Days Out in Essex // Clacton Pavillion

We recently visited Clacton-on-Sea and of course our trip wouldn't have been complete without visiting the beach and the famous pier.  I had left it until the last day as it was meant to be the sunniest and we arrived down there by 11am.  Clacton Pier itself didn't open until midday, but we walked along the gardens that line the seafront and explored.

Just in front of the pier, we found Clacton Pavilion.  In contrast to the big and exciting rides that the pier offers, the pavilion had a collection of smaller rides aimed at younger children.  Mine are 4,6,8 and 9, but my eldest prefers gentle rides over anything adventurous and I was soon inundated with requests for the bumper cars.  The pavilion offers wristbands which offer unlimited rides for the day (it is open 11-5) for £8.99 and it seemed like the most cost effective way to enjoy the day.  When we later explored the pier, it was around £3- £4 per ride for the bigger rides and my children were much happier having unlimited smaller rides.

There was around 12 choices in total and the bumper cars were a big favourite.  There were only 5 cars but the park was quiet (it was Kent school holidays when we visited but the Essex school term had restarted) so we never had to queue.  Cora at 102cm was tall enough to go on every ride without a parent and Dylan at 9 (152cm) was only too big for one ride.  Everything was close together and they could easily move between rides or I could watch two on one ride and two on another.  

I can't begin to guess how many turns they had but I do know I was dragging them away when it was time to leave and they have been desperate to return ever since!  

Rather than getting lunch at the hot dog huts in the pavilion, we walked down to the beach and had fish and chips from a little café there.  I wanted a break from the noise and lights so we spent some time playing in the sand and enjoying the views.  We also went for a walk all the way along the pier to the end.  To get through to the outdoor area we had to walk through a huge arcade that the children were desperate to play in (all indoor activities were shut due to Covid measures when we visited).

Clacton-on-Sea seafront is a wonderful place to visit with young children.  There are huge stretches of beach, all the fun of the pier and we loved our day out at the pavilion.

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Days Out in Essex // Colchester Zoo

When I booked the children and I a week away in Essex earlier this month, I had no idea about the area or what was local but after a quick Google I discovered Colchester Zoo was a 30 minute drive away from Clacton and I could only find great reviews from friends that had visited.  Because of Covid reopening, I was online at 8am the weekend before trying to get tickets and managed to get 5 for the Wednesday right in the middle of the trip.  

Colchester Zoo was easy to find and parking was free. We had a 30 minute slot for entry and there were very few people around the entrance.  My tickets were scanned through my phone and we were sent inside.  I don't know how busy the zoo usually gets to comment on, but we never felt crowded or too close to others, but when it came to wanting to eat, it was very challenging to find somewhere to sit! 

We found the zoo difficult to navigate at first and my phone didn't get enough signal to get the online map up. I did see other people with paper copies though so they must have been available at the entrance.  That being said, we had no real agenda other than seeing as much as we could and we enjoyed wandering and seeing what came up next.  

We liked how interactive the zoo was, with things that can be climbed on, information designed for children and interesting displays around the zoo.  We visited the feeding area where the children could feed some of the animals including goats.  This was a real highlight for the younger two who like to get involved where they can.

My favourite part of the zoo was the African area where giraffes, zebras, rhino and other animals that naturally coexist were in a larger area together.  You could walk most of the way around the area and there are opportunities to pay to hand feed the giraffe and elephants (£20 for a family/group of up to 5 people).

There were a few enclosures and areas that were not open to visitors, anything that was fully inside was shut due to Covid guidelines, but we spent many hours at the park and didn't feel like we missed out.  Some areas were undercover but with open sides so masks were required (alongside social distancing of course) but they were open and clearly signed. There were also no keeper talks or timed feedings to avoid crowding

The boys favourite part of the zoo experience was the 'Lost Madagascar' train which took us around an area of the park and gave us a unique view of some animals.  The train was cleaned between passengers, there were perspex screens between each group and there was a great narrative from the driver.  It was ideal after a long afternoon walking around!  We ended the day at the big playground near the exit.  Designed for school aged children it was secure, big enough to keep my elder children (8 and 9) happy and had plenty of seating.

We had a brilliant day out at Colchester Zoo and would really recommend it as a family attraction in Essex.  We spent over 6 hours in the zoo and the children have all asked to return! As we visited on a week day, my adult ticket was £21.24 and the children's tickets were £15.30 each.  There is a large store that you can visit for gifts and souvenirs on the way out, but you can avoid going inside at all and use the exit at the side.

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