TOURISTS visiting south Essex are blessed with an abundance of different things to do and sights to see.

The county has many areas of natural beauty, places to see that are rich in history and culture, and various restaurants providing diverse cuisines.

Here are ten locations in south Essex everyone needs to visit at least once

Southend Pier

A beloved and popular location for visitors and showbiz alike, Southend Pier has seen shows like Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast and Eastenders.

The world’s longest pleasure pier reaches out for 1.33 metres into the Thames Estuary.

Visitors can escape the hustle and bustle of the busy seafront and take in the stunning views of the Kent coastline whilst enjoying an ice cream

Adventure Island, Southend

The highly rated theme park on Southend seafront has more than 40 rides including the one-of-a-kind Rage Coaster.

Rage was voted most thrilling rollercoaster in the UK by BBC One’s Blue Peter.

One trip advisor review said: “All the staff were energetic, cheery, and engaging with the kids which was great to see.

“Great value for unlimited rides all day and minimal queues for all rides.”

Escape Live Southend – Escape Rooms

This Escape Game involves working in a group of two to ten people.

Your group has an hour to escape from a locked room before it is too late. 

A TripAdvisor reviewer said: “Fantastic experience, we had great fun and our game master was friendly, energetic and helpful.”

Escape Live is an Escape Game for groups of two to six people located in Southend.

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Leigh-on-Sea

Visitors can head down the coastline to Leigh, the nearest coast to London.

Attendees keen on culture will find the cockle sheds for a quick bite of seafood.

You can’t do much better than a sunny day in Old Leigh with a plate of cockles.

Barleylands Farm Park, Billericay

Families can enjoy a trip to this Farm Park packed with fun activities to do for all seasons.

Tots can say hello to friendly farm animals and have a great time in the indoor play area.

A visitor left a TripAdvisor review.

It read: “What an amazing day. We had an amazing time today. We spent the whole day there and the kids loved every minute of it.”

Hadleigh Castle, Benfleet

These romantic ruins of a royal castle overlook the Essex marshes.

Work on Hadleigh started in about 1215 by Hubert de Burgh, former chief justiciar of England.

The stunning castle was refortified by King Edward III during the Hundred Years War and became a favourite residence of the king.

Southend Central Museum

A variety of collections can be found in the museum including the Prittlewell Princely Burial exhibition.

The museum also contains a planetarium constructed by astronomer Harry Ford in 1984.

All the family can learn and enjoy exhibitions at the museum.

A TripAdvisor reviewer said: “Took my children [aged] 12, 10 and 8 here as part of a daybook looking round local historical sites.

“It is a great little museum showcasing the extensive history of Southend and surrounding areas from the ice age to present day.

Festival Wakeboard and Aqua Park, Basildon

Enjoy lots of fun and have a great day out on the water either knee boarding, Wakeboarding, or exploring the  Aqua Park.

The park has activities for everyone to enjoy ranging from experienced users to beginners.

Seasonal events take place at the park including stag or hen parties and end-of-school celebrations.

Langdon Visitor Centre

Managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust, the Langdon Visitor Centre is set in a stunning nature reserve of 461 acres which comprises woodland, meadows, lakes and former plotland gardens.

Families can set out on the Peter Rabbit Woodland Trail and a museum of Plotland Life.