Essex Sunshine Coast - Clacton, Frinton and Walton

The beautiful coastline boasts magnificent beaches, exciting events, watersports and attractions - plus lots more to keep everyone entertained. Whether for a day out, short break or holiday.

Clacton www.essex-sunshine-coast.org.uk
The capital of the 'Essex Sunshine Coast', Clacton is a popular seaside town with tree-lined streets, long sandy beaches and beautiful seafront gardens. The fun-packed 19th C. pier (the world's largest) offers traditional fairground rides, sea fishing and the RNLI lifeboat house. Try out a range of watersports (sailing and jet skiing), or enjoy an evening out at one of the two theatres. The traditional town centre offers a good range of shops, restaurants and pubs.

Tourist Information Centre - Town Hall, Station Road, +44 (0)1255 423400.

Things to do

- Go bargain hunting at the Clacton Factory Shopping Village.
- Come face to face with the fishy inhabitants of the Seaquarium.
- Take a walk along the cliff top at Holland Haven Country Park.
- Challenge the family to a round of crazy golf.
- Enjoy a pleasure flight from the town's airfield.
- Let the children loose at Play Rascals - a fun indoor playground.

Frinton www.essex-sunshine-coast.org.uk
With a reputation as an exclusive resort, Frinton retains an atmosphere of the 1920/30's. Tree-lined avenues sweep down to the elegant Esplanade and cliff-top greensward. The long stretch of sandy beach is quiet and secluded. The main shopping street (Connaught Avenue) has been dubbed the 'Bond Street' of East Anglia.

Things to do

- Enjoy a performance at Frinton's Summer Repertory Theatre.
- Take a walk along the seafront with its Victorian beach huts.
- Play a game of golf or tennis, followed by a cream tea.

Walton www.essex-sunshine-coast.org.uk
Family seaside resort with clean sandy beaches, seafront gardens and quaint narrow streets. The pier is the second longest in Britain, offering fairground rides, ten pin bowling and sea angling. Just to the north is the Naze, an unspoilt headland of heath, saltmarshes and sandy beaches - it’s 70 feet high cliffs are being severely eroded away. Behind the town are 'The Backwaters', a solitary wilderness of tidal creeks, mud/sandflats, saltmarshes and reed-fringed islands.

Things to do

- Visit the Columbine Centre for summer shows and tea dances.
- Take a ride on the little train to the end of the pier.
- Search out the seals on a boat trip into The Backwaters.
- Children will love the indoor pool with its exciting flume ride
- Explore the maritime museum housed in the old lifeboat house
- Go fossil hunting on the cliffs of The Naze.

Other 'Seaside' Places of Interest

Jaywick (nr. Clacton) has clapboard houses and some fine beaches, great for a seaside picnic. Whilst at Dovercourt, look out for the iron lighthouses which sit along the award-winning beach. Brightlingsea is a town rich in maritime heritage - with a fine beach, boat and sea fishing trips, an open air swimming pool and colourful beach huts.