Seawick Holiday Park

As well as the pier and funfair, Clacton-on-Sea has golf, two theatres and an annual airshow with vintage planes including Spitfires and Hurricanes; shake the sand from your toes at St Osyth too and have a look around its twelfth century priory and the war museum at the Martello tower. This is bird and beast as well as beach terrain, with acres of nature reserves all over Essex and rare sightings of birds: Howlands Marsh and Colne Point are both within easy reach of Seawick – head to the latter to see nesting little terns or hark at the nightingales at Fingringhoe Wick overlooking the Colne Estuary. There are wildlife gardens at Langdon Nature Reserve inland and to the west of Clacton; for formal beds and borders the Beth Chatto Gardens at Colchester have regular events, workshops and fairs. Colchester in general is a must-see as England’s oldest recorded town: try on togas at Colchester Castle Museum and take the Lost Madagascar Express’ road train at Colchester Zoo. Outside Essex, the Suffolk Heritage Coastline is a quick drive away with three RSPB reserves, sandy cliffs and seaside towns and villages such as Aldeburgh, Orford and Southwold. Hardy souls can follow the 50-mile Suffolk Coast Path to Lowestoft starting from Felixstowe a little way along the coast from Seawick.