ALONG the Essex coast are well-known seaside towns like Southend, Clacton-on-Sea, but most won’t have heard of Brightlingsea.
The seaside destination is visited far less than its neighbours, and is said to have one of the ‘best kept traditional high streets in the East of England‘.
During the summertime, Brightlingsea is much quieter than its neighbours where holidaymakers are more likely to flock to.
However, it’s shingle beach is recognisable thanks to its line of colourful beach huts on the promenade.
The Blue Flag beach is popular for paddling too and has excellent water quality.
On a clear day, holidaymakers can even see across to Mersea Island.
One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor called it a “traditional beach without the noise.”
Another added: “Very unspoilt, family oriented, beautiful beach. Traditional town back in the 50’s.”
As well as a beach, Brightlingsea also has its own beachside lido, with tickets from £3.50 to £5.
There’s no date for the lido reopening for 2026 but last year it opened for the season in May.
Around the corner from Brightlingsea Beach is its harbour which in the summer has an influx of visitors by boat.
In the summer months, Brightlingsea can get as many as 2,500 visiting yachts in a single season and hundreds of local boats.
For anyone wanting to visit neighbouring islands, it’s here you can hop on a ferry to the likes of East Mersea and Point Clear.
Unlike other towns across the country, Brightlingsea’s high street is considered one of the ‘best kept traditional high streets’.
Rather than lots of typical chains, it’s dotted with independent shops.
Some sell records and plants like Roots & Grooves; others like Toggs is where you can pick up women’s clothes and handbags.
For another seaside stay – head up the coast to this pretty Norfolk town…
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Old Hunstanton, Norfolk
This town has some of the best beach walks beside striped limestone cliffs, a Victorian lighthouse and 13th century ruins. The beach has golden sands with rolling dunes and colourful beach huts, backed by a pretty pinewood forest. Stay at a beachfront hotel from £100 per room.
There are also beauty salons as well as food shops like Joy Thai Spices and Bumbles greengrocers.
Little Boat Gifts is a sea-themed shop filled with lots of knickknacks and gifts while at River Colne Food Co. Deli there are lots of homemade treats like chocolate brownies and cinnamon rolls.
Opposite is Ye Olde Swan, which is a pub, bed and breakfast, and is one of the oldest buildings in the town dating back to the 1300s.
Another pub on the high street is The Brewers Arms and head to Winkies for takeaway fish and chips.
Minutes from the high street is the popular Rosebud Pub & Seafood Restaurant which is the top-rated spot to enjoy seafood in the town.
Here you can get an entire seafood platter for £26.
When it comes to where to stay, Brightlingsea has its own Hoseasons holiday park.
It has a choice of holiday caravans from the Bronze which has two bedrooms, an open lounge, kitchen and dining area.
In April, a stay for four in a Bronze caravan starts from £10 per person per night.
Here’s another pretty seaside town that’s one of the UK’s driest places…
Shoeburyness is a small town along the Essex coastline that’s one of the driest places in the country…
It has a lower annual rainfall average than the rest of the UK – not to mention it has two Blue Flag beaches and is just one hour away from London.
Thirteen minutes from Southend-on-Sea is the lesser-known coastal spot of Shoeburyness.
The town is home to around 22,000 people and is one of the driest places in the country.
Its position on the southeast coast means it gets less rainfall than other spots around the UK.
Shoeburyness records an average of between 526.78mm and 527mm of rain per year.
In comparison, the average annual rainfall for the entire UK is 1,163mm – Shoeburyness receives less than half of that.
So, it’s no wonder that lots of people flock to the town to visit its two Blue Flag beaches; Shoebury Common and Shoebury East Beach.
Shoebury Common is a sand and shingle beach that’s popular with families during the summer.
But it’s not just bucket and spade friendly, or for paddling, though. It’s also a popular place to launch boats and jet-skis, and is good for kitesurfing too.
Plus, here are 10 of the most affordable English seaside towns for Easter holidays with £1 rides, £2 pints & mega cheap hotels.
And here are our favourite old-fashioned English seaside resorts – with quaint promenades and retro beach huts.