Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and one of the most underrated city breaks in the UK. It’s compact, incredibly walkable, and packed with history, culture, and one of the best food and bar scenes I’ve encountered anywhere in the British Isles.
It’s also a city that wears its complex past openly the murals, the Peace Wall, the political taxi tours and that honesty makes it one of the most thought-provoking places I’ve visited. Come with an open mind, and you’ll leave with a genuine understanding of a city that has worked incredibly hard to reinvent itself.
Nowadays Belfast is my second home, as I own short term accommodation properties in the city. I’m constantly advising and engaging tourists so I do dare say I know a lot. So if you are visiting do me a favour and stay in one of them… wink, wink!
GRAND OPERA HOUSE
BELFAST ESSENTIALS
✈️ Getting There / Belfast has two airports, Belfast International (BFS) and George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD), most UK flights use City Airport, which is closer to the centre. Book a private airport transfer with WelcomePickups for a stress-free arrival. Search flights on Skyscanner.
🚗 Getting Around / The city centre is very walkable, with most attractions within a 20 to 30 minute walk of each other. For day trips out to Giant’s Causeway or Hillsborough Castle, compare rental cars on DiscoverCars.
🧳 Luggage Storage / If you’re early for check-in or have time to kill before heading home, no stress, there are luggage storage points all over Belfast. Use this website to find one nearby.
📱 Connect / Stay connected the moment you land with an eSIM. I use Holafly, use code TRAVELWITHPAU for 5% off.
🛡️ Get Insured / Even for a UK trip, it’s worth having cover. World Nomads offers coverage for over 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Wonderful Things to Do in Belfast
Visit the Titanic Belfast Experience
The Titanic Belfast museum is, without exaggeration, one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. Built on the exact slipway where the Titanic was constructed, it takes you through the full story of the ship, from Belfast’s industrial history to the night of the sinking and beyond. The building itself is stunning, designed to resemble the prow of a ship.
Book in advance, this sells out, especially on weekends. Book your Titanic Belfast tickets and include the SS Nomadic visit while you’re there.
Spot the Samson & Goliath Cranes
These two giant yellow cranes are Belfast’s most iconic skyline feature, you can see them from almost everywhere in the city. They’re a symbol of the city’s shipbuilding heritage and make for great photos, especially from the Titanic Quarter waterfront.
I’ve visited Birmingham from London more than seven times now, and I even lived there for a couple of weeks while renovating my own apartment just a minute from New Street Station. It’s the second largest city in the UK, the youngest too, with over 40% of the population under 25, and it has more canal waterways than Venice. Add in fine dining, serious greenery, an industrial-meets-artsy vibe (Digbeth alone could keep you busy for a day), and the fact it’s home to Cadbury’s chocolate factory, the Peaky Blinders, and the birthplace of heavy metal, and it’s a city that deserves a lot more than a rushed day trip.
This guide covers everything: my Birmingham bucket list, where to stay, where to eat, and every practical detail you need, whether you’re doing it as a day trip from London or making a proper weekend of it.
Bath Place Street Art
BIRMINGHAM ESSENTIALS
🚆 Getting There / Birmingham is very walkable once you’re there, and getting to it from anywhere in England is easy. Check train and coach options together on Trainline so you can pick whichever is cheapest and fastest, New Street Station puts you right in the centre of everything.
🚗 Getting Around / The city centre is compact enough to walk between most of the big sights, and there’s a solid bus network for anything further out. If you want to combine Birmingham with a Cotswolds or Stonehenge day trip, compare rental cars on DiscoverCars.
🧳 Luggage Storage / If you’re early for check-in or have time to kill before your train home, no stress, there are luggage storage points all over Birmingham. Use this website to find one nearby.
📱 Connect / Stay connected the moment you arrive. I use Holafly, use code TRAVELWITHPAU for 5% off.
🛡️ Get Insured / Even for a UK trip, it’s worth having cover. World Nomads offers coverage for over 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Birmingham Bucket List: 27 Things to Do
1. Take a Walking Tour to Get Your Bearings
If you only do one organised thing, make it this: a guided walk through the city centre to understand how Birmingham grew from a small market town into the UK’s second largest city. It’s a great way to get authentic insight into modern Birmingham life and spot a few hidden gems you’d otherwise walk straight past. Book the Birmingham Guided City Centre Walking Tour.
2. Explore the Bullring and Grand Central
Birmingham has been a marketplace since the 12th century, and that legacy has only grown over the years. The Bullring is the shopping district around Grand Central station, and it’s genuinely worth a wander even if shopping isn’t your priority, Selfridges looks like it landed from space, the Western Arcade has splendid architecture and lovely independent stores, and the Mailbox nearby is where you go for the luxury brands.
Practical info: Free to explore. Selfridges and the Bullring are a couple of minutes from New Street Station.
3. Take a Selfie with The Bull
Just outside the Bullring in Rotunda Square stands The Bull, a 6-tonne bronze sculpture by artist Laurence Broderick that’s become the symbol of the whole shopping district. It’s undoubtedly the most photographed spot in the city, and it’s impossible to walk past without stopping.
Practical info: Free, outdoors, accessible any time.
4. Wander the Canal Quarter and Brindleyplace
Birmingham’s canal quarter houses the city’s best bars, restaurants, and views, and it just makes for a lovely stroll. Brindleyplace is a beautiful square with restaurants, bars, shops and cafes right on the water, and the area is also home to the National Sealife Centre and the IKON Gallery if you want to make a proper afternoon of it. Book National Sea Life Centre entry tickets.
Practical info: Free to walk. National Sealife Centre and IKON Gallery both charge separate entry (IKON is free on Mondays).
5. Wander Gas Street Basin
Just around the corner from Brindleyplace, Gas Street Basin is the historic junction where several of Birmingham’s canals meet, all cobbled towpaths, narrowboats moored three-deep, and canalside pubs. It’s one of the prettiest, most photogenic corners of the city, and a proper reminder of why Birmingham genuinely does have more miles of canal than Venice.
Practical info: Free to walk. Right next to Brindleyplace and the ICC.
Victoria Square
6. Admire Victoria Square and the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Victoria Square is best described as Birmingham’s answer to Trafalgar Square, and at its edge sits the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, home to the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings in the world, occupying one of the city’s finest buildings. It’s also where you’ll find the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork ever discovered, on permanent display.
Practical info: Free entry. Located right on Victoria Square in the city centre.
7. Look Up at the Frescoes of Piccadilly Arcade
Opposite New Street Station, this picturesque arcade has beautiful architecture and an eclectic mix of independent stores, but what really gets my attention every time is the hand-painted ceiling frescoes, they’re rather unusual and easy to walk straight under without noticing.
Practical info: Free to walk through, open during shopping hours.
8. See Tolkien’s Inspiration at Moseley Bog
Moseley Bog is a green idyll on the fringes of the city, sitting on the site of an old millpond. J.R.R. Tolkien grew up around it in the 1890s, and it’s said to be the inspiration for hobbit-hangout the Shire, while a Victorian waterworks down the road in Edgbaston is said to have inspired Sauron’s towering lair. Wander around the nature reserve full of plants, animals, gnarled old trees, and gorgeous carpets of bluebells each spring. There’s real archaeological interest here too, including two burnt mounds and the remains of an old mill dam.
Recently named the Coolest Neighbourhood in Britain by the Sunday Times, Digbeth is less than ten minutes’ walk from the Bullring and Grand Central, and it’s completely worth the detour. The Custard Factory is the heart of it, cafes, independent shops, cinemas, arts venues, and the weekly food and drink festival, Digbeth Dining Club. Digbeth is also Birmingham’s street art hotspot, so a walk around doubles as an open-air gallery, Bath Place is one of the best spots for it. Book the Digbeth, Public Art and Peaky Blinders Film Locations Walking Tour to get the context behind it all.
10. Explore the Jewellery Quarter
Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter has been producing jewellery for over 250 years and still is, this is a working district, not a museum piece, with independent workshops, the Jewellers’ Clock, and genuine working goldsmiths behind unassuming shopfronts. It’s a completely different pace and character to the Bullring, well worth the wander if you want to see a side of Birmingham most day-trippers miss. Book the Discovering Birmingham Walking Tour, which winds through the “secret canal” on its way into the Quarter.
Bennets Hill
11. Eat Your Way Through the Chinese Quarter
Curry isn’t the only food scene worth crossing town for. Birmingham’s Chinese Quarter, centred around Hurst Street and Arcadian Centre, is strung with lanterns and packed with genuinely authentic Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, and Korean restaurants alongside the Chinese ones, a proper contrast to the Balti Triangle further out.
I’m a craft beer fan, so this one’s close to my heart. Head to Indian Brewery in Snowhill, the craft brewery behind Birmingham Lager, for a proper pint made in the city.
13. Play a Round at Golf Fang (formerly Ghetto Golf)
Golf Fang, inside the Custard Factory, is an 18-hole graffiti-themed crazy golf course paired with a full cocktail bar, arcade games, AR darts, and pool, adults-only and thoroughly ridiculous in the best way. It went through a £500k refurb and rebrand from its old name, Ghetto Golf, in 2026, so don’t be surprised if you see the old name still floating around online. Book Golf Fang Birmingham.
14. Play Retro Games at NQ64
Also in the Custard Factory, NQ64 is a neon-splattered arcade bar packed with retro cabinets and pinball machines alongside a proper cocktail menu, open late every night of the week. A great one to pair with Golf Fang for a full evening in Digbeth.
The Old Crown is Birmingham’s oldest secular building, standing since 1368. Having survived the English Civil War, the pub and its events garden now sit proudly in the heart of Digbeth, Birmingham’s thriving creative quarter. Fun fact: it has some of the coolest, most original bar snacks in the city.
Gibb St Digbeth
Practical info: Located in Digbeth, easily combined with a street art wander.
16. Feel Like Charlie at Cadbury World
A chocolate-focused attraction? I’m in. Just 13 minutes by train from New Street takes you to the red-brick, old-world Bournville village, built for the workers of what was once the centre of England’s chocolate empire. The demonstration area involves actual molten chocolate (and you get to eat it), and the world’s biggest Cadbury store awaits at the end, stocking concoctions you won’t find anywhere else. Book Cadbury World entry tickets.
St Pauls Gallery is the world’s leading retailer of signed limited edition album cover fine art, with well over 100 signed prints on permanent show and sale. It’s not to be missed if music is your thing, especially if you’re into 60s or 70s rock, prints signed by Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, and plenty more are all on sale here, alongside exclusive musician portrait photography.
Practical info: Free to browse. Located in the city centre.
19. Sip a Cocktail in a Speakeasy
Some of Birmingham’s best bars are hidden behind unassuming storefronts and doorways. 18/81 on Thorp Street has no obvious signage, just ring the bell. 40 St Pauls is equally discreet, look for the door with the number 40 off St Paul’s Square.
Practical info: Both bars in or near the Jewellery Quarter and St Paul’s Square.
Peaky Blinders Pub (actually haven’t been on it, FYI)
20. Have a Curry in the Balti Triangle
Birmingham is the original home of the Balti. The Birmingham Balti was born here in the late 70s, when curry chefs started making dishes lighter, healthier, and faster to serve to suit Western tastes. There’s even an area called the Balti Triangle, just south of the city centre along Ladypool Road, Stoney Lane, and Stratford Road, named for the sheer number of eateries serving curries the balti way. See the Where to Eat section below for my picks.
21. Visit Winterbourne House and Garden
Step back in time at Winterbourne House and Garden, a beautifully preserved Edwardian gem a short distance from the city centre. Built in 1903, the house offers a genuine glimpse into early 20th-century middle-class life, with many rooms restored to their original charm. Surrounding it are seven acres of exquisite botanical gardens with over 6,000 plant species from around the globe, a picturesque walled garden, and a tranquil Japanese bridge, a peaceful escape from the city and a must for history and nature lovers alike. Book Winterbourne House and Garden entry tickets.
Practical info: Entry fee applies, check the official Winterbourne website for current prices and opening days.
22. Relax in Cannon Hill Park
Cannon Hill Park is Birmingham’s biggest and most popular green space, 200 acres of formal gardens, woodland, and lakes down in Moseley. Hire a swan-shaped pedalo on the ornamental lake, play a round on the 36-hole mini-golf course, or just find a patch of grass, and it’s also home to MAC Birmingham, an arts centre with a cinema, theatre, and gallery space if the weather turns.
A different, more curated green escape to Cannon Hill or Winterbourne, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston pack glasshouses, aviaries, and beautifully maintained grounds into 15 acres, a proper afternoon out if gardens are your thing. Book Birmingham Botanical Gardens entry tickets.
24. Step Inside the Library of Birmingham
The Library of Birmingham is the largest public library in Europe, and even if libraries aren’t usually your thing, this one is worth popping into for the building alone, a striking, filigree-wrapped structure in Centenary Square with a rooftop garden and sweeping views over the city. It also holds one of the most significant Shakespeare collections in the world.
Practical info: Free entry. Open Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays. Located in Centenary Square, Broad Street.
25. See How Birmingham Really Lived at the Back to Backs
The Birmingham Back to Backs is the city’s last surviving court of back-to-back houses, once the standard working-class housing across Birmingham, and now preserved and restored by the National Trust to show life there across different decades. It’s guided-tour only and genuinely moving, a side of the city’s industrial history that’s easy to miss among the shopping centres. Book your Back to Backs visit through the National Trust.
Practical info: Booking essential, tickets are released a few weeks ahead. Located in the city centre near the Bullring.
26. Go to a Candlelight Concert
Experience live music illuminated entirely by candlelight at a Candlelight Concert in Birmingham. These intimate performances feature talented musicians playing everything from classical to contemporary, all under the soft glow of hundreds of candles, a lovely, low-key evening activity. Browse Candlelight Concerts in Birmingham.
27. Catch an Immersive Experience
The best immersive experiences tend to cluster in London, but a city the size of Birmingham gets its fair share too, worth checking what’s on while you’re in town. Check what’s currently available in Birmingham.
Picadilly Arcade
Birmingham Day Trips
The Cotswolds: While Birmingham is a vibrant urban hub, the idyllic Cotswolds are just a short drive away and make for an excellent day trip. Known for rolling hills, picturesque villages, and honey-coloured stone cottages, the Cotswolds offer a quintessential English countryside experience, explore charming villages like Broadway or Stow-on-the-Wold and soak in the tranquillity. Book the Cotswolds Full-Day Tour from Birmingham.
Stonehenge and Bath: A longer but genuinely worthwhile day out, combining England’s most famous prehistoric monument with the Roman baths and Georgian architecture of Bath. Book the Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour from Birmingham.
Warwick Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon: The closest day trip on this list, both are only around 40 minutes from Birmingham by car or train, and just nine miles apart from each other, easily combined into one day. Climb the ramparts of the medieval Warwick Castle, then wander Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace and final resting place. Book Warwick Castle entry tickets.
Where to Stay in Birmingham
Make a weekend of it if you can, get to Birmingham on a Friday and stay through Saturday for two full days of exploring.
Perfect for longer stays, this all-suite hotel offers modern, spacious accommodation with kitchenettes and complimentary breakfast, right in the city centre.
If you only have one day, start at the Bullring, stroll around and make sure to visit both arcades (Piccadilly and Western), then walk through the canal quarter and drop into St Pauls Gallery, have a curry for lunch, then head to Digbeth for another stroll, drinks, and food in the evening at Digbeth Dining Club, and make sure to pop into The Old Crown.
If you make a weekend of it (which I recommend), use the second day to visit Moseley Bog, Cadbury World, and the Peaky Blinders walking tour.
Getting To & Around Birmingham
You can take a bus or train from pretty much anywhere in England. Check train and coach options together on Trainline so you can compare and pick whichever is cheapest and fastest, New Street Station drops you right in the middle of the action. If you’re planning day trips out to the Cotswolds or further, a rental car gives you more flexibility, compare rates on DiscoverCars.
Once you’re there, Birmingham is a genuinely walkable city with a great bus system for anywhere slightly further out, you won’t need a car for the city centre itself.
Birmingham FAQ
Is Birmingham worth visiting? Absolutely. It’s the UK’s second largest city, with world-class museums, a thriving food scene (it’s the birthplace of the Balti), a genuinely cool street art neighbourhood in Digbeth, and enough history and quirky attractions to fill a full weekend.
How many days do you need in Birmingham? One full day covers the city centre highlights, the Bullring, the canal quarter, and a curry in the evening. A weekend lets you add Cadbury World, Moseley Bog, and the Peaky Blinders walking tour without rushing.
Is Birmingham a good day trip from London? Yes, trains from London take around 1.5 hours, making it a very doable day trip, though a weekend gives you a much fuller picture of the city.
What is Birmingham famous for? The Bullring, the Peaky Blinders, being the birthplace of heavy metal, Cadbury’s chocolate, the Balti curry, and having more canals than Venice.
What is the best area to stay in Birmingham? The city centre around New Street Station and the Mailbox puts you within walking distance of almost everything. Digbeth is a great alternative if you want to be closer to the nightlife and street art scene.
Do I need a car in Birmingham? No, the city centre is very walkable and the bus network covers everything else. A car is only useful if you’re planning day trips out to the Cotswolds or further afield.
Enjoyed this article? Support my work by buying me an oat capuccino. Otherwise, do me a great favor of leaving a comment and following me on Instagram (@travelwithpau). Feel free to say ‘Hello!’ I don’t bite. And make sure you save the article for later on Pinterest!
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a small commission, at no extra cost to you in order to help support my blog.
Finding one Airbnb that actually fits a big group in Belfast, without splitting everyone across two or three separate bookings, is harder than it should be. That’s exactly the gap StayByNumbers wanted these properties to fill. StayByNumber runs a small portfolio of self-catering stays across Belfast, including a set of connected Victorian flats that can be booked individually or combined into one large group booking depending on how many of you there are. And I work with them!
This guide covers our best options for big groups specifically: friend trips, family reunions, and anyone who wants everyone under one roof (or two roofs, two minutes apart) rather than scattered across the city. We note max adult / children and infant occupancy separately.
Most of our properties use smartlocks, so you don’t have to worry about who’s taking the keys (or losing them!).
Why Book Directly With Us?
Every property below is bookable on Airbnb, on Booking.com, or directly with us. Booking direct is genuinely worth doing as you’ll get 10% OFF. Use BOOKDIRECT10 when you book at www.staybynumbers.com for the best price. Have questions? WhatsApp us +44 28 9600 5676.
Ulsterville Avenue: Our Biggest Property, Up to 25 People
Max 22 adults / children & 3 infants, 11 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 4 allocated parking spaces
Best for: the biggest friend groups and full family reunions who want an entire building to themselves.
This is our largest listing, three connected Victorian flats (a 3-bedroom and two 4-bedroom apartments) combined into a single booking, so instead of splitting your group across separate apartments with separate front doors, everyone is in the same building with shared spaces to actually spend time together in. Every bedroom has a double bed, there’s a sofa bed in the living room of the 3 bedroom flat, 3 of the bedrooms have their own cot, and 3 high chairs plus retractable baby gates are provided for family groups. 4 parking spaces mean you won’t be fighting over who gets to bring a car.
The area: Located in Belfast’s Queen’s Quarter, a 5-minute walk to Queen’s University, 11 minutes to Botanic Gardens, and 11 minutes to the nightlife on Dublin Road and Botanic Avenue. There’s a Co-Op supermarket under 5 minutes away too.
Max 16 adults / children & 2 infants, 8 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 allocated parking spaces
Best for: big friend groups or multi-family trips.
Rated 5.0 (Guest Favourite)on Airbnb. This combines two of the three flats into one large booking, 8 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, still with all 4 of the building’s parking spaces. One recent guest, in Belfast for a golf trip, said “having 8 comfortable rooms with 4 bathrooms was great for us”, and another described it as “such a great home for the price” after two families of 4 and 6 shared the space.
The area: Same Queen’s Quarter location as above, 5 minutes to Queen’s University, 11 minutes to Botanic Gardens, all walkable.
Max 15 adults / children & 2 infants (includes a sofa bed), 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 allocated parking spaces
Best for: mid-size friend groups or family reunions of around 12 to 15 people.
Rated 5.0 on Airbnb. A two-flat combination, a 3-bedroom apartment on the ground floor and a 4-bedroom apartment upstairs, 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms total, with a sofa bed for extra flexibility and 2 parking spaces included. One guest stayed here for a family wedding and said hosts “were easily contactable, and the flats were great.”
The area: Same excellent Queen’s Quarter location, 5 minutes to Queen’s University, 11 minutes to Botanic Gardens.
College Place North: Super Central, Up to 10 People
Max 9 adults / children & 1 infant (includes a sofa bed), on-street parking nearby
Best for: groups who want to be right in the centre of everything, no car needed.
Rated 4.89 (Guest Favourite), 54 reviews on Airbnb. Our most central property, a Victorian townhouse built in the 1860s with a king bed, three doubles, and a sofa bed, right in Belfast city centre. Guests consistently call out the location, one described it as “the perfect base”, walking to City Hall, the Crown, and central restaurants, with easy trips out to Queen’s and the Botanic Gardens.
The area: This property is located in College Place North street which is right in Belfast city centre (BT1), a short walk to Grand Central Station, St Anne’s Cathedral and the Cathedral Quarter, and Victoria Square shopping. This is the only property in such central location that accommodates 10.
Off Lisburn Road: Mid Size Group Ready, Up to 9 People
Max 8 adults / children & 1 infant, 2 parking spaces
Best for: a solid mid-size group that still wants parking sorted, tucked away from the busier streets.
Rated 4.93 (Top 5% of homes on Airbnb), 58 reviews. A townhouse with a king bed, two doubles, and two singles (perfect for children!), two bathrooms (1 ensuite) plus its own private, fully fenced back garden, tucked into a quiet cul-de-sac with 2 free parking spaces. One guest of 8 on a golf trip called it “great for large groups”, another said it felt “safe and tucked away from busy streets” despite being close to restaurants and shops.
The area: In Belfast’s Queen’s Quarter, close to Queen’s University and Botanic Gardens, an easy walk into the city centre too.
Perfect for Couples: Up to 7 People, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 1X Parking
Max 6 adults / children & 1 infant, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, secure parking
Best for: smaller friend groups where nobody wants to share a bathroom.
Rated 4.95 (Top 10% of homes on Airbnb), 92 reviews. 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, every bedroom has its own en-suite, with a secured parking spot on-site and keyless smart lock entry. Guests repeatedly mention this as a stand-out: “having a bathroom each was perfect” came up in multiple reviews from groups of 6.
The area: Just off the Donegall Road, a short walk from Belfast city centre and the Golden Mile’s bars and restaurants around Shaftesbury Square, with the Boucher Road retail park nearby too.
Off Dublin Road: Best for Family Reunions, 2 Properties, 2 Mins From Each Other
These two properties combined host up to 13 people (10 adults & 3 infants) across two houses just 2 minutes’ walk apart.
Best for: family reunions / families travelling together with young children who want a bit of separation between households, without being far apart. We keep cots and high chairs at both properties, and one of the properties has two cots and two high chairs, perfect for twins!
These two townhouses sit just 2 minutes’ walk from each other, so you can book both for a family reunion that wants everyone close by without cramming into one house. One of the properties has its own private, fully fenced garden with outdoor furniture, and there’s a playground right behind the property, several guests with young kids have called it out as a genuine bonus. One family of 3 adults and 2 small children said it was “easy to walk / take a taxi / take the bus to areas of Belfast”, and another with children aged 1 and 4 said the location “could not be better.”
The area: Both are just off the Dublin Road, a short walk to Belfast City Hall and Queen’s University, with a Tesco Express and Centra both under 3 minutes away.
What’s the biggest Airbnb in Belfast for groups? Our largest listing combines three flats into one booking sleeping up to 25 people (22 adults and 3 infants), with 11 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and 4 parking spaces.
Is it cheaper to book direct than through Airbnb or Booking.com? Yes. After booking on either platform, we send a 10% discount code for booking directly with us instead. You can also message us directly through the property’s website link on this page to arrange it upfront.
If I book direct, do I pay upfront? And what’s the cancellation policy for direct bookings? Yes. As we are a small business we don’t have pay later functionality like Airbnb or Booking.com; however you’ll get 10% off the final price. We offer free cancellation up to 28 days before.
Do any of these have cots or high chairs for a family reunion with young children? Yes. All of our properties have at least 1 cot and 1 high chair on site, as well as baby gates.
Is parking included? Yes, every property on this list except one, which is on-street only given its very central location. Details are listed under each property above.
How do I know which one is right for my group size? Every property above is labelled with its real maximum capacity, from our smallest option at up to 7 people through to our biggest booking at up to 25. Message us directly if you want help matching your group to the right property.
Less than an hour from London by train, Southend-on-Sea is one of those places that Londoners have a funny relationship with. It’s close enough that it’s always been the East End’s seaside escape — the place families headed for a day of fish and chips, penny arcades, and the famous pier. And for that reason, it’s easy to dismiss as a bit naff, a bit retro, a bit too close to home to feel like a proper trip.
That would be a mistake.
Southend has genuinely come into its own over the past few years, and when you pair it with its neighbour Leigh-on-Sea — a genuinely charming fishing village with a brilliant food scene, independent pubs, and an Old Town that looks like it should be somewhere in Cornwall — you’ve got one of the best day trips or weekend escapes you can do from London. I’d take this over a crowded Brighton Saturday any time. We spent a lovely family 3 day weekend ourselves!
Here’s everything you need to know.
VISITING SOUTHEND-ON-SEA & LEIGH-ON-SEA: THE ESSENTIALS
Transport / Southend is one of the easiest day trips from London — trains from Fenchurch Street take around 50 minutes to Southend Central, or around 60 minutes from Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria. Both stations are walkable to the seafront. Book your train here. If you’re driving, it’s about 40 miles via the A13 or A127 — compare rental car prices on DiscoverCars if you want to make a proper weekend of it and explore the wider Essex coast.
Stay / Southend has hotels to suit every budget, and Leigh-on-Sea has some lovely B&Bs and self-catering options if you want to stay somewhere with more character. Search accommodation in Southend-on-Sea on Booking.com.
Connect / You’ll need mobile data while you are in the UK, I always recommend using an eSIM (there’s absolutely no need for a physical one!). I always use Sim Local, and you can get 5% discount with code TRAVELWITHPAU. Get it here.
Get Insured / Things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for over 150 activities, emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Why Visit Southend-on-Sea & Leigh-on-Sea?
The combination is what makes this trip worth doing. Southend gives you the classic British seaside experience done properly — the world’s longest pleasure pier, a fun-fair, golden sand, and the kind of cheerful chaos that only the English coast in summer can produce. Then you walk or drive ten minutes west to Leigh-on-Sea and suddenly you’re in a completely different world: cobbled lanes, weather-boarded fishermen’s cottages, cockle sheds straight off a postcard, and some genuinely brilliant places to eat and drink.
It’s the same formula that makes Rye and Camber Sands work so well. And like that trip, it’s one you can do in a day or stretch into a weekend without running out of things to do.
How to Get There
By train: The easiest option by far. Trains from London Fenchurch Street run directly to Southend Central and take around 50 minutes — this is the fastest and most frequent service. Trains from London Liverpool Street go to Southend Victoria and take around 60 minutes. Both stations are a short walk from the seafront. Services run frequently throughout the day; book in advance on Trainline for cheaper fares.
For Leigh-on-Sea specifically, trains from Liverpool Street stop at Leigh-on-Sea station, which drops you right in the middle of the action. Perfect if you want to do Leigh first and Southend later. Book it here.
By car: Around 40 miles from central London — roughly 50–60 minutes via the A13 or A127, depending on traffic (avoid the A13 on a Friday evening). Driving gives you flexibility, especially if you want to explore the wider coastline or stay for the weekend. Compare car hire rates on DiscoverCars— booking ahead gets you the best price.
Southend didn’t really exist as a town until the late 18th century — it was quite literally the south end of the village of Prittlewell, which is why the priory there predates the town by several centuries. The arrival of the railway in the 1850s changed everything, opening up the Essex coast to London day-trippers and transforming Southend into one of the most popular seaside destinations in Britain.
At its peak in the early 20th century, Southend was pulling in millions of visitors a year. The pier — opened in 1889 and extended to its current record-breaking length in 1929 — became the defining symbol of a town that took its seaside seriously. It survived two world wars, several fires, and a collision with a boat, and it’s still standing.
Leigh-on-Sea has a quieter, older story. It was a thriving fishing port long before Southend existed, supplying fish and shellfish to London’s markets via the Thames. The cockle boats that still work out of Leigh’s Old Town are direct descendants of a trade that has been running here for centuries. When the railway arrived, Leigh largely avoided the fate of becoming a resort and stayed a working fishing village — which is exactly what makes it so appealing today.
Things to Do in Southend-on-Sea
Walk (or ride) Southend Pier
The pier is the reason Southend is on the map, and rightly so. At 1.33 miles (2.14 km), it’s the longest pleasure pier in the world — a record it has held since 1889 and one it shows no signs of giving up. Walking the full length and back is around 5km, which sounds manageable until you’re halfway out and realise you’re further from shore than most people ever get without a boat.
If walking both ways sounds ambitious, ride the Pier Railway — a narrow-gauge train that has been shuttling visitors back and forth since 1890. There’s a small museum at the pier head, a café, and views of the Thames Estuary that, on a clear day, stretch to the Kent coast. It’s utterly British and completely brilliant.
Practical info: Pier admission is £3 for adults; pier train return is £5 for adults. Check the Southend Pier website for current prices and opening times.
Adventure Island
Right at the base of the pier, Adventure Island is a traditional seaside funfair with over 40 rides and attractions. Entry to the park itself is free — you pay per ride or buy a wristband. It’s brilliant for families and, honestly, a lot of fun for adults too. The bigger rides are genuinely thrilling and the views from the top of the Rage roller coaster (now you’re looking at that pier from the other angle) are great.
SEA LIFE Adventure Southend
Right by the seafront, SEA LIFE Adventure is one of the best aquariums in the South East and a brilliant option if you’re visiting with kids — though honestly, you don’t need children to enjoy it. The highlight is the enormous ocean tank with sharks and rays gliding overhead, but the touch pools, seahorse sanctuary, and tropical displays are just as good. It’s indoors, which makes it a solid plan B if the weather turns (and this is the Essex coast, so plan for it).
Practical info: Allow 1.5–2 hours. Located on Eastern Esplanade, a short walk east of the pier. Book ahead in summer — it’s popular.
Southend Seafront & Beach
Southend has around 7 miles of seafront, and the main beach — particularly around the pier — is sandy and lively in summer. There are arcades, seafood stalls, ice cream kiosks, and the full range of classic British seaside entertainments. It’s not quiet or refined, but that’s not the point. Lean into it.
Rossi’s Ice Cream is a local institution that has been making ice cream in Southend since 1932. It’s on the seafront and the queue is usually a good indicator of quality.
Chalkwell Beach
If you want the seaside without the funfair crowds, head a mile or two west to Chalkwell Beach. It’s calmer, greener (backed by gardens rather than arcades), and popular with locals rather than day-trippers. A good option if you’re after a quiet walk along the water before heading into Leigh-on-Sea.
Prittlewell Priory
A 12th-century Cluniac priory right in the middle of Southend, which most visitors walk straight past without realising it’s there. The priory is now a small museum set in beautiful grounds, with exhibits covering the history of the town from medieval times to the present day. It’s quiet, free to enter (small charge for the museum), and a world away from the seafront noise.
Things to Do in Leigh-on-Sea
Explore the Old Town
Leigh’s Old Town sits at the bottom of a steep hill, separated from the modern town above by the railway line. It’s a cluster of weather-boarded fishermen’s cottages, narrow lanes, independent pubs, and working cockle sheds — the kind of place that makes you wonder how it hasn’t been entirely discovered and ruined yet. It hasn’t, quite, and that’s part of its charm.
The best thing to do is simply wander. Walk along the waterfront, watch the fishing boats, look at the boats drying on the mud flats at low tide, and find a pub. The Old Town is small enough to see in an hour or two, which makes it perfect as the second half of a Southend day trip.
Eat Cockles Straight from the Shed
Leigh is famous for its cockles, whelks, and shellfish, and the cockle sheds at the bottom of Old Town have been selling them for as long as anyone can remember. Osborne Bros is the most famous — buy a tub of cockles, whelks, or dressed crab and eat them on the seafront wall with a splash of vinegar. It’s the definitive Leigh experience and costs almost nothing.
Two Tree Island
A short walk from Leigh Old Town, Two Tree Island is a nature reserve on a tidal island in the Thames Estuary, managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. It’s a brilliant spot for birdwatching — particularly waders and wildfowl in winter — and the walk around the island offers great views across to Canvey Island and the Estuary. Free to visit, peaceful, and completely overlooked by most visitors.
Leigh Heritage Centre
A small but well-put-together museum dedicated to the history of Leigh-on-Sea’s fishing community. It covers the cockle trade, the working boats, and the role Leigh played in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940 — when Leigh’s fleet of small fishing vessels crossed the Channel to help rescue Allied troops. That story alone is worth knowing.
Where to Eat in Southend-on-Sea & Leigh-on-Sea
In Leigh-on-Sea Old Town:
The Peterboat — a proper old pub right on the waterfront with a sun trap terrace and good food. The fish and seafood dishes are the obvious choice. One of the best pub settings in Essex.
Ye Olde Smack — another Old Town institution, a tiny 16th-century pub that’s all low ceilings, local ales, and atmosphere.
Osborne Bros — for cockles, whelks, dressed crab and prawns eaten outdoors. Not a restaurant; a cockle shed. Do it anyway.
The Bell Inn — a bit further up from the Old Town but worth the climb for the food and the view back down over the Estuary.
In Southend:
Rossi’s — the ice cream, obviously. Go for the local flavours.
The Pipe of Port — a wine bar and bistro in the centre of Southend that punches above its surroundings. Good for a proper sit-down lunch.
Seafront fish and chips — multiple options along the seafront; find the one with the longest queue of locals and join it.
The Basilica — a family-run Sicilian Italian that’s been on Hamlet Court Road since 1974. Wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta, and excellent seafood. One of the best restaurants in the whole Southend area — book ahead.
Prowse — a Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant perched above the arches on Shorefield Road in Westcliff, with glorious estuary views. The lamb shish and mixed grill are excellent, portions are generous, and it’s consistently one of the highest-rated restaurants in the whole Southend area. Book ahead.
Where to Stay in Southend-on-Sea & Leigh-on-Sea
Southend makes a perfectly good day trip, but staying overnight transforms it — you get the seafront in the evening when the day-trippers have gone, and Leigh-on-Sea’s Old Town pubs at a genuinely relaxed pace.
In Southend: The town has a range of hotels from budget chains near the station to seafront options close to the pier. Search Southend-on-Sea hotels.
In Leigh-on-Sea: B&Bs and self-catering cottages in and around the Old Town are the best option if you want character over convenience. Waking up in Leigh and walking down to the cockle sheds for breakfast is a genuinely lovely way to start a morning. Search Leigh-on-Sea accommodation here.
Best Time to Visit
Summer (June–August) is the obvious choice — the beach is at its best, Adventure Island is in full swing, and the Old Town pubs spill out onto the waterfront. Weekdays are significantly quieter than weekends, when half of East London seems to descend on Southend.
Spring and autumn are underrated. The seafront is quieter, the light over the Estuary is beautiful, and the pubs in Leigh’s Old Town are far more atmospheric on a cool, grey afternoon than in the height of summer. Two Tree Island is also best for birdwatching outside peak summer.
Winter is surprisingly atmospheric — the pier looks extraordinary on a clear winter’s day, and the cockle sheds are open year-round. Southend also does a decent Christmas market.
How Long to Spend There
One day: Very doable. Arrive at Southend Central, walk the pier, hit Adventure Island (or the beach), then take the train one stop to Leigh-on-Sea for the afternoon — Old Town, cockles, a pint at The Peterboat. Back in London for dinner.
A weekend: The sweet spot. Stay in Leigh-on-Sea, do Southend properly on day one, then spend your second day at Two Tree Island and exploring the wider Essex coast. Add a drive to Mersea Island for more excellent oysters if you have a car.
Southend-on-Sea FAQ
How far is Southend-on-Sea from London? Around 40 miles by road, or 50–60 minutes by train from London Fenchurch Street or Liverpool Street. It’s one of the quickest seaside escapes from the city.
Is Southend-on-Sea worth visiting? Yes — particularly if you pair it with Leigh-on-Sea. Southend alone can feel like a lot of seafront noise; Leigh gives the trip a completely different and genuinely lovely dimension.
How long is Southend Pier? 1.33 miles (2.14 km) — the longest pleasure pier in the world. Walking it takes about 25–30 minutes each way; the pier railway runs alongside if you’d rather ride.
Is Southend beach sandy? Yes — unlike most South East beaches, which are shingle, Southend has sandy beaches along much of its seafront. Chalkwell Beach, a mile west towards Leigh, is quieter and backed by gardens.
What is Leigh-on-Sea known for? Its Old Town, fishing heritage, and shellfish — particularly cockles, whelks, and dressed crab from the famous cockle sheds. It’s also increasingly known as a food and drink destination, with some of the best pubs and independent restaurants in Essex.
Can you do Southend-on-Sea as a day trip from London? Absolutely. A day is enough to cover the highlights of both Southend and Leigh-on-Sea. If you want a more relaxed pace — or to properly explore Two Tree Island or the wider Essex coast — a weekend trip is even better.
Enjoyed this? You might also like my guide to Visiting Rye & Camber Sands — another brilliant day trip or weekend escape from London — or my Jurassic Coast guide if you’re after something a bit further afield.
Enjoyed this article? Support my work by buying me an oat capuccino. Otherwise, do me a great favor of leaving a comment and following me on Instagram (@travelwithpau). Feel free to say ‘Hello!’ I don’t bite. And make sure you save the article for later on Pinterest!
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a small commission, at no extra cost to you, to help support my blog.
