Best Places To Visit In Essex For Couples

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By

James

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Essex, just like its residents, is intriguing. It has everything from bustling cities with night party-loving residents to coastal towns with a sublime countryside. All these come together beautifully to create the perfect vacation or visit spot for couples looking to have a wonderful time.

But, like any other visit, your time is limited and you absolutely cannot afford to waste it in a place that doesn’t quite meet your expectations. When you’re going out with your significant other, you want to make wonderful memories without having to deal with any form of pollution or major discomfort. 

With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of places you can visit with your partner and have a wonderful time. We also thought to include a few factors you should consider before you finalise your visiting plans. At the end of this piece, you should have all the necessary details to experience an amazing date in Essex.

Top 5 Places For Couples To Visit In Essex

  • Stansted Mountfitchet –Best For Historic Sites
  • Thorpe le Soken – Best For Spa
  • Frinton-on-Sea – Best For Nightlife and Beach
  • Coggeshall – Best For Garden Visits
  • Clacton-on-Sea – Best For Theme Park

1. Stansted Mountfitchet – Best For Historic Sites

Stansted Mountfitchet is a village in Uttlesford district, Essex. It is located near the Hertfordshire border. Stansted has several historical sites that you can visit with your partner. One of the historic sites is Mountfitchet castle, a living history museum. Additionally, there is the House on the Hill Toy Museum, which boasts over 70,000 individual toys in its collection.

Although Stansted Mountfitchet is near a busy international airport, it remains one of the quietest places. This is because none of the flight paths goes over the village. Then again this village is a historic one as it has several interesting buildings. Apart from the intriguing and attractive buildings the village has, it also has a windmill that looks like a tower mill with its original machinery. 

In addition, the village has a historic hall built in 1871. All these historical places make Stansted Mountfitchet a lovely place to visit with one’s spouse.

Highlights

Airport Guide: Stansted Mountfitchet has an airport guide explaining in detail all queries you might have about the airport. The village recognizes that visitors might need help regarding their flights, so they devised a guide to assist their village’s first-timers.

Accommodation: There are several accommodations available in the Stansted village. Thus, we assure you that you and your spouse will not be troubled about getting the right home away from home. There are also several world-class hotels available for visitors.

Pubs and Restaurants: Stansted Mountfitchet boasts various restaurants and pubs in the area. There is a wide range of establishments in the village where you can buy a meal or a snack depending on your tastes and pocket. This makes it ideal for couples who love partying. 

Pros

  • Beautiful historic sites
  • Detailed airport guide
  • An impressive royal hunting forest
  • Wide range of restaurants
  • Several accommodation options

Cons 

  • Limited opportunity to visit the Stansted hall
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2. Thorpe le Soken– Best For Spa

Thorpe le Soken is a village in the Tendring district of Essex, England. The village has existed since the Saxon times with many historic houses that give the village a distinct character. Over the last hundred years, the village has not experienced many changes. Thorpe le Soken is also a bustling village with traffic from several other villages. Geographically, the village is ten miles from Colchester and five miles from Clacton and Frinton.

Thorpe le Soken has several places to sightsee with your spouse. The Beth Chatto gardens, Bourne mill, Colchester zoo, Otley hall, Sutton hoo, and others are these places. Perhaps the best thing about Thorpe le Soken is its world-renowned spas. Thus, if you want to relax with your partner in a chill environment, you can go to Thorpe le Soken’s spa.

Highlights

Vacation Rentals: Thorpe le Soken has 50 vacation rentals. Fortunately, these rentals are all well-equipped and stocked to satisfy the needs of all visitors. In addition, these rentals are all in good locations.

Restaurants: Thorpe le Soken has top-notch restaurants and bars. Some restaurants include The Bicycle, The Crown, The Chinese Court, The Black Boy, and several others. These restaurants have the necessary equipment and expertise to prepare whatever you order.

Spa: Thorpe le Soken has some of the best spas in the country. Moreover, the staff at these spas are also well trained to receive visitors and make them feel as comfortable as possible while at their facilities.

Pros

  • Beautiful scenery
  • Vacation rentals available
  • Wonderful spas
  • Cool environment
  • Historical buildings
  • Offers vacation packages
  • Top-notch restaurants

Cons

  • Somewhat strict rules
tripadvisor

3. Frinton-on-Sea – Best For Nightlife and Beach

Frinton-on-Sea is a seaside town formerly known as Frinton. This town is located in the Tendring district of Essex, England. Frinton-on-Sea is known for its beautiful beach scenery. This location is nice for family and couple outings. The village’s beach has gently shelvy sand, usually clean and gentle. If you want to enjoy walks along beautiful grasses with your spouse, you should check out Frinton-on-Sea.

Frinton-on-Seas’ beach has several facilities that enable a memorable beach weekend. These facilities include beach huts, first aid facilities, beach and boat patrol, and other facilities. This lovely sandy beach has a big dog-friendly area. Although the village’s beach is not modern touristy, it has a clean and spacious area for enjoyment.

Highlights

Frinton Beach: Frinton Beach is the place to go if you want a clean and quiet beach. The large expanse of white sandy beach has remained uncommercialized, which makes it perfect for a getaway with your spouse. Additionally, the beach has a promenade near it with old-fashioned beach huts. The beach also serves as a fun place to be at night.

Walking Routes: When you visit Frinton-on-Sea, you can make the most of the fresh air and take walks along the Essex coast. The Frinton to Walton walk is an easy walk between Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze. You can enjoy this walk with your partner, as it provides a perfect environment for engaging in deep conversations that are hard to come by in your normal schedules.

Watersports: While Frinton-on-Sea is less busy than other seaside resorts, it still has several watersports activities. The center offers training courses if you want to go canoeing or dinghying. The center has a bar where you can grab something to eat after a tiresome day on the water.

Pros

  • Clean and quiet beach
  • Entertaining nightlife on the beach
  • Walking routes
  • Variety of watersports
  • Shopping centers
  • Unique accommodation

Cons

  • No modern touristy facilities
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4. Coggeshall – Best For Garden Visits

Coggeshall is a small town in Essex, England. It is situated between Braintree and Colchester. Coggeshall has several fun places that suit couples. One is Paycocke’s house and garden, which is a lovely attraction and offers a nice environment for nature lovers. 

Coggeshall clock house and clock tower have a free parking lot in the village. In addition, the village also has very attractive sites aside from the mentioned ones. You can therefore take the time out to go to Coggeshall with your partner to enjoy a wonderful time.

Highlights

Amazing Tour: Coggeshall has tour guides that are well-trained and versed in all areas of the village. Thus, you can trust your guide to lead you on the right path and also give you accurate answers to your questions.

Fabulous Food: If you want to visit a place that offers very good food after the day’s fun, you should choose Coggeshall. Some restaurants offer delicacies that you don’t want to miss.

Museum Tour: During your visit to Coggeshall, you should also take the time to visit the museum. The museum is filled with a lot of fascinating and lively information about the history of the region. Having fun with your spouse while discovering facts about your ancestors at the museum can be the perfect way to spend time together.

Pros

  • Attractive sites
  • Delicious meals
  • Experienced tour guides
  • Museum tour
  • Top-notch hotels for visitors

Cons

  • Antique facilities in certain places
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5. Clacton-on-Sea – Best For Theme Park

Another place we recommend that couples visit in Essex in Clacton-on-Sea. This is a seaside town located in the Tendring District. A bustling seaside resort, Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Essex sunshine coast, and it is an affordable and vibrant location for seaside holidays.

In the 1950s and 60s, Clacton-on-Sea was a beach where families came to relax and soak up the sun. Over the years, Clacton has maintained its tourism value and is as lively as ever.

Highlights

Affordable: Clacton-on-Sea is one affordable tourist center we recommend visiting with your spouse. The village offers attractive scenery for couples at an affordable price.

Bustling Tourist Center: Another attractive feature of Clacton-on-Sea is that it is a bubbly tourist center. Thus, couples can have fun with other couples at the site. In addition, there is no chance of feeling bored as there will be several activities to involve In.

Favorable Weather: The tourist center has favorable weather, making it all the more attractive to couples.

Pros

  • A lot of entertainment facilities
  • Affordable
  • It has been running for many years
  • Bustling tourist center
  • Seaside resort
  • Favorable weather

Cons

  • Not recognized as it was in the past
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Guide For Prospective Essex Visitors

For couples planning a trip to Essex for a vacation or a date, we have compiled a guide to make your trip a memorable one. It’s important to ensure everything is checked before going to a particular place in this region. Once you have made sure that all these factors have been taken into consideration, you can start planning your date.

Some of the factors include:

Transport

Transportation is a very important factor to consider before choosing a place to go in Essex. Your means of getting to Essex itself is important. It is important to know what transportation options the place you visit in Essex offers. You don’t want to have your fun time ruined by poor transportation.

Thus, we advise that you ensure that the place you want to go to has a good transport system. You can check for this by going through the official website of the chosen place. A simple scroll through the place’s website will tell you what transportation options they offer.

Accommodation

The accommodation is another important factor to consider before making the final decision as to where to go in Essex. No matter how beautiful the scenery is, it would help if you lay down to rest after the day’s activities. Thus, it is important to check for accommodation options in the village you will visit. 

You should also ensure that you can live in the place you choose. To make your trip easier, you should ensure that you book rooms or a room for you and your spouse, depending on the situation. This will be better than searching for hotels or resorts after a tiring flight to Essex.

Budget

Having a budget that is in line with the needs of the project will make all the difference. There will be a great deal of variation in the transportation and accommodation options available to you depending on your budget. It is therefore important that you make sure you know exactly what you are going for and how much you are going to spend before you start spending. 

If you are on a tight budget, we recommend that you choose a place that will fit your needs. You would ideally want to avoid running into debt after a few days away from your home . Hence, ensure that you select a place within your budget range.

Prior Search For places

While some adventurous couples will suddenly pack their bags and begin touring places without previous research, we advise you not to do that for several reasons. You should ensure that you thoroughly research the place you are visiting. Most places in Essex are historical and have specific traditions, and you don’t want to violate them.

As a result, we advise you thoroughly search for places to visit in Essex before going there. Also, researching the place beforehand ensures that you prepare adequately before visiting. This will also help you stay within your budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Essex worth a visit?

Essex has an amazingly varied landscape, and it’s worth a visit. The country’s fascinating history will make your time with your spouse more memorable. Essex stretches from borderline London to the coasts with rural and urban landscapes. As a result, there is the beauty of diversity that will serve as a refreshing time out for couples.

What do I need to take along on a visit to Essex?

First and most obvious, you will need your passports and visa if you are going by flight. It would be best if you didn’t forget essentials like clothes, underwear, plug adaptors, and cleaning materials. You might get your cleaning materials from Essex, but bringing them from where you are is advisable. 

Then, you should ensure that you hold some money. It would be best if you were not going to a foreign place with no extra cash. Lastly, good internet research would help. Make sure you read about the place you are to visit in online sources. This will help you prepare adequately. 

Do I have to worry about getting an accent from Essex?

Of course not. You will not spend years in Essex for your visit, so you shouldn’t worry about this. While East London is the home of Cockney, the accent and culture are now more prolific in Essex. However, you will not catch an accent so quickly if you are only going there for a visit.

Is Essex hostile to visitors?

We understand your fears and worries. However, we want you to know that Essex is a friendly place for visitors. The residents of this country are fun-loving and gladly welcome visitors to their place. Hence, you can plan to visit Essex without fear and enjoy the beautiful scenery the place offers.

Conclusion

Essex is a beautiful place for couples. The place has beautiful sceneries and wonderful historical attractions that will endear it to you and make it your most favorable visitation. To properly enjoy your visit to this place, you should ensure that you thoroughly plan your journey.

Do not be hasty in picking a place to visit. You should also ensure that you can sponsor your trip to and fro. It’s not cool to get to a foreign place only to get financially stranded. For this reason, you should ensure you know what you want and go for it.

There are several places to visit in Essex, but the five on this list are the best we recommend. You should check these places to enjoy Essex’s scenic and historical wonders. We wish you a happy visit to Essex.

About The Author


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Reviewed by

James

James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.