be found on the Essex/Suffolk border. This rural lowland landscape is full of English countryside scenes and charming little villages and offers ample opportunities for walking and cycling. The River Stour is part of this region so this is also a great area for some relaxed boating and canoeing.

Epping Forest is a beautiful area of ancient woodland, heath, rivers and ponds. It is a very popular destination for mountain biking, but you'll also see tons of walkers and horse riders.

Weald Country Park is perfect for a lakeside lunch, or if you need to get away from the summer crowds make straight for the peaceful Two Tree Island. It’s a lovely place to spot nature or look at the boats and is less crowded then other more well-known spots.

Striking wildlife

Essex has plenty of attractions perfect for family fun. Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is a lovely not-for-profit organisation which cares for all kinds of rescued animals, from horses and donkeys to ducks and geese. You can meet all the animals and there is a good café to tempt you. Pets Corner in Harlow is a small open farm where you can meet the animals, some of which are rare breeds.

Colchester Zoo is full of great activities with over 260 species to see and 60 acres of parkland and lakes to explore, play areas and a train. Tropical Wings World of Wildlife has a large collection of tropical birds and other animals to get close to and interact with.

Adventure Island can help you shake off lazy beach vibes with fast and thrilling rides ideal for older kids, as well as more gentle rides for the little ones.

The Rainham Marshes RSPB Nature Reserve is wildlife haven perfect for bird watching, walking and cycling. Belfairs Nature Reserve and Woodland is where you can meet many friendly farm animals and some other more unusual species!