Southend see · Southend attractions
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Southend attractions
Southend attractions
Southend Pier, Southend Sea Front (End of the high-street), +44 0 1702 215620 or +44 0 1702 618747, . Open all year round. At 1 1/3 miles (2158 metres) long it is the longest pleasure pier in the world. Although damaged a couple of times during its life by boat collisions and fires, the Pier, which has recently undergone a major revamp, can be accessed on foot or by the pier train which will take you to the far end where there is constant deep water, although the waters are tidal. At the "dry end" you can visit the Pier museum. A fire severely damaged the pier head on 9th October 2005, destroying a large part of it. Currently this part is off limits, but the section from the shore to the cordoned off head is still open to the public. In the summer Thames Barges are often seen at the end of the pier for visitors to admire.
Pier Fireworks, At southend Pier. Every Saturday night from October (6th Oct 2007) to Guy Fawkes Night (Nov 5th). Last display in 2007 - 10 Nov 2007. Fireworks are lit at the foot of the pier for all to see - they start 8PM. Free.
Sea Life Centre, Eastern Esplanade (opposite the Kursaal), +44 0 1702 442211, . Open 10AM-5 to 7PM M-Su. There is a themed aquarium featuring marine life found all along the Thames Estuary, as well as tropical fish. £6 adults, £4.50 children.
Westcliff Gardens, Western Esplanade (West of the Pier). Open all year around. The beautiful gardens have won many awards over the years including accolades at the Chelsea Flower Show. It is worth stopping here for lunch or a quiet stroll along the cliff gardens. Free.
Beecroft Art Gallery, Station Road, Westcliff (opposite the Cliffs Pavilion), +44 0 1702 347418, . Open 10AM-1PM and 2PM-5PM Tu-Sa. Local art gallery with a large collection of artwork. Occasional exhibitions (see the website for more details). Free.
Southend Airshow, Along the seafront, . Held annually on May Bank Holiday. The airshow takes place during the second May bank-holiday weekend and is Europe's largest free airshow. The show takes place over the Sunday and Monday and features many types of aeroplanes, acrobatics displays, sea-rescues and fireworks, as well as a vast array of stalls and food-vendors along the sea front. The highlight of the weekend are the Red Arrows, a RAF elite aerobatic team, whose display wows the crowds on both days. It is recommended to travel to Southend by train on the airshow weekend - extra services are run by both c2c and One railways - as parking in the town is very difficult. The airshow runs west along the seafront from the pier. Free.
The Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, +44 1702 351135, . The Cliffs Pavilion is a renowned theatre venue located in Westcliff-on-Sea. There is always a show on and it is possible to see many famous acts including music, comedy and theatre. Tickets start from around £10 but bargains can be found on the opening night of shows.
The Palace Theatre, London Road, +44 1702 351135, . The Palace Theatre is the Cliffs' sister venue and shows alternative arts including plays and musicals.
Old Leigh, Leigh-On-Sea (nearest station: Leigh-on-Sea), . Stroll along the sea wall past Chalkwell Railway Station and you come to the sandy beach by the Bell Wharf in Leigh "Old Town" (known as Old Leigh). Visit the Lynn Tait Gallery, stroll on past the cockle sheds and take a walk round the bird sanctuary on Two-Tree Island (at the rear of Leigh-On-Sea Railway Station).
Hadleigh Castle, Hadleigh (nearest station: Leigh-on-Sea), +44 0 1760 755161, . Open during daylight hours M-Su. A popular historic attraction and can be seen on the hillside as you travel by train between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea stations. The castle in its current state is just some ruins and there is no shop or guide, however there is free on-site parking. It is possible to walk from Leigh on Sea station but the walk is around 2 miles through fields. Free to visit.
Shoeburyness A suburb roughly 5 miles from Southend, theres not a lot a areas in Shoeburyness that would attract a tourist, but there are two beaches in Shoeburyness, one called Common, the other called East. There is a bike path that starts at the Kursaal in Southend and ends near the Garrison. The Garrison is a former army base which is now used as a housing area, the public are allowed in the Garrison and there is a field in the centre, but can only be used for cricket. The bike path has been extended into the Garrison and there are now approvals to extend the bike path to the nearby village of Great Wakering. Shoeburyness is famous for it's M.O.D site, where old trains from slam-door to Underground trains now stay and even frieght trains every now and then go to the M.O.D to deliver goods to the site. Public access to the M.O.D is strictly forbidden.
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Southend Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.