Cheap flights to Southend from $256

Best Time to Fly to England

Southend’s coastal location makes July and August the best times to visit for beach activities, however, visitors will find accommodations more expensive at this peak time of the year. The town, however, likes to welcome its visitors all year round with a busy calendar of events. The annual London to Southend Classic Car Rally takes place in July. For people who prefer motorbikes or planes, the Ace Cafe Shakedown takes place in April and the Festival of the Air every May. Annual cultural events include the Southend-on-Sea Film Festival in April and the Leigh Folk Festival which takes place in June. There is even an annual Puppet Festival in August, with several Mr Punch shows competing.

Overview

If you enjoy traditional British seaside resorts then you will find Southend-on-Sea a great place to visit. Situated on the north banks of the River Thames estuary, Southend is also conveniently placed for trips into London. It is home to the longest pier in the world, reaching out 1.33 miles into the sea. When you have finished stretching your legs on the pier, take the hydraulic train back to the entrance. The seafront has plenty of other attractions for visitors of all ages to enjoy. At the pier entrance is Adventure Island, with over 50 rides, and the Sea-Life Aquarium. The town itself perches on a cliff above the seafront, but to save visitors’ legs there are two lifts; a modern vertical one and the Victorian funicular railway. Restaurants offering a wide range of food are open all day in the town; there are also several serving the holiday staple of fish and chips. For evening entertainment Southend boasts two theaters, with concerts and ice performances taking place in the Cliffs Pavilion and more traditional productions in the Edwardian Palace Theatre. Nightlife also includes wine bars, cinemas, nightclubs and the casino. Visitors interested in the area’s history can explore the Central Museum, Prittlewell Priory or Southchurch Hall. If you are looking to get out into the fresh air, try a visit to the Belton Hills reserve or enjoy the roses at Chalkwell Park. More energetic activities include horse riding, windsurfing and kitesurfing. And don’t forget that day trip into London, only a short train ride away.

London Southend climate

England weather is very changeable and unpredictable, but generally summers are warm and winters are cold, and temperatures are milder than those on the continent. Temperatures do not usually drop below 32F in winter, and in summer they hardly reach 90F. July and August are the warmest months, although they are also the wettest, while January and February is the coldest time of year. Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, but late winter/early spring (February to March) is the driest period. The Lake District is England’s wettest region.

Getting around London Southend

The town center and the beaches with their attractions are all close together and easy to explore by foot, especially if use is made of the cliff lifts. There is a good local bus network and both trains and coaches run between the town center and London. The tourist information office has leaflets about local attractions, suggested walks and cycle routes.

London Southend Travel Information

• England, especially London, can be an expensive place to visit. But there are ways of doing things on the cheap. The permanent exhibitions in all public art galleries and museums are free to visit. From the Natural History or Science Museum in London, to Tate Liverpool, there is a plethora of things to see and do. The Visit Britain Web site has a page with many suggestions for some of the most popular galleries and museums with free admission. )
• Get away from the capital. Yes, London is fun and there is enough there to last a lifetime, let alone one short holiday, but the rest of the country has plenty going on too. There are vibrant urban towns in the North, such as Manchester and Newcastle, seaside resorts of varying kitschness along the extensive coastline and more quaint villages throughout the country than you can shake a stick at.
• One of the big draws for many visitors is England’s history and old houses. Many heritage houses and grounds are owned and preserved by the National Trust, and are open for visits at certain times throughout the year, no matter what else they are used for. The statistics of properties cared for by the National Trust is impressive: 28 castles, 215 houses and gardens, 150 museums, 127 factories and mines, 57 villages, 47 dovecotes, 25 medieval barns, 78 mills, 19 pubs, 12 lighthouses, 31 nature reserves, 704 miles of coastline and 600,000 acres of countryside. You can search online to find attractions close to where you are traveling, or with features that you are interested in.
• For a taste of real Englishness try and take in one of the events of “The Season.” The Season is, essentially, the summer months and a series of sporting and social events that the aristocracy traditionally took part in. Among the highlights are Ascot, the Henley Royal Regatta, the Chelsea Flower Show and the Oxford/Cambridge boat race.