10 Water & Amusement Parks in Essex That You Shouldn't Miss

The Aqua Park challenge is has arrived! Situated beside the Intu Lakeside Shopping Centre, at West Thurrock, Essex, the Aqua Park includes over 30 inflatable obstacles that include giant slides, monkey bars, blast bags and balance beams - making it the ultimate day out for families, friends and children aged 6+ (and 1.2m tall)

Adventure Island Fun Park is the U.K's No.1 FREE ADMISSION Fun Park. Situated on Southend-on-Sea's famous seafront we have over 40 fabulous rides and attractions including the outragous RAGE roller coaster. You don't pay to enter, you ride the rides with our great value all day ride bands.

Set in the heart of Essex, Festival Wakeboard and Aqua Park has rapidly grown into a superior wakeboarding park in Basildon. Enjoy lots of fun and have a great day out on the water either Kneeboarding, Wakeboarding, or exploring our brand new Aqua Park. Complete newbie to wakeboarding? Don't worry with our Beginners cable with our 1-2-1 tuition you can become a pro in no time! Fancy a cuppa while watching the little ones on the Aqua Park, or even a spot of lunch... look no further as our onsite cafe can do just that.

We are a fun park with 14 rides for under 11's plus 4 other attractions. We have a first aid hut, a baby changing hut, toilets, food counters. Dogs are welcome too.

The Canvey Lido at the Paddocks is under new Management. We have a new Kitchen offering a bigger Menu, Party room, more seating, New Climbing Frame and much more. Stay and Splash is suitable Ages 0-8 Children over 8 with younger siblings are allowed but will be required to play calmly. Opening times: Session 1 09:30 - 12:30 Session 2 12:45 - 15:45 Session 3 16:00 - 18:00

Curve Wake Park offers wakeboarding, stand up paddle boarding & ringo rides for anyone over the age of 8. The boardsports shop will be your first point of call when you arrive at the lake surrounded by beautiful Essex countryside. For regular riding we offer membership/ride packs & anyone is welcome to enjoy a coffee and light bite in our lakeside-cafe and watch the water action from the huge decking area or 4g grass area.

Clacton Pier is officially the largest pleasure pier in the UK covering a staggering 6 1/2 acres. First opened in July 1871 as a landing stage for goods it was the first construction in the "new" town of Clacton-on-Sea. The town was initially built as a Holiday Destination for Londoners and with poor road access and no railway the pier was the main gateway for goods, holiday makers and locals alike.By 1922 the pier had fallen into receivership and was bough by Ernest Kingsman a businessman who saw the potential to start developing the wooden structure into an amusement destination. Amongst many other things he was responsible for all of the piers main extensions, including building the swimming pool, at least three theatres, adding the original steel Stella roller coaster and the blue lagoon dance hall. Since the kingsman family sold the pier in 1971 there has been a string of owners with the pier going into steady decline, until March 2009 when it was bought by the newly formed Clacton Pier company who has been investing heavily in the attraction. The pier now boasts a selection of new and refurbished family fun rides, Seaqurium sealife centre, 10 Pin bowling, the boardwalk bar, American diner, loads of eating places, great fish and chips, an activity zone and a function room named....The Kingsman Room................and there's a hell of all more in store so LIKE us on Facebook and visit our website to keep updated.