Game rooms, restaurants, pubs and casinos line the main drag of Southend-on-Sea, a seaside town that attracts millions of visitors each year. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
Game rooms, restaurants, pubs and casinos line the main drag of Southend-on-Sea, a seaside town that attracts millions of visitors each year. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
Thrill seekers scream while falling from a steep drop off on the Rage roller coaster in Adventure Island, an amusement park found along the coast of Southend-on-Sea. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
Sunbathers crowd a sandy beach in Southend-on-Sea on a recent weekend. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
What's claimed to be the longest pleasure pier in the world (1.34 miles long) can be found in Southend-on-Sea, seen from faraway at the end of the pier. A train transports sightseers along the pier every 30 minutes. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA — When the sun is out and the temperature is rising, there’s only one place to be: stretched out on the sandy beach of a secluded tropical island.
For those without the time or the moolah to make that happen, the sprawling coast of Southend-on-Sea presents a cheap, nearby substitute.
On a recent weekend, thousands of beachgoers retreated to the seaside town overlooking the River Thames as it spills into the English Channel. The bustling town of roughly 160,000 residents is about 40 miles east of central London and attracts millions of people each year.
Its seawater is far from pristine and freighter ships often can be seen slowly floating by on the waterway. However, there are sandy beaches where sunbathers can work on that careful balance between getting a tan or sunburn.
Numerous parking spaces dot the town’s main drag, the B1016 carriageway, and cost a pound an hour every day. Restaurants, pubs, casinos and game rooms also fill up the coastal road.
An annual air show, the town’s biggest event of the year, will take to the skies Sunday and Monday. The Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows aerobatic team and a Typhoon fighter jet have already been confirmed for the show.
A popular destination here is Adventure Island, an amusement park with a bowling center, miniature golf course and 32 rides, including some stomach-turning ones. Perhaps the scariest is Rage, a bright yellow-and-purple roller coaster that begins with a steep drop-off, which leaves many riders screaming.
Tickets for the rides are 1.60 pounds each. Rage is a two-ticket ride, so it comes out to 3.20 pounds for a less-than-two-minute thrill full of dips and turns. Wristbands for unlimited access to rides are also available, cheaper than paying for the rides individually.
Maybe you want a ride that’s a whole lot smoother but still offers a spectacular view. If so, venture to a nearby pier where a train will take you more than a mile out into the open sea for 3 pounds, every 30 minutes.
The wooden pier claims to be the longest pleasure pier in the world and stretches straight to a faraway coast guard station. A large wooden dock is at the end with plenty of room to relax in the sea breeze and take photos of South- end. Several people even bring their fishing poles to capture whatever lurks in the deep water.
Once back on solid ground, plop down on a beach or stroll past the shops. Those with a sweet tooth will love the cotton candy, ice cream and candy vendors. Or, you can enjoy a nice cold pint of beer and a light meal while sitting on outdoor benches in front of pubs.
If weather doesn’t cooperate, Southend has four museums and two galleries to visit as well.
