Serviced Apartments in Southend-on-Sea

Discover the best activities and attractions Southend-on-Sea has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Southend Pier
Southend Pier is the town’s most iconic landmark — the world’s longest pleasure pier — stretching over a mile into the Thames Estuary. It draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, supporting local cafes, souvenir shops, and the small pier railway; the steady footfall boosts seafront businesses and seasonal employment. What makes it special is its mix of Victorian heritage, panoramic sea views, and events (guided walks, historical displays and occasional concerts), making it both a symbol of Southend’s seaside identity and an anchor for tourism-dependent spending in the town.

Adventure Island
Adventure Island is a free-admission seaside amusement park on the seafront offering rollercoasters, family rides, arcades and fairground attractions. It’s a major family draw that keeps visitors in Southend for longer stays and repeat day-trippers, generating jobs in leisure, hospitality and retail and supporting nearby hotels and restaurants. The park’s combination of adrenaline rides and seaside fun right on the promenade — plus its proximity to the pier and beach — makes it a uniquely concentrated entertainment hub for all ages.

Old Leigh (Leigh-on-Sea fishing village)
Old Leigh is a charming historic fishing quarter within the Southend borough known for its working fish market, traditional cockle stalls, waterfront pubs and independent seafood restaurants. It plays a central role in the town’s culinary and cultural reputation, attracting food tourists and locals alike and sustaining a cluster of small businesses, dockside traders and hospitality jobs. Its authenticity — narrow streets, boats, fresh seafood and lively markets — offers a contrast to the main seafront and helps promote Southend as a destination for food and local heritage.

Prittlewell Priory and Priory Park
Prittlewell Priory is a medieval priory site set within one of Southend’s largest parks, combining historic interpretation with extensive green space, playgrounds and sporting facilities. The site provides educational and cultural programming, school visits and community events while Priory Park serves as a year‑round recreation resource for residents. The pairing of heritage and parkland supports local quality of life, attracts heritage visitors, and stimulates spending in nearby businesses (cafes, shops and leisure providers), while preserving an important green lung in the urban area.

Cliffs Pavilion & Seafront Events
Cliffs Pavilion is a major live entertainment venue on the seafront that, together with seasonal seafront events (markets, family festivals and formerly large airshows), brings national touring theatre, comedy and music to Southend. These cultural offerings increase footfall outside peak beach hours, extend the visitor season, and underpin a vibrant evening economy — benefiting restaurants, bars, hotels and local retail. The Pavilion’s programmed shows and the seafront’s festivals create cultural identity, provide local employment in the arts and hospitality, and encourage repeat visits from surrounding areas.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Southend-on-Sea, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- c2c (National Rail) - Fast, frequent services along the London, Tilbury and Southend line linking Southend Central, Westcliff, Chalkwell, Leigh-on-Sea and Shoeburyness with London Fenchurch Street (journey times typically around 45–60 minutes depending on origin/destination); also serves Southend Airport station.
- Greater Anglia (National Rail) - Services on the Shenfield–Southend Victoria line connecting Southend Victoria with Shenfield and London Liverpool Street; useful interchange at Shenfield for the Elizabeth line into central London.
- Local bus network - Comprehensive local and interurban bus routes serving suburbs, the seafront, town centre and nearby towns (e.g., Rayleigh, Basildon); frequent services at peak times and links to rail stations and key local destinations.
- London Southend Airport - Regional airport with scheduled domestic and European routes; has an on-site railway station for direct rail access and surface transport connections (taxis, buses).
- Southend Pier Railway and seafront boats - The electric railway on Southend Pier provides a short transport link to the pier head; pleasure boats and estuary cruises operate seasonally from the seafront.
- Taxis and private hire - Licensed local taxis and private-hire firms operate across the borough; app-based services also operate in the area for on-demand journeys.
- Community and demand-responsive services - Local community transport, volunteer car schemes and dial‑a‑ride style services supplement mainstream public transport for vulnerable and less mobile residents.

Major Highways
- A127 (Southend Arterial Road) - Primary dual carriageway linking Southend with Basildon and providing onward connections west toward the A13 and the wider motorway network.
- A13 - Key route from east London toward Essex; provides an important link into the capital and connections toward the M25 and east London docks.
- M25 - London orbital motorway accessible via A127/A13 corridors, offering connections to the national motorway network (M11, M1, M4 etc.).
- A130 - Northbound route providing links toward Chelmsford and the A12, used for journeys to central/northern parts of Essex.
- A1159 (Seafront Road) and other A/B roads - Local primary routes (e.g., A1159) providing access around the seafront, town centre and to neighbouring coastal settlements.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycling infrastructure / bike lanes - A mix of on‑road cycle lanes, segregated sections and shared-use promenades along the seafront, plus cycle parking in the town centre; local authorities have promoted coastal and commuter routes and are implementing active‑travel improvements to better connect residential areas, rail stations and the seafront with the regional cycle network.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Southend Airport upgrades and rail link - Early‑2010s investment delivered a new passenger terminal and the on-site railway station to improve air–rail connectivity; the airport and its surface access remain a focus for efforts to restore and grow routes post-pandemic.
- Rail connectivity and station enhancements - Timetable and service improvements, station accessibility upgrades and better interchange opportunities (notably via Shenfield and the Elizabeth line) have improved links to London and the wider region.
- Active travel and LCWIP measures - Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Essex County Council have been implementing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) measures and pedestrian/cycle improvements to encourage sustainable travel, including better cycle lanes, junction changes and safer crossings.
- Road corridor and junction schemes - Ongoing maintenance and targeted upgrades on key corridors (notably the A127/A13 approaches) and junction improvement schemes aimed at reducing congestion and improving safety for motorists and buses.
- Bus and passenger amenity improvements - Investment in bus stop accessibility, real-time passenger information and accessibility works at key stations to make multi‑modal journeys easier for commuters and visitors.
- Seafront and pier maintenance programmes - Continued investment in pier and seafront infrastructure to protect transport resilience for tourist and local traffic and to support linked walking/cycling routes.

Southend-on-Sea is increasingly attracting professionals in industries such as engineering, maritime, and tourism, who need flexible and convenient accommodation during their work stays. With its proximity to London and growing economy, serviced apartments are an ideal choice for business professionals in the area.

Comfy Workers offers serviced apartments in Southend-on-Sea, located in central areas close to business hubs and transport links. Our fully furnished, self-catering apartments are designed to offer flexibility for both short-term and long-term stays, ensuring comfort and convenience for professionals working in the area.