Southend-on-Sea is the closest seaside resort to London and with more than 5 million visitors a year, it remains a magnet for people wishing to escape the hustle and bustle and get away for some fun, relaxation and culture. Southend offers a seven mile stretch of coastline, award-winning beaches, beautiful parks and gardens, family fun attractions, museums, art galleries and watersports. It is also home to the longest pleasure pier in the World stretching 1.33 miles in the Thames estuary. The town has a vibrant nightlife with fashionable nightspots, casinos and pubs as well as theatre and classical music venues.