Holidays in Essex
Essex caravan holiday parks
Essex has been welcoming city dwellers to its coastline for decades. Home to household names like Clacton-on-sea, the county is a relatively short drive from London, making an Essex holiday ideal for the quickest of breaks away. With over 350 miles of coastline, it’s easy to see why an Essex caravan holiday by the sea opens a world of opportunity. You won’t be stuck for things to do inland either, with historic towns like Colchester and southend on sea just a short drive away.
The Orchards is one of the best Essex holiday parks. A true hidden gem that sits neatly between Brightlingsea creek and the coastline, its surrounded by winding creeks, mud flats, beautiful rivers and lots of wildlife. Fancy bringing your dog? Check out our dog friendly holidays to Essex.
Come to the ‘Essex Sunshine Coast’ and find a lovely location set in a selection of seawater creeks.
Pools
Mersea Island
Things to do in Essex
Like to look around a stately home? How about the decadent 17th century manor at Audley End House – it even offers a glimpse at what life was like "below stairs". Next, set out for St. Andrews Church, Greensted: it's the oldest wooden church in the world. Or picture yourself at the Jaywick Martello tower, a former Napoleonic fort transformed into an arts venue. In fact, you'll find art galleries of all sorts all over Essex – it is Constable Country, after all. To keep the kids happy, visit Colchester Zoo, home to over 220 different species, or Tropical Wings Zoo, where you can see free-flying butterflies all year round! Or if you prefer a more hands-on approach to animals, Old McDonald's Farm is the perfect name for a petting farm.
Brightlingsea
Colchester Zoo
Walton Pier
Clacton Beach
Beth Chatto Gardens
Colchester
Related articles
Things to do in Clacton-on-Sea
Top 10 days out in Essex for all the family
Best beaches in Essex
Frequently asked questions
Conveniently located close to London, Essex is home to around 1.5 million people and is one of England’s home counties. As close to the big city as it is, it also has vast rural areas and a long coastline.
Essex is home to the oldest recorded town in Britain. Colchester contains several remnants of the past including an enchanting 12th-century castle in its historic centre. The town also served as Britain’s capital from AD 43 to AD 61.
Essex hosts the longest pier in the world. The iconic structure in Southend-on-Sea extends for over a mile and can be navigated on its dedicated train. It’s been here since 1829!
The Essex coastline is a whopping 350 miles long and forms the second longest stretch in England, behind Cornwall. This makes for a wealth of seaside experiences in famous towns with many hidden gems.
So well connected, it doesn’t take long to get to the tranquil areas of Essex from the busier parts of the country. A couple of hours is all it takes for the scenery to transform and forthe county to deliver an escape from the hustle and bustle.
Clacton-on-Sea is a big name in the world of holidays and is home to a huge number of family-friendly attractions and things to do. It’s brilliant that we’re just a short drive away from the heart of the action!
Our Essex holiday park at The Orchards sits in a prestigious position on the Point Clear Peninsula. Spectacular scenery, lush countryside and relaxing beach walks are the order of the day here. Stay at The Orchards and you’ll be within convenient distance of Clacton-on-Sea, and the brilliant town of Brightlingsea is just across the bay it’s named after.
See the best experiences on our round-up of things to do in Essex. Here are some of our other favourite ideas:
Things to do in Clacton-on-Sea
8 July 2023: Tendring Hundred Show @ Lawford House Park, Manningtree
29 – 30 July 2023: The Nearly Festival @ Old Heath Recreation Ground, Colchester
24 – 25 August 2023: Clacton Airshow @ Clacton seafront