Crouch Harbour

The waterfront at Burnham-on-Crouch centres on Crouch Harbour, where the River Crouch meets the sea and the whole place feels properly alive with boats. It's the sort of place where you genuinely understand why people stay here - the water dominates everything, and at high tide especially, it's rather splendid.

Walking around the harbour front you get a genuine sense of what this town is about: sailing, fishing, and people who actually know their way around a boat. The foreshore bustles with activity during the day - moorings packed with yachts, small fishing boats coming and going, the sort of maritime life that's real rather than staged for tourists.

Families will find it engaging for an hour or so, particularly if there are boats to watch and tide pools to investigate at low water. Older children might appreciate the sailing school activity and general nautical business. But be honest - it's not somewhere that holds attention for half a day unless you're genuinely interested in boats and coastal life.

Silver Road Caravan Park sits just 0.3 miles away, making Crouch Harbour an easy stroll from your base, and Sea End Country Park is equally close at 0.5 miles. Both parks put you right in the thick of it. The harbour itself is free to wander, though parking near the waterfront can be tight during summer weekends.

Visit at high tide for the full effect, and go early morning if you want decent photos without crowds.