Self catering holidays in Essex in July

Essex is a county most people do not immediately associate with holidays and yet it is a vibrant and beautiful destination with a good mix of activities for the whole family.

The countryside of north Essex is stunning. The landscape painter John Constable thought so and immortalised it in his landscape paintings. Visitors can still go to Dedham Vale and Flatford Mill to see those same lovely views. Amenities for tourists have grown over the years and today's tourist can expect to find museums, art galleries, boating and guided tours in Constable Country.

A day or two on the beach might also be nice during your holiday. The beaches of Clacton on Sea or Walton on the Naze offer sand and sea without too much commercialisation. Enjoy seafood and perhaps a theatre performance.

Last minute cottages in Essex and England - for holiday cottages available in the next few weeks

For those who prefer the fun of the fair and a party atmosphere, Southend-on-Sea is the place to go. There are crowds, busy pubs and clubs, an excellent shopping centre and numerous restaurants. Firework displays and an air show are held every summer during July and August.

If you visit Essex during July, you might wish to experience a big agricultural event such as the Tendring Agricultural Show which is held in 2010 on Saturday the 10th of July. This is an activity filled event with displays, a crafts fair, art show, pet shows, a food hall and everything connected with farming. It promises to be an exciting and fascinating event.

There are numerous other events held all over Essex. The Leigh on Sea folk event is an annual jamboree of colour and music.

Shoppers love Essex because of the huge variety of places to shop. Essex has superb modern shopping centres in all large towns such as Chelmsford, Colchester, historic riverside  towns  such as Maldon with individual shops, Morris dancers and the London barges to see and perhaps sail (see photgraph), plus Lakeside - every shopper's delight.

There is also one of the largest antique centres in Battlesbridge near South Woodham Ferrers and plenty of antique shops in north Essex. Boot fair enthusiasts have numerous fairs to choose from. Lazybones in Rettenden does not open until 10.30 am and there are good food pubs nearby for a late lunch.

For people who like to see chocolate box villages, thatched cottages and country pubs, north Essex will be your delight. Look out for country scenes in the pargetting on country cottages.

Essex has child friendly visitor attractions galore, from Colchester Castle with its hands-on interactive experiences for children, the zoo, soft play centres to open farms and craft experiences.

Come and have an exciting activity filled self catering holiday in Essex this year and go home with bargains.

Click on the pages of self catering accommodation in Essex shown below for good quality family oriented places to stay.

self catering accommodation near the Tendring Show - north Essex

self catering accommodation near Clacton on Sea

self catering accommodation near Battlesbridge Antiques Centre

self catering accommodation near Stansted Airport

self catering accommodation in Essex with availability for July and August