Top 10 reasons to visit Essex

By Clare Martin

Coastline

With ‘staycations’ becoming more popular than ever, Essex beaches make the prospect of a summer in England so much more appealing. Essex has a total of five Blue Flag beaches and further 14 beaches have won ‘Seaside Awards’, giving you a huge amount of options for a day at the seaside.

Spend a day of one of Essex’s many beaches

History

Essex has a wealth of historical sites and the county has several National Trust properties and parks. Colchester, formerly known as ‘Camulodunum’, is the oldest town in the UK and was of great importance during Roman times as it was the first ever capital of the UK (see, we told you Essex was better than London!).

Countryside

Rural Essex is a sight to behold, offering walkers miles of unspoiled countryside with rolling hills, river trails and woodland to take in. There are dozens of well-signposted routes around the county, ranging in length from a couple of miles right up to The Essex Way, which is 86 miles long.

Country pubs

One of the added benefits of Essex having so much countryside is the fact that this also means a lot of country pubs. There are many little hostelries dotted around the villages and hamlets in Essex, offering a warm hearth and top-quality ales, with the option of a cracking roast dinner if you’re feeling peckish.

Family fun

Essex has so much to offer to families who are looking for something to do. As well as the world-famous Colchester Zoo, we’ve got parks and forests to explore, amusement arcades, piers, trampoline parks, go-karting tracks, libraries, cinemas, theatres – the list goes on! It’s almost impossible to spend a day in Essex without finding something fun for the whole family to enjoy.

Shopping

Essex has more than its fair share of places to shop, from Lakeside Shopping Centre right through to the many farmers markets that operate around the county on a weekly basis. Don’t forget your reusable bags and your debit card!

Nightlife

Essex is home to some of the best-known nightclubs and pubs in the whole of the UK and the people of Essex seriously know how to have fun! It’s unusual to find a venue which doesn’t have a fantastic atmosphere and many of our towns and cities are one-stop destinations for people looking for a night of partying.

Proximity to London

While we’re not suggesting that London is in ANY way superior to our county, we do understand the need to occasionally head into the Big Smoke, and Essex is perfectly positioned to allow you to do that. Whether it’s for work or pleasure, hopping on the train from any of Essex’s well-maintained train stations is a simple task which will take you right into the heart of the City.

Head to London for the day, you won’t be disappointed

Entrepreneurship

As well as being the starting place for some of the world’s most famous brands, Essex is a hive of small business activity too, with a level of entrepreneurialism unseen in other counties. Essex County Council actually runs several training courses for people wishing to go into business for themselves, making it the perfect destination if you like to support small businesses and buy from local, trustworthy firms.

People

Essex has produced some pretty huge talents over the years – Maggie Smith, Rik Mayall, Juliet Stevenson, Joan Sims, The Prodigy, Olly Murs, Jamie Oliver, Grayson Perry, Rupert Grint, Jessie J, Billy Bragg, Dudley Moore, Frank Lampard, Graham Gooch and Damon Albarn of Blur all hail from our fair county.

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