Nippers
School of Motoring
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Clacton On Sea
Introduction - Things To Do - Places To Eat - Transport Links
Introduction
Clacton On Sea is the largest town in the Tendering Peninsula with a population of just over 53,000 people and is only 80 minutes from London Liverpool Street.
Since the increasing popularity of holidays abroad, Clacton has become more of a retirement hotspot rather than the seaside resort it once was. Despite this Clacton still attracts thousands of tourists each year and retains many popular tourist attractions such as theatres, a pier, golf courses and amusement arcades to name but a few.
The weather is also very good compared to the rest of the UK and live weather information can be found here.
These factors make Clacton the perfect place to learn to drive. The town is lively and packed with things to do, without being busy and congested.
Things To Do
Below is a list of just some of the things Clacton has to offer:
The Seafront
The seafront boasts an award winning golden beach and beautifully kept seafront gardens.
With over 5 miles of promenade and sand the seafront is the ideal place to unwind at the end of a long day. Martello Bay has a huge area of golden sand and is a popular summer tourist destination for families.
There are also 2 crazy golf courses next to the promenade, which are very popular in the summer. In addition, there are many ice cream vendors along the promenade which sell cold and hot drinks, ice creams and buckets and spades etc.
The Pier
Clacton pier is a family run pier which has numerous fairground rides, and totals 6.5 acres which extend out into the North Sea. Best of all, it's free to enter!
Amusements also make up a large portion of the pier and include many state of the art gaming machines, as well as slots and fruit machines not to mention the numerous 'penny falls' machines which are great fun on a low budget.
At the end of the pier there is the Jolly Roger restaurant and a sea aquarium and pub close to the entrance.
Wristbands are a popular payment method for visiting the pier and allow visitors to ride any ride as many times as they want.
More information about Clacton Pier can be found at www.clactonpier.org.
Holland Haven Country Park
Acres of unspoilt coastal grazing marshes with footpaths through meadows and passed cliff tops to Frinton On Sea. Bird watching hides are plentiful as well as benches for picnics and rest stops. There are also plenty of wild rabbits around as well as the occasional fox.
Markets
The market in Clacton runs every Tuesday and Saturday and the Undercover Market is open from Monday to Saturday. Both are ideal for the casual shopper looking for a bargain.
Clacton Shopping Village
At the village you will find a great range of stores selling everything from fashion and sportswear to jewellery, books, household items and toys. With 48 stores you are bound to find something interesting and you may save up to 60% on the high street price!
More information about Clacton Shopping Village can be found at www.clactonvillage.co.uk.
Theatres
The West Cliff Theatre is one of the last theatres in the country to put on a traditional summer show and has done so since it was built in 1928.
Further information about productions at the West Cliff can be found on their website at www.west-cliff-theatre-clacton.org.uk.
The other theatre in Clacton, the Princes Theatre is situated within the town hall and is the district's number one multi-purpose venue for live entertainment.
To see what's on at the Princes Theatre, click here.
Nightlife
Clacton has a vibrant nightlife which usually begins in the local Wetherspoons, called The Moon & Starfish. Like all other Wetherspoons, 'The Moon' offers cheap food and drink and it great value for money.
There are plenty of other bars dotted around the seafront but the most popular is Tom Peppers with Fibbers nightclub located upstairs.
The main nightclub in Clacton is Rumours which is open until 3am on Friday and Saturday.
The Moon and Starfish (Wetherspoons) - 01255 222998 - 1 Marine Parade East, CO15 1PT
Rumours Nightclub - 01255 435942 - 50 Rosemary Road, CO15 1PB
Tom Peppers and Fibbers - 01255 423199 - 2 Marine Parade West, CO15 1RH
Sports Centre
The local sports centre has many facilities including:
- Badminton Courts
- Tennis Courts
- Basketball Courts
- Swimming Pool
- Astroturf
Clacton Leisure Centre - 01255 686688 - Recreation Road, CO15 6DR
Happy Valley Recreation Ground
Happy Valley is based in Holland On Sea and consists of a tranquil 9 hole pitch and putt course as well as 4 grass tennis courts.
For any further information please contact Clacton Leisure Centre on 01255 686688.
Places To Eat
Here is a small selection of the main places to eat in Clacton. For a comprehensive list see here.
Chinese
Charlie Changs Chinese Restaurant - 01255 430258 - 12 Pier Avenue, CO15 1QA
Fast Food
Favourite Chicken & Ribs - 01255 434456 - 44 Rosemary Rd, CO15 1PB
KFC - 01255 688060 - 11 Pier Avenue, CO15 1QB
McDonald's - 01255 436058 - 24 Pier Avenue, CO15 1QN
Wimpy Restaurant - 01255 427469 - 18 Station Rd, CO15 1SX
Zorba's Kebab House - 01255 422984 - 103 Station Rd, CO15 1TW
Pub Meals
The Flamingo - 01255 812239 - Kings Parade, CO15 5DD
The Martello Inn - 01255 425739 - Marine Parade, CO15 1NW
The Moon and Starfish (Wetherspoons) - 01255 222998 - 1 Marine Parade East, CO15 1PT
Fish & Chips
Geos Fish Bar - 01255 424497 - 3 West Avenue, CO15 1QR
Transport Links
Train
With a direct line from London Liverpool Street, Clacton is easy to reach and takes only 80 minutes to reach from the capital.
Trains also run regularly to Colchester and Walton On The Naze, which are prominant towns in the area.
Car
Clacton is approximately 60 miles away from the M25 along the A12, A120 and A133 and is well sign posted from Colchester onwards.
For directions use multimap.
