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Photo: Jim Linwood, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Grade II listed building, constructed as an amusement arcade but now empty.
The Kursaal is a former amusement park and a Grade II listed building in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The building, originally known as the Kursaal Palace was opened in 1901 as part of one of the world's first purpose-built amusement parks. The venue is noted for the main building with distinctive dome, designed by George Campbell Sherrin, which featured on a Royal Mail special stamp in 2011. The amusement park was home to Southend United F.C. between 1919 and 1934, and during this time also hosted greyhound racing. The majority of the park was closed in 1973, with the rest of the site closing in 1986. The building remained derelict until it was redeveloped in the late 1990s, opening again in 1998. Since 2020, the building again remains empty except for a small Tesco convenience store.
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The beaches in Southend stretch for miles along the seafront, with many small shops selling ice creams and doughnuts. City Beach, located between the Pier and Sealife Centre is the best. It has child-friendly fountains and a modern feel. Beyond the Sealife Centre and Southchurch Park the beaches continue but cafes and other facilities don't.
A themed aquarium featuring marine life found all along the Thames Estuary as well as tropical fish from foreign climes. It also has the Three Shells Cafe and a small shop for when you're done admiring the aquatic life.
Open all day all year round. The arcades are an area offering video game machines, bingo, pool tables and fruit machines. Games cost between 50p and £1 per game and the area is very popular during the summer months. Free to enter.
A true Southend seafront landmark that has been entertaining families for over 40 years, Adventure Island is a small amusement park with various rides ranging from the scary to the serene. Entry is free, but to access the vast majority of rides you need to buy one of three colour-coded wristbands. Each ride is given a designated colour - Blue (the fastest/scariest rides for which you must be at least 1.2 m tall, usually unsuitable for younger children or those with health issues), Green (fast/scary rides, but suitable for older children and those seeking milder thrills, although children between 1 m and 1.2 m tall must be accompanied by someone over 14 years old), and Red (calmer rides that are suitable for most children, with some even being usable for older toddlers). There are varying price bands for wristbands so it's best to check the website. You can also pre-book wristbands there, which is much cheaper than buying them on the day. Opening times vary: please check the website. During the low season in the winter months the park usually only opens on the weekends.
Medieval manor house and park. Inside is a set of period rooms, including a Great Hall and Tudor kitchen
A wet weather alternative to Adventure Island for families that is situated in the centre of the Adventure Island complex. It's also open during the winter when Adventure Island is closed. It's entirely indoors and has a handful of fairground rides including a carousel and a swinging pirate boat. The rest of the space has an indoor adventure play area and a large arcade. You can buy a wristband to access the rides, but the arcade is pay-as-you-go and you are given a free game card which you put money onto.