Highfield Grange Holiday Park

The salt tang of the Essex coast drifts inland here, where Highfield Grange spreads across open ground just a stone's throw from Clacton's beaches and arcades.

This is a straightforward park for tourers and motorhomes — the kind of place that suits families chasing traditional seaside fun, couples bringing the caravan down for a fortnight, or grey nomads working their way round the coast. Clacton itself divides opinion, but if you're after candy floss, amusements, and proper sandy beaches where kids can dig until teatime, you're in the right spot. The dog policy needs checking when you book, so ring ahead if you're bringing four-legged crew.

Facilities aren't detailed in the listings, so it's worth asking what's actually onsite when you reserve — hook-ups, shower blocks, laundry, that sort of thing. Campfires are a check-on-arrival situation, likely dependent on the weather and pitch type. It's a practical, no-frills base rather than a rural hideaway, but if you want the seaside within easy reach and a level pitch for the van, Highfield does what it says on the tin.