Days out, places to visit and things to do in Essex

Bell Meadow Day has become a popular event in the Essex summer diary, offering entertainment for all the family! Woodham Walter is a hidden gem of a village which boasts a traditional old-fashioned community feel.

The huge Brentwood Festive Craft & Gift Show will be returning to the Brentwood Centre this November. Crammed full of amazing, innovative and original festive gifts - there really is something for the entire family.

Not long now until the wonderful Festive Gift Show returns to the Brentwood Centre, with its fantastic reputation of being the place to BUY original and inexpensive Christmas presents for all the family.

Clacton Air Show, organised by Tendring District Council, is a well-established event on the Essex Sunshine Coast.

With guided tours, open days and regular events being held throughout the year, you will find plenty to keep you occupied during your visit. Situated alongside the River Thames in East Tilbury, Essex is one of the best examples of an armoured ...

With some of the most beautiful countryside and coastline in Britain and a large range of attractions offering impressive and relaxing activities for all the family.

For your convenience we have brought together information and resources for the majority of popular Essex Beaches to be found along our counties picturesque coastline.

Whether you have an established garden, small balcony or shady courtyard in need of a little something extra, the Essex Garden Show will offer lots of new ideas to ensure you create the perfect sanctuary.

The Essex Robin Hood Game & Country Show is a new annual two-day event held in the heart of Essex at the Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, Essex, and takes place on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th May 2011.

Hedingham Castle's 110 feet high Norman keep was built c.1140 by Aubrey de Vere and is still owned by one of his descendants, The Honourable Thomas Lindsay and his wife Virginia. A visit to the castle and its beautiful grounds is ideal for a family ...

Bigger and better than ever before with a new show venue and more features containing a greater range of products, the Aztec Garden Shows are a celebration of the great outdoors.

The Gardens of Easton Lodge will play host to the launch of a new book telling the story of their restoration on Sunday 19 September – the penultimate opening of the 2010 season which has been made possible thanks to the efforts of a team of ...

The Rotary Harwich Sea Festival will be held on the Quay at Harwich on Sunday 24th July 2011 from 11am to 5pm. The event celebrates the town and region’s seafaring past with an exciting mix of maritime and music with the Quay lined with stalls ...

The first CAMPING dance festival EVER to explode into London and Essex with PHAT bass, PUMPING tunes and a COOL collaboration of dance acts old and new.

Holocaust Memorial Week 2011 focuses on the Pink Triangle, the persecution of gay men by the Nazi regime, without losing sense of the origin of the term 'Holocaust' and the significance of the Holocaust for the European Jewry.

A hot air balloon ride over Essex provides the perfect opportunity to view many historic landmarks and sites of interest from a completely new perspective! Essex often gets a raw deal but anyone who has the opportunity to view the county from the ...

RHS Garden Hyde Hall near Chelmsford hosts its first ever flower show this August, with over 30 top nurseries, growers and gardening suppliers coming together for the ‘Celebration of Plants’ which takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th August.

The Nation’s most loved home event is launching its first ever Ideal Home Show at Christmas at London’s Earls Court this November 2011.

An Annual festival of walks, talks, music and literary events.

Essex is a county in size of over 1,500 square miles, so it’s no surprise to find that it is packed full of areas of outstanding natural beauty which, luckily for us, are cared for by some of the best organisations and gardeners in the country.

A trip to Colchester Castle Museum takes you through 2000 years of some of the most important events in British history. Wherever you decide to go or whatever you decide to do within our county, you’ll be sure of a great day out that you’ll never ...

Visitors can purchase a selection of beautiful plants, shrubs, trees, garden furniture, water features, pots, containers and much more at special show prices. With crafts for the home and garden, tempting food court and children’s activities, there ...

Your chance to WIN Free Entry into the Southend Festive Craft & Gift Show at Garon Park, Southend in our free to enter competition!

With plenty to entertain children and adults, views of the Thames estuary, miles of promenade to walk and enough shops to satisfy even the most ardent shopper, why not visit Southend and make up your own mind. I’m sure you’ll return.

The Southend Robin Hood Country Show takes place on Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd July 2011 at Garon Park, Eastern Avenue, Southend, Essex SS2 4FA

Green fingered enthusiasts and occasional gardeners alike will find plenty of inspiration at the Southend Spring Garden Show.

Thousands are expected to flock to Lower Castle Park right in the heart of Colchester over Easter Bank Holiday weekend for the annual Town & Country Show.

Essex Tourist Guide visitors can win a stunning VIP Family day out at the hottest show in Essex this year. One lucky family (or two couples) will win a superb package including Express Tickets providing VIP access ahead of the crowds!

The Loughton Festival volunteers have been hard at work planning a six-week festival of events, walks and talks next spring. We will be raising money for Haven House Children's Hospice at most of our events next year.

The beautiful county of Essex has made its name in recent months thanks to the contribution of hit reality TV show The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE). This has resulted in a tourism boom for Brentwood, the suburban town where the show is set.

The Orsett Show projects a countryside atmosphere. It’s truly a great day out with plenty for all the family to see and do! One of the most popular events of its kind in Essex, the Orsett Show once again celebrates with an action packed programme of ...

Whether it’s a half term break or even the seemingly long summer holidays, you will find plenty of things to do in Essex for kids. The obvious place to start would be our counties fantastic coastline. With seaside destinations such as Canvey Island, ...

Mark Flanagan, who is presenting the RHS supported talk ‘Finding Mr Wilson’ at Marks Hall on 2nd September at 6.30pm, is a plant hunter himself, following in the footsteps of his subject. Mark was at the Royal Botanic Gardens for over ten years, ...

Famous as being Britain’s oldest recorded town, Colchester, situated in the county of Essex, receives millions of visitors each year. Visit Colchester and experience all that this wonderful area has to offer!

The River Stour forms the boundary between Essex and Suffolk and provides the many tourists visiting the Dedham Vale area with some stunning scenery. This remarkable landscape also features in many of John Constable’s paintings.

Located in the south east of England and within easy access of London, this uniquely English county has so much to offer the discerning traveller who wants to take in the sights and ambience of Britain, arguably at its best.

A historic town full of maritime history surrounded by areas of natural beauty. Make sure you visit Maldon sometime soon and see why so many people keep returning to this fascinating town.

Visitors to Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum have until the end of August to turn their visit into a winning event by entering the Marks Hall Photography Competition!

Saffron Walden is a medieval town full of history and owes its success to the past trading of various items such as Saffron and Malt, and the Cattle Market which closed during the 1980’s. When you visit Saffron Walden, probably the best way to ...

Essex gets a hard time. People’s perceptions of white stilettos, Ferraris and fake tan have only been amplified by programmes like the Only Way is Essex, while the beautiful countryside, rivers and endless things to do often get overlooked.