Forget Cornwall and Devon – why our beachfront county is just as good with hidden islands, Med-like hotels & A-listers
REALITY TV, fake tan, and high heels is what probably first comes to mind for those who first think of Essex.
But actually the county in the East of England is full of rolling hills, acres of forest, beautiful seaside towns and it’s own colony of seals.
Kayleigh and Allan swapped East London for Chelmsford six years ago and since then have been exploring the county, from historic seaside towns to restaurants, hotels and even garden centres.
The pair have been getting to know their own neighbourhood and showing off their finds on TravelFromEssex – now, they’ve revealed some of their favourite spots with Sun Travel.
Seaside towns
Yes, Essex is by the seaside. But did you know that it has around 350 miles of coastline?
It’s one of the longest shorelines of any English county second only to Cornwall, and there’s one town that Kayleigh and Allan very almost moved to that they still visit now.
Kayleigh told us: “It was a choice between the coast or the countryside, and the countryside won. But we love Leigh-on-Sea.
“It has a mix of Old Leigh with the cockle sheds on the front, then there’s new Leigh on the high street which has so many independent restaurants and bars.
“There aren’t many chains at all. It’s great for shopping as well with lots of clothes shops, bookshops and bakeries.”
Leigh-on-Sea is well-known for its cockle fishing with the old sheds still sitting on the promenade, and while they are closed for business, you can still get a taste of its history.
Kayleigh recommends heading to The Peterboat where they serve up the famous cockle chowder.
It comes with smoked haddock, cockles, parsley cream, smoked bacon and cob bread.
Hidden gems
Everyone’s heard of Southend and Colchester – but through their weekend trips and Sunday drives, Kayleigh and Allan have unearthed lesser-known places as well.
For a taste of quintessential England, the pair recommend a trip to Finchingfield, a tiny place with a village green.
Kayleigh added: “They’ve got a really lovely pub called The Fox on the Green which does lovely homecooked food in front a log fire.
“There’s also a sweet tearoom called Picture Pot Tea Room.
“We recently visited Dedham too which has a boatyard where you can rent out boats on the water. They’ve also got a pub, The Sun Inn which is great for a Sunday roast.”
Another pretty waterfront town is Burnham-on-Crouch which has lots of restaurants and pubs along the canals.
Allan said: “Another beach place we’ve found is West Mersea which is really nice.
“We’ve known about it for years but have only really discovered it in the last few months – it’s more of a hidden gem than the likes of Leigh-on-Sea and Southend because it doesn’t get as overcrowded.”
Kayleigh added:” It’s got a beautiful beach with the famous pastel coloured beach huts. They’ve got some really good food spots there too like Seafood at Dawn and Waterfront Pizza.
“Just be careful that you can get on and off the island because of the tide times.”
Must-do activities
Another surprising fact is that around 3,500 seals live along the Essex and Suffolk coastline.
So for anyone who loves wildlife spotting, one easy way to see them is taking a boat over to The Hamford Water Nature Reserve which is home to 250 seals.
Kayleigh told us: “You just book on the boat tour and it takes you out to the Nature Reserve – we sat and watched the seals in their natural habitat.”
Tours take place year-round with adult tickets costing £29, children (6-16) at £24 and children 1-5 at £19.
Another activity that the pair enjoyed was stepping onboard the Epping Ongar railway where they recently filmed Practical Magic 2.
Kayleigh said: “They do lots of themed dinner nights on the train – we did the sausage shuttle where they serve sausage and mash.
“It doesn’t go far, just between Epping and Ongar, they do themed nights for Halloween and Christmas too.”
Coming up later this year is the Epping Ongar Lights Party Express 2026 where the train is dressed up in thousands of lights – there’s also music, and festive activities.
Standard tickets for adults start from £25 and tickets for children start from £22.
Beachfront hotels
When it comes to overnight stays – or even a day out, there’s one hotel that came up trumps, the Roslin Beach Hotel in Southend.
Kayleigh said: “It’s perfect for a special occasion and they always decorate it for the seasons, like autumn and then Christmas.”
“We go there quite a lot, it’s got a lovely garden in the summer and along the front it can feel like you’re in the Mediterranean.”
Allan agreed: ” If you get there on a hot Sunday, you could be almost anywhere in the world.
“It’s a place that I actually go to just to have a couple of drinks – it’s a little bit pricier, I’d say the pints are an extra 50p. But sitting along the seafront, I think it’s worth it.”
It’s a popular with celebrity clientele too, the Roslin Beach Hotel has opened its doors to Gary Barlow, Tyson Fury, Denise van Outen, and TOWIE stars including Frankie Essex.
Actress Michelle Keegan was seen there in March last year for Mother’s Day.
Pubs, bars and restaurants
One affordable restaurants and a favourite of Allan and Kayleigh’s is Buddha Belly in Leigh-on-Sea.
Allan added: “It’s like you’re back in Thailand and I can vouch that the food is as good here as it is there – it’s a Thai-owned restaurant.”
Pad Thai dishes cost just over £10 with a choice of port, beef, seafood and tofu. Tasty Tom Yum soup costs just £8.95.
For a more intimate setting, Kayleigh suggested checking out Signor Luigi by Il Bacio – a new wine bar in Buckhurst Hill which she described as “candlelit and cosy.”
Another cosy spot is the Wine Cellar in Chelmsford where you actually have to go downstairs into the basement.
When it comes to indulging in a roast dinner on a Sunday afternoon
For Sunday roasts, Kayleigh and Allan recommend Olio on the Ridge in Little Baddow which do a trio of roasts and you can eat in the Essex countryside.
When it comes to seafood, Salts by the Sea in Clacton has oysters, salt and pepper squid, crayfish cocktail, paella and seafood platters – and tables have incredible ocean views too.
Local celebrities
If you’re visiting Essex, it would almost seem a shame if you didn’t see any of the TOWIE cast, so where are you most likely to spot them?
Allan said: “Buckhurst Hill is the central place for the TOWIE lot.
“You often see them driving around, in coffee shops, coming out of yoga classes. We’ve seen a few of them over the years.”
It’s not only TOWIE stars that live in Essex, one very famous musician calls the county home.
For anyone who is a fan of Rod Stewart, he lives on the Essex, Hertfordshire border and according to Kayleigh, he’s a fan of the The Dog and Pickle in Ongar.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver live on a 70-acre estate in the village of Finchingfield.
Denise Van Outen lives in Chelmsford, Bradley Walsh calls Chigwell home as to Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright.
And while you might not spot her there, Dame Helen Mirren grew up in Leigh-on-Sea and has declared that she’s “proud” of her Essex roots.
Garden centres
Allan told us his favourite in the county is Claremont Garden Centre in Maldon, which as a tree surgeon he says is best for plants and price.
Another perk is that there’s a great cafe right next door called the Tin Roof Cafe and Bakery.
He recommends the traditional English breakfast, while Kayleigh’s personal favourite is the smokey shakshuka.
For some seasonal displays is Meadow Croft in Wickford which has a German Market which is open until December 23.
It has over 30 stalls selling food from waffles to frankfurters, apple strudel and Schokokusse (which are chocolate kisses).
Others sell German beers, an apple spiced drink and gluhwein.
Autumn walks
Essex is a very green county with 72 per cent of its land being rural – so it’s far less built up than people realise.
So when it comes to walks, there’s plenty of choice including Epping Forest.
Kayleigh explained that at one point, it opens up and you can see the skyline of Canary Wharf, and she adds that it’s a “really lovely sunset spot”.
Essex might feel worlds away from London, but actually you can go between Chelmsford and London Liverpool Street in half an hour.
Another autumnal walking spot is the Paper Mill Lock which has a “lovely tearoom on the canal”.
In the summer, there are lots of paddleboarders on the water too.