Why go
- City and unitary authority in Essex, England.
- Served by Barling Airfield.
History
Southend-on-Sea, commonly referred to as Southend, is a coastal city and unitary authority area in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, 40 miles (64 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. The city is one of the most densely populated places in the country outside of London. It is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, while London Southend Airport is located to the north of the city centre.
Restaurants & places to go
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo off; Tu-Su 09:00-15:00 Features: outdoor seating Wikipedia: en:Labworth Café · Eastern Esplanade, Canvey Island, SS8 7DW · thelabworthcafe.co.uk
Fish, Restaurant · French-style food and a bar with beach views and some outdoor seating. Opening hours: We-Th 12:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-21:00; Su 12:00-18:00;… · essexseafoodgrill.co.uk
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Fish & chips and kebab takeaway Opening hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 17:00-23:00 · 3a Richmond Street, Sheerness, ME12 2QA · familyfishbarsheerness.co.uk
Breakfast, Cake, Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Tea, Cafe · Hot & cold drinks & food. Range of afternoon teas available. Indoor & outdoor seating. Access to the… · parlour-cafe.com
Restaurant · Fully licensed Italian restaurant and pizzeria Opening hours: Mo 17:00-22:30; Tu-Su 17:00-22:30,14:00-18:30 · padrinosouthend.co.uk
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 08:30-18:00; Su 10:00-16:00 Features: takeaway · storelocator.asda.com
Italian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 11:30-22:00; Sa 11:30-23:00; Su 11:30-21:00 · 7-8 London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1TJ · askitalian.co.uk
Pizza, Fast Food · Opening hours: Su-Th 11:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · 19 Victory Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NZ · dominos.co.uk
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:30-23:00 Features: takeaway · 87 Prince Avenue, Southend-On-Sea, SS2 6RL · favorite.co.uk
Sandwich, Bakery, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-16:30; Su 07:30-16:00 Features: takeaway · 52-54 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NL · greggs.co.uk
American, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-23:00 · Arterial Road, Rayleigh, SS6 7SP · harvester.co.uk
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · 162,164 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1JX · mcdonalds.com
British, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 06:30-10:30,11:30-23:00; Sa 07:00-11:00,11:30-23:00; Su 07:00-11:00,12:00-22:30 Features: outdoor seating · Thanet… · beefeater.co.uk
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo off; Tu-Th 17:30-22:30; Fr-Sa 17:30-23:00; Su 17:30-22:00 Features: vegan options, halal, air conditioning · 305-307… · mallroadrestaurant.com
Oriental, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo off; Tu-Th 12:00-15:00, 17:30-21:30; Fr-Su 12:00-15:00, 17:30-22:00 · 10-14 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NJ · raiseoriental.com
Pie And Mash, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00 · 15 Clarence Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1BH · robinspieandmash.com
Kebab, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 177 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1LL · gdk.com
Tex-Mex, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 84 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1JN · locations.tacobell.co.uk
Ice Cream, Ice Cream · Ice Cream ice cream · 42A London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1NT · creamscafe.com
Asian, Restaurant · Asian restaurant · 5-6 London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1TJ · wagamama.com
Seafood, Restaurant · Features: takeaway, vegan options · Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2YH · billyhundreds.com
Thai, Restaurant · Features: vegan options · 104 Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea · tarathai.co.uk
Spanish, Restaurant · Spanish restaurant · London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1NT · salsatapas.co.uk
Noodle, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, vegan options · 172 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1JX
International, Burger, Fast Food · Features: takeaway
Bubble Tea, Cafe · Features: takeaway · 97 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1HS
Wings, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 32 London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1NT
Steak, Restaurant · Steak restaurant
Fast Food · Opening hours: Tu off; Mo, We-Su 17:00-22:30 Features: takeaway, delivery · 4 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NJ · shaplasheerness.com
Regional, Cafe · Opening hours: 10:00 - 16:30 Features: step-free access · Lower Road, Hockley, SS5 5LE
Chinese, Fast Food · Chinese fast food · eastwoodchinesefood.co.uk
Japanese, Mexican, Peruvian, Tapas, Restaurant · Japanese/Mexican restaurant · frankslos.com
Greek, Restaurant · Features: air conditioning · Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 7JX
French, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating · Alexandra Road, SS1 1EY
Turkish, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating · 556 Rayleigh Road, SS9 5HX
English, Burger, Kebab, Coffee, Diner, Breakfast, Cafe · Features: outdoor seating · 33 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NX
Portuguese, Restaurant · Portuguese restaurant
Mexican, Fast Food · Mexican fast food
Cake, Cafe · Cake cafe
Caribbean, Fast Food · Caribbean fast food
Ch, Fast Food · Ch fast food · 47 Marine Parade, Southend-on-sea, SS1 2EN
Chips, Fast Food · Chips fast food · 19 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1JE
Bagel, Cafe · Bagel cafe · 117 Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 1PG
Sushi, Fast Food · Sushi fast food · 16 Alexandra Street, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1BU
Pakistani, Restaurant · Pakistani restaurant
355 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
London Southend Airport (SEN) 2.4 mi to the centre
Essex, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6YF, UK — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 2 airlines (easyJet, Aer Lingus) · direct flights to 14 destinations incl. Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 14 direct destinations
- easyJet U2 (A319) · 13 routes: Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Ibiza, Jersey, Krakow, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Venice
- Aer Lingus EI (AT4, ATR 72) · 1 route: Dublin*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Rochester Airport (RCS) 16 mi to the centre
Rochester, Kent, ENG, GB — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Barling Airfield 3.9 mi to the centre
Southend-on-Sea, Essex, ENG, GB
West Newland Farm Airstrip 11 mi to the centre
Southminster, Essex, ENG, GB
Getting there by ferry
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 6.6 mi from the centre
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 6.6 mi from the centre
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 7.1 mi from the centre
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 7.3 mi from the centre
Burnham Ferry
Ferry route
Where to stay
172 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3AA, United Kingdom · themooringsbedandbreakfast.com
178 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3AA, United Kingdom · cameliahotel.com
Waverley Guest House, 191 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3AA, United Kingdom
1 New Rd, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2EA, United Kingdom · theshiphotel.co.uk
Thorpe Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3BG, United Kingdom · roslinhotel.com
5 Royal Terrace, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1DY, United Kingdom · pierviewluxuryapartments.co.uk
9-13 Wilson Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1HG, United Kingdom · ilfracombe-hotel.co.uk
2 Cobham Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 8EA, United Kingdom · cobham-lodge-hotel.com.es
213 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3AD, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
Stambridge Rd, Rochford SS4 2AF, United Kingdom · thecherrytreerochford.com
77 Eastwoodbury Cres, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6XG, United Kingdom · ihg.com
Thanet Grange, Prince Ave, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6GB, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
92 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2YP, United Kingdom · thecastlesouthend.co.uk
Bradley Way, Rochford SS4 1BU, United Kingdom · therochfordhotel.co.uk
1 High St, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1JE, United Kingdom · royalhotelsouthend.com
Eastern Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS99 1YY, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
34 Marine Parade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2EJ, United Kingdom · southendhotel.co.uk
Weston Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1AS, United Kingdom · hotels.jdwetherspoon.com
18-20 Westcliff Parade, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7QW, United Kingdom · muthuhotelsmgm.com
119b Southend Rd, Rochford SS4 1HX, United Kingdom · mareklovestotravel.com
21-23 Manor Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7SR, United Kingdom · oyorooms.com
33 Chichester Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2JY, United Kingdom · travelodge.co.uk
4-10 Grosvenor Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 8EN, United Kingdom
Indoor
84 Station Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 7RQ, United Kingdom
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Barling Airfield; 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 4 ferry terminals within 12 mi; routes include Burnham Ferry.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Southend-on-Sea, UK. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing