Clacton-on-SeaTendring coastA long sandy beach divided by groynes, with a pier, gardens along the seafront and the town's shops close by.
Frinton-on-SeaTendring coastA quieter sandy beach below a long cliff-top greensward, with rows of beach huts along the promenade.
Walton-on-the-NazeTendring coastSandy beaches either side of the pier, and the Naze headland to the north, where fossils are often found at the foot of the cliffs.
Mersea IslandNear ColchesterBeaches of sand and shingle at West and East Mersea. The island is reached by the Strood causeway, which can be covered at high tide.
The NazeWalton-on-the-NazeA headland nature reserve with eroding cliffs, grassland and views over the Walton Backwaters, with the 18th-century Naze Tower at the top.
Dedham ValeEssex and Suffolk borderA National Landscape along the River Stour, associated with the painter John Constable, with riverside paths between Dedham and Flatford.
Estuary sea wallsBlackwater and Colne estuariesLong, flat paths along the sea walls, with saltmarsh, creeks and large numbers of wading birds, especially in winter.
Colchester ZooColchesterA large zoo with animals from around the world, set in parkland on the edge of Colchester.
RHS Garden Hyde HallNear ChelmsfordA Royal Horticultural Society garden on a hilltop, including a dry garden designed to need little watering.
Adventure IslandSouthend-on-SeaA seafront amusement park beside Southend Pier, with rides paid for individually or with wristbands.
Colchester CastleColchesterA Norman castle keep built on the foundations of a Roman temple, now a museum covering the town's long history.
Audley End HouseNear Saffron WaldenA Jacobean mansion with a Victorian service wing and gardens, managed by English Heritage.
Hadleigh CastleNear Leigh-on-SeaThe ruins of a 13th-century castle on a hill above the Thames estuary, managed by English Heritage, with country park walks below.
Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear BunkerNear BrentwoodA Cold War bunker built underground beneath a farmhouse, now open to visitors.
Mersea oystersWest MerseaOysters have been farmed around Mersea for centuries, and seafood is served at shacks and restaurants by the waterfront.
Leigh-on-Sea cockle shedsOld LeighA row of seafood sheds in the old fishing village, selling cockles, whelks and other shellfish by the harbour.
Southend PierSouthend-on-SeaThe longest pleasure pier in the world, at over a mile, with a small railway along its length and a museum at the shore end.