Best camping, glamping, and outdoor stays in Southend-on-Sea

Grab the tent, your flip flops and the bucket and spade and head to the beach, to Southend Pier or to Shoeburyness for a camping holiday in Essex with plenty to do.

97% (1211 reviews)

United Kingdom
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England
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East Anglia
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Essex
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Southend-on-Sea

97% (1211 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Southend-on-Sea

Available this weekend

Lagnersh camping

75 units · Motorhomes, Tents6 acres · Bognor Regis, England

Dog-friendly camping near Chichester and the West Sussex coast

Holistic Woods Campsite WILD

47 units · Motorhomes, Tents20 acres · Woodbridge, England

We are a WILD campsite with character and history. Our most popular pitch is our beautiful SSSI woodland. There are only 25 pitches available. We have a mid wild pitch on the outskirts of the woods, lovely grassed area between trees. Our top field is perfect for motorhomes & caravans. Plenty of space to breath and relax. Located on the stunning heathlands of the Sutton Heath. We are surrounded by beautiful woodland walks, including the Sandlings walk and just 10 minutes from the river Deben. We have a bus stop at the top of the track and Melton train station is a 20 minute walk or 5 minute drive. There are access points onto public footpaths, leading to Rendlesham Forest. A famous site for UFOs! Sutton Hoo is a stone's throw away. Bring your bikes and explore the area on wheels. There is water access and portaloos. We do not have showers yet. Blue/grey waste must be taken away. LEAVE NO TRACE

The Meadow @ Waples Mill

12 units · Tents8 acres · Dunmow, England

Spacious grass pitches in the green Essex countryside A 15-minute drive to Chelmsford; 40 minutes to Audley End Tractor rides on site; firepits provided for campfires. Rural walks, How about proper farm activities like tractor rides (ask site staff for details)? The place to find all this is The Meadow at Waples Mill, an Essex farm site between Chelmsford and Dunmow (and about 15 minutes’ drive from both). This family-friendly site is handy for walks on the Essex Way and other local footpaths, and tractor and trailer rides around the farm are organised on alternate days to give guests a glimpse into agricultural life. Activities complete for the day, it's time to chill out, and that should be easy here – all pitches have access to toilets and hot showers in a trailer close by, and firepits are provided so you can have a safe campfire (with wood available to buy on site and a great farm shop 10 minutes’ drive away for fireside snacks). Pitches themselves are large, well kept and well spaced within a meadow that backs onto the River Roding. Dogs are welcome, and there are plenty of places to take them for a walk nearby. London folk looking for a quick escape to the countryside, this is a place to bear in mind – it’s only about an hour and quarter by road from the city.

Hale Farm

38 units · Glamping, Tents56 acres · East Sussex, South East England

A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches

Whitlingham Broad Campsite

72 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents5 acres · Norfolk, East Anglia

Laid-back camping and glamping a stone's throw from Norwich and at the gateway to the Norfolk Broads

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Holistic Woods Campsite WILD

47 units · Motorhomes, Tents20 acres · Woodbridge, England

We are a WILD campsite with character and history. Our most popular pitch is our beautiful SSSI woodland. There are only 25 pitches available. We have a mid wild pitch on the outskirts of the woods, lovely grassed area between trees. Our top field is perfect for motorhomes & caravans. Plenty of space to breath and relax. Located on the stunning heathlands of the Sutton Heath. We are surrounded by beautiful woodland walks, including the Sandlings walk and just 10 minutes from the river Deben. We have a bus stop at the top of the track and Melton train station is a 20 minute walk or 5 minute drive. There are access points onto public footpaths, leading to Rendlesham Forest. A famous site for UFOs! Sutton Hoo is a stone's throw away. Bring your bikes and explore the area on wheels. There is water access and portaloos. We do not have showers yet. Blue/grey waste must be taken away. LEAVE NO TRACE

The Nut Plat Retreat

3 units · Glamping1 acre · Kent, South East England

Antique living wagons on the banks of the River Bourne, with a charming orchard setting, a pub down the lane and a history unlike anywhere else

Painters Farm Campsite

46 units · Motorhomes, Tents3 acres · Whitstable, England

Nestled beside the village of Painters Forstal, Faversham, Kent. Our two acre orchard site with grass pitches. The campsite lies within seventeen acres on the slope of The Kent Downs, a designated area of natural beauty. The Alma ale house at the edge of the farm serves Shepherds Neame and hot meals all year round. Two acre quiet cherry orchard site based around a Tudor Manor house 1547 that gives its name to our village. Surrounded by orchards and open countryside but within easy reach of Faversham, Whitstable and Canterbury. Pitches for tents, campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans with or without electric hook up on a level grassy site. Pets are welcome and a crew member is always around the reception or farm to help out. The Campsite is open from 1st march until 31st October. The local area is awash with things to do. Faversham once the busiest port in 17th century England for its wool trade has the longest complete medieval street in the country. A wealth of little shops, cafes and pubs as well as the country’s oldest family owned brewery Shepherd Neame. Whitstable sitting just along the coast, famed for its Oysters and Sunsets is a fun beachside community bustling in the summer months and hauntingly bleak in the winter ones. The World Heritage sites of Canterbury are just a fifteen minute trip away with all its well documented history and plentiful shops and eateries.

Lagnersh camping

75 units · Motorhomes, Tents6 acres · Bognor Regis, England

Dog-friendly camping near Chichester and the West Sussex coast

Old Litten

1 unit · Tent8 acres · Steep, Hampshire, South East England

Nestled atop a serene hill, this idyllic field offers a perfect escape for campers. Blanketed in lush, green grass, the field stretches out under a vast, clear sky, providing panoramic views of the South Downs National Park. Wildflowers in vibrant hues dot the landscape. As the sun goes down, the sky transforms into a canvas of twinkling stars, untouched by city lights. This remote haven, far from the hustle and bustle, is a sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and a deep connection with nature.

12 top campsites near Southend-on-Sea

Old Litten

1 unit · Tent8 acres · Steep, Hampshire, South East England

Nestled atop a serene hill, this idyllic field offers a perfect escape for campers. Blanketed in lush, green grass, the field stretches out under a vast, clear sky, providing panoramic views of the South Downs National Park. Wildflowers in vibrant hues dot the landscape. As the sun goes down, the sky transforms into a canvas of twinkling stars, untouched by city lights. This remote haven, far from the hustle and bustle, is a sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and a deep connection with nature.

Holistic Woods Campsite WILD

47 units · Motorhomes, Tents20 acres · Woodbridge, England

We are a WILD campsite with character and history. Our most popular pitch is our beautiful SSSI woodland. There are only 25 pitches available. We have a mid wild pitch on the outskirts of the woods, lovely grassed area between trees. Our top field is perfect for motorhomes & caravans. Plenty of space to breath and relax. Located on the stunning heathlands of the Sutton Heath. We are surrounded by beautiful woodland walks, including the Sandlings walk and just 10 minutes from the river Deben. We have a bus stop at the top of the track and Melton train station is a 20 minute walk or 5 minute drive. There are access points onto public footpaths, leading to Rendlesham Forest. A famous site for UFOs! Sutton Hoo is a stone's throw away. Bring your bikes and explore the area on wheels. There is water access and portaloos. We do not have showers yet. Blue/grey waste must be taken away. LEAVE NO TRACE

The Nut Plat Retreat

3 units · Glamping1 acre · Kent, South East England

Antique living wagons on the banks of the River Bourne, with a charming orchard setting, a pub down the lane and a history unlike anywhere else

Lagnersh camping

75 units · Motorhomes, Tents6 acres · Bognor Regis, England

Dog-friendly camping near Chichester and the West Sussex coast

Painters Farm Campsite

46 units · Motorhomes, Tents3 acres · Whitstable, England

Nestled beside the village of Painters Forstal, Faversham, Kent. Our two acre orchard site with grass pitches. The campsite lies within seventeen acres on the slope of The Kent Downs, a designated area of natural beauty. The Alma ale house at the edge of the farm serves Shepherds Neame and hot meals all year round. Two acre quiet cherry orchard site based around a Tudor Manor house 1547 that gives its name to our village. Surrounded by orchards and open countryside but within easy reach of Faversham, Whitstable and Canterbury. Pitches for tents, campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans with or without electric hook up on a level grassy site. Pets are welcome and a crew member is always around the reception or farm to help out. The Campsite is open from 1st march until 31st October. The local area is awash with things to do. Faversham once the busiest port in 17th century England for its wool trade has the longest complete medieval street in the country. A wealth of little shops, cafes and pubs as well as the country’s oldest family owned brewery Shepherd Neame. Whitstable sitting just along the coast, famed for its Oysters and Sunsets is a fun beachside community bustling in the summer months and hauntingly bleak in the winter ones. The World Heritage sites of Canterbury are just a fifteen minute trip away with all its well documented history and plentiful shops and eateries.

Hale Farm

38 units · Glamping, Tents56 acres · East Sussex, South East England

A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches

The Barn KT9

21 units · Glamping, Tents3 acres · Greater London, South East England

A unique rural campsite in Surrey, a stone's throw from London's Zone 6

The Meadow @ Waples Mill

12 units · Tents8 acres · Dunmow, England

Spacious grass pitches in the green Essex countryside A 15-minute drive to Chelmsford; 40 minutes to Audley End Tractor rides on site; firepits provided for campfires. Rural walks, How about proper farm activities like tractor rides (ask site staff for details)? The place to find all this is The Meadow at Waples Mill, an Essex farm site between Chelmsford and Dunmow (and about 15 minutes’ drive from both). This family-friendly site is handy for walks on the Essex Way and other local footpaths, and tractor and trailer rides around the farm are organised on alternate days to give guests a glimpse into agricultural life. Activities complete for the day, it's time to chill out, and that should be easy here – all pitches have access to toilets and hot showers in a trailer close by, and firepits are provided so you can have a safe campfire (with wood available to buy on site and a great farm shop 10 minutes’ drive away for fireside snacks). Pitches themselves are large, well kept and well spaced within a meadow that backs onto the River Roding. Dogs are welcome, and there are plenty of places to take them for a walk nearby. London folk looking for a quick escape to the countryside, this is a place to bear in mind – it’s only about an hour and quarter by road from the city.

The Slips

39 units · Motorhomes, Tents4 acres · Henfield, England

A relaxed, back-to-basics campsite in the West Sussex countryside

Whitlingham Broad Campsite

72 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents5 acres · Norfolk, East Anglia

Laid-back camping and glamping a stone's throw from Norwich and at the gateway to the Norfolk Broads

King's Lynn Caravan and Camping Park

25 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents10 acres · Norfolk, East Anglia

A well located Norfolk campsite with great access to the coast, fens and traditional market towns

The Hop Farm

50 units · Motorhomes, Tents500 acres · Brenchley, England

The Hop Farm is set in 500 acres of unspoilt Kent countryside, known as the Garden of England. Flat grass fields and surrounded by private woodland and also fields abut the River Medway, ideal for paddleboarding and kayaking. Campers have access to newly refurbished facilities, state of the art showers, toilets and washing facilities. Raised BBQ's and raised firepits are permitted. It's the ideal location for a peaceful escape with endless skies providing memorable sunsets and stars unhindered by artificial light.

Under £50

Hale Farm

38 units · Glamping, Tents56 acres · East Sussex, South East England

A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches

Lagnersh camping

75 units · Motorhomes, Tents6 acres · Bognor Regis, England

Dog-friendly camping near Chichester and the West Sussex coast

Painters Farm Campsite

46 units · Motorhomes, Tents3 acres · Whitstable, England

Nestled beside the village of Painters Forstal, Faversham, Kent. Our two acre orchard site with grass pitches. The campsite lies within seventeen acres on the slope of The Kent Downs, a designated area of natural beauty. The Alma ale house at the edge of the farm serves Shepherds Neame and hot meals all year round. Two acre quiet cherry orchard site based around a Tudor Manor house 1547 that gives its name to our village. Surrounded by orchards and open countryside but within easy reach of Faversham, Whitstable and Canterbury. Pitches for tents, campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans with or without electric hook up on a level grassy site. Pets are welcome and a crew member is always around the reception or farm to help out. The Campsite is open from 1st march until 31st October. The local area is awash with things to do. Faversham once the busiest port in 17th century England for its wool trade has the longest complete medieval street in the country. A wealth of little shops, cafes and pubs as well as the country’s oldest family owned brewery Shepherd Neame. Whitstable sitting just along the coast, famed for its Oysters and Sunsets is a fun beachside community bustling in the summer months and hauntingly bleak in the winter ones. The World Heritage sites of Canterbury are just a fifteen minute trip away with all its well documented history and plentiful shops and eateries.

Old Litten

1 unit · Tent8 acres · Steep, Hampshire, South East England

Nestled atop a serene hill, this idyllic field offers a perfect escape for campers. Blanketed in lush, green grass, the field stretches out under a vast, clear sky, providing panoramic views of the South Downs National Park. Wildflowers in vibrant hues dot the landscape. As the sun goes down, the sky transforms into a canvas of twinkling stars, untouched by city lights. This remote haven, far from the hustle and bustle, is a sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and a deep connection with nature.

Holistic Woods Campsite WILD

47 units · Motorhomes, Tents20 acres · Woodbridge, England

We are a WILD campsite with character and history. Our most popular pitch is our beautiful SSSI woodland. There are only 25 pitches available. We have a mid wild pitch on the outskirts of the woods, lovely grassed area between trees. Our top field is perfect for motorhomes & caravans. Plenty of space to breath and relax. Located on the stunning heathlands of the Sutton Heath. We are surrounded by beautiful woodland walks, including the Sandlings walk and just 10 minutes from the river Deben. We have a bus stop at the top of the track and Melton train station is a 20 minute walk or 5 minute drive. There are access points onto public footpaths, leading to Rendlesham Forest. A famous site for UFOs! Sutton Hoo is a stone's throw away. Bring your bikes and explore the area on wheels. There is water access and portaloos. We do not have showers yet. Blue/grey waste must be taken away. LEAVE NO TRACE

Star Hosts in Southend-on-Sea

The Meadow @ Waples Mill

12 units · Tents8 acres · Dunmow, England

Spacious grass pitches in the green Essex countryside A 15-minute drive to Chelmsford; 40 minutes to Audley End Tractor rides on site; firepits provided for campfires. Rural walks, How about proper farm activities like tractor rides (ask site staff for details)? The place to find all this is The Meadow at Waples Mill, an Essex farm site between Chelmsford and Dunmow (and about 15 minutes’ drive from both). This family-friendly site is handy for walks on the Essex Way and other local footpaths, and tractor and trailer rides around the farm are organised on alternate days to give guests a glimpse into agricultural life. Activities complete for the day, it's time to chill out, and that should be easy here – all pitches have access to toilets and hot showers in a trailer close by, and firepits are provided so you can have a safe campfire (with wood available to buy on site and a great farm shop 10 minutes’ drive away for fireside snacks). Pitches themselves are large, well kept and well spaced within a meadow that backs onto the River Roding. Dogs are welcome, and there are plenty of places to take them for a walk nearby. London folk looking for a quick escape to the countryside, this is a place to bear in mind – it’s only about an hour and quarter by road from the city.

Painters Farm Campsite

46 units · Motorhomes, Tents3 acres · Whitstable, England

Nestled beside the village of Painters Forstal, Faversham, Kent. Our two acre orchard site with grass pitches. The campsite lies within seventeen acres on the slope of The Kent Downs, a designated area of natural beauty. The Alma ale house at the edge of the farm serves Shepherds Neame and hot meals all year round. Two acre quiet cherry orchard site based around a Tudor Manor house 1547 that gives its name to our village. Surrounded by orchards and open countryside but within easy reach of Faversham, Whitstable and Canterbury. Pitches for tents, campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans with or without electric hook up on a level grassy site. Pets are welcome and a crew member is always around the reception or farm to help out. The Campsite is open from 1st march until 31st October. The local area is awash with things to do. Faversham once the busiest port in 17th century England for its wool trade has the longest complete medieval street in the country. A wealth of little shops, cafes and pubs as well as the country’s oldest family owned brewery Shepherd Neame. Whitstable sitting just along the coast, famed for its Oysters and Sunsets is a fun beachside community bustling in the summer months and hauntingly bleak in the winter ones. The World Heritage sites of Canterbury are just a fifteen minute trip away with all its well documented history and plentiful shops and eateries.

Hale Farm

38 units · Glamping, Tents56 acres · East Sussex, South East England

A family-run, working farm in East Sussex offering spacious, traditional camping with no set pitches

The Barn KT9

21 units · Glamping, Tents3 acres · Greater London, South East England

A unique rural campsite in Surrey, a stone's throw from London's Zone 6

Old Litten

1 unit · Tent8 acres · Steep, Hampshire, South East England

Nestled atop a serene hill, this idyllic field offers a perfect escape for campers. Blanketed in lush, green grass, the field stretches out under a vast, clear sky, providing panoramic views of the South Downs National Park. Wildflowers in vibrant hues dot the landscape. As the sun goes down, the sky transforms into a canvas of twinkling stars, untouched by city lights. This remote haven, far from the hustle and bustle, is a sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and a deep connection with nature.

Value Prop

Value Prop

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

There are ample campsites near Southend-on-Sea and, as always, only the very best make it onto our shortlist.

Best camping, glamping, and outdoor stays in Southend-on-Sea guide

Overview

About

Grab the tent, your flip flops and the bucket and spade and head to the beach, to Southend Pier or to Shoeburyness for a camping holiday in Essex with plenty to do. There are ample of campsites near Southend-on-Sea and, as always, only the very best make it onto our shortlist.

Popular Southend-on-Sea holidays

Forest campsites

Glamping pods with a private bathroom

Glamping with a private bathroom

Shepherd's huts

Dog-friendly campsites

Top parks near Southend-on-Sea

Chew Valley Lake

Scolt Head Island

Top towns near Southend-on-Sea

Top regions near Southend-on-Sea

North East England

Peak District National Park

Snowdonia National Park

Brecon Beacons National Park

Lake District National Park

Malvern Hills AONB

New Forest National Park

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