Maldon Splash Park

Water sprays and laughter fill the air along Maldon's waterfront - this is the Splash Park, a proper lifesaver on hot Essex days. It's a straightforward setup: jets and fountains where kids can run through and get soaked without needing to commit to a full beach trip. The thing is, it's right there in town, literally minutes from the high street, so you're not driving out to the sticks for it.

Families with younger children will get the most out of it. Toddlers love the shallow spray zones, older kids dash between the jets trying not to slip on the wet tarmac. On a scorching summer afternoon, it's ideal - free cooling off without the faff of finding a beach car park. Realistically though, most kids will have had their fill in 45 minutes to an hour. It's not a day-long activity.

The parks nearby - Mill Beach Seaside Resort and Osea Leisure Park are both under two miles away, so if you're staying at one of those, the Splash Park is a handy add-on rather than a main event. Steeple Bay Holiday Park sits four miles south if you want something a touch further afield. Worth checking opening times and whether it's actually operating before you visit, as council-run facilities can have odd seasonal schedules. Water parks are hit and miss in terms of crowd management - go early morning or just after school to avoid the madness.