dh really wants to go to Basildon (!) for a short break at Easter. I'm sure there are nicer places to stay in Essex - help!

[edam]

OK, it sounds very odd but dh is determined to take us to see the delights of Basildon and surroundings at Easter - he's started a new job there and wants to show ds where he works. But really wants us to stay in a Travelodge in Basildon itself.

I am not quite so keen. But I am SURE there are pretty places in Essex. Can anyone suggest somewhere nicer to stay where we can stop off at Basildon on the way?

Can't you just go there for the day, have a look around, have lunch & go home? Seems a bit excessive to stay overnight when it is near enough for your du to commute to for work and it's not exactly a tourist destination....

Thanks Grapefruit but it's 60 miles away from us. (Dh does the commute twice a week and works from home another day, works somewhere else the other two days.)

I quite fancied a short break, just not in Basildon!

Go beyond Basildon and out towards Suffolk. Colchester is nice and there's lots of pretty countryside around, Mersea, Maldon, Frinton etc all worth a short break if you want sea.

Apologies to anyone who lives in Basildon but its horrid. No, no, no to a weekend break there. If you really need to be close by, Leigh on sea is quite nice, but I wouldnt really want a whole weekend there either.

Essex/Suffolk borders are nice, as are the towns/villages of north essex like Halstead or Finchingfield. Neither are very near Baslidon tho'.

thanks - am thinking we call into Basildon on our way to Frinton/Mersea/one of the other places you mention.

Seem to remember Frinton is famous for not having any pubs - is that the case? Only that would make dh scratch if from the list (he likes trying different real ales).

Is Colchester really nice? I think of it as an army town (apologies to army families but the army tends to choose fairly non-desirable places to house servicemen and women).

I live in Basildon and it's fine but am not sure I'd want a "short break" here if I lived elsewhere.
There are nice areas around here where you could stay and your H could still take DS to visit where he works.

If you do stay here then the Holiday Inn at the Festival Leisure park looks okay and is right on top of the cinema and several eating places plus Hollywood Bowl and Ice skating.

yes, head for Colne valley/south suffolk - do Constable Country etc, it is beautiful

Tell me about the nice places, JollyPirate?

I think you should hire a boat at Dedham Vale and go and see Willy Lott's cottage etc

hsve no advice but pmsl at the thread title. I would imagine hotel sex is hotel sex at he end of the day.

I'd PMSL too if it weren't my dh who is deadly serious. And hotel sex will be limited as we will have ds with us...

I would agree about going to the northern side of Essex - and hiring a boat on the Stour at Dedham is great on a good day. Otherwise, you won't be far from the delights of Southend.

Lots of lovely places to stay in North Essex - and Basildon is only 45 mins down the A12

Colchester is nice - has a castle and other interesting bits.

Villages of Nayland and Stoke by Nayland have lovely pubs.

Round the corner is the Dedham Vale with lots to do and nice places to stay.

Come and have a look on mn local for recommendations

Maldon is nice
Burnham is sweet
Heybridge basin has some lovely walks and ok pubs

Frinton does have a pub now (irrc its a chain one and not worth the effort of a special visit, but its a bit dull

Basildon? As in Basildon, Essex?
Yes there are nicer places. Like Basra

I grew up there, it is the last place you want to go for a holiday because it is unbelievably souless and full of Barry Boys in their stupid fucked up boy racer cars.

And Travelodge??? Stay there if you can get a cheapo room (

Yes, I do realise that dh is being a little, um, odd in his choice of destination! Hence my asking MNers to recommend somewhere else...

Thanks everyone, will go and investigate North Essex and MN Local.

Ahhh

Now I've found the council website for things to see in Basildon

see here

Who would have guessed it?

Facinating

I particularly like the number 5 on the things to visit is the bus station...

at the bus station

Edam - Colchester isn't really an army town any more - they all seem to have moved out. I live there and there ARE nice parts, but I really would recommend Dedham more. Colchester is a fairly large, non-descript town. The castle is very good, as is the attached park. The Minories has a lovely cafe.

I have no useful advice, but wanted to offer solidarity; I am married to a man who once insisted we had a weekend away to Sellerfield Nuclear Power Station.

My mum lives about a mile up the road from the Plotlands, and my nan and my uncle & aunt used to live a mile from Wat Tyler Park.
I remember they renamed WTP to Pitsea Hall Park and there was a huge uproar so the council were forced to change the name back!
My Uncle & Aunt now live half a mile from the town centre.

I'm afraid that everytime I go back to visit the folks I am so glad i left!!

Lawks, am sure that will be on dh's list one day...

Ooh I forgot! Apparently the Secret Nuclear Bunker at Kelvedon is worth a look!!

Lol at your DH's idea of a weekend break! Its hardly Prague or Amsterdam is it? I think its worth putting your foot down over this, honestly .

I'm being VERY nice to him but am insisting it's not ruddy Basildon!