southend, good or bad?

[lampardluver]

We planned to go southend in essex but have heard on the grapevine its not brilliant, any advice on best seaside near bedford

[DONNA1458]

southend is ok little quiet, got the longest pier in the world.

[Paul22118]

Jump on the Gatwick train and keep going to Brighton.

Beach, shops, pier, restaurants, night life, hotels, cosmopolitan, clean and friendly.

[lankeela]

Sticks out a mile doesn't it?

What does?

Southend Pier!

Try Gt Yarmouth, good clean family fun. Nice beach, cheap food and good shows on the piers. Plus horse and dog racing if you want. Knocks Blackpool into a cocked hat.

[tiggerblue10]

Leigh on Sea which is next to Southend is much nicer.

[Buenchico]

Southend is really tacky. The seafront is packed with amusement arcades, down-market caf�s and the type of pubs where you need to watch out for low-flying glasses. The tide goes out for over half a mile, and to get to the water's edge you have to trudge through mud rather than walking over sand.

As Paul points out, there's a direct rail service from Bedford to Brighton, which is packed with good bars and restaurants, great shopping (especially around North Laine) and with tons to see and do.

My recommendation, for a fairly easy drive from Bedford, would be Hunstanton. It's not far past King's Lynn which you can either reach via Peterborough (A1 & A47) or via Cambridge (A428 & A10).

Hunstanton has something for most tastes. There's a small fun fair area (mainly aimed at kids) and a few amusement arcades but there are also good pubs, pleasant caf�s, interesting boat trips, etc. Because Hunstanton faces west, it's protected from many of the cooler winds which plague the east coast (and, of course, you get to watch the sun going down over the sea).

Chris

[Octavius]

Depends what you are going for really dunnit?

Is it beach/sea etc? Or pubs, nightlife, arcades and funfair type thingies?

[lampardluver]

mainly amusements and rides and food

[Dee Sa]

amusements and rides u will be fine in Southend, when u want to eat, walk along the seafront towards Westcliff, there are some nice pavement small restaurants to choose from on the opposite side of the road, always chose ones with people eating there not the empty ones.
Must try Rossi ice cream a local made speciality.
Presume this as a day trip ?
dont forget to take the liitle train to the end of the pier.
Gt Yarmouth too far.