I visited one of the UK's 'worst' seaside towns - I'd go back in a heartbeat

This Essex city has long been dismissed as a tired seaside spot, but after seeing it for myself, I found it's far more than its headlines suggest and I'd gladly go back. Despite London being less than an hour away by train and not one but two train stations that take you right into the city centre, Southend-on-Sea is often overlooked by day-trippers chasing trendier destinations but I definitely believe it deserves more credit and that the tide is turning. What I discovered was a seaside city full of life, colour, and character.

Southend's pier has also recently been crowned Britain's best pier by The Telegraph, and new research from our data unit has crowned the city the UK's top seaside destination overall. The city is home to three Blue Flag beaches: Shoebury Common, East Beach Shoeburyness, and Three Shells Beach while Thorpe Bay, Bell Wharf, Chalkwell, Jubilee, and Westcliff Bay all received Seaside Awards this year. On the day I was visiting the sun was sparkling on the water along with striking murals, giant works of art that seemed to gaze out over the pier and Adventure Island as if they, too, were admiring the view, and the world's longest pleasure pier stretching far into the Thames Estuary.

Southend is filled with these giant works of art, a product of the Southend City Jam, which is the city's international street art festival with national and internationally acclaimed artists that come to the city to create colourful and striking masterpieces that remind me a bit of Brighton in some sense.

It's rare to find a high street that offers a view of the sea, but that's exactly what made Southend so striking to me. While the high street isn't the best I've seen, it was really busy and filled with people, even on a Wednesday morning in the middle of the week. Standing at the top of it and seeing the sunlight glinting off the calm sea definitely isn't something you see every day either.

Having grown up by the sea, that moment of arriving in the town centre and being greeted by the sun reflecting on the water at the other end of the high street immediately made me feel at ease.

And it turns out, Southend is one of the sunniest places in Britain. The council says the city basks in around 1,900 hours of sunshine a year, with an average of 28 "summer days" where the temperature climbs above 25C. On a warm afternoon, the seafront sparkles and so does the atmosphere.

There are two shopping centres: one located at the top of the high street and another towards the end of the high street close to the seafront. The city is also home to independent shops, eateries and local businesses like The Board Game Hut, record shop, South Records, charming bookshop, Books-on-Sea or Under the Sun, a shop that has been selling gifts and home accessories since 1997.

I would definitely recommend a visit to Wine Meats Cheese, a hidden gem tucked away at 15 Market Place. It's Southend's only dedicated artisan cheese and English wine shop, and it's clear the owners pour their hearts into it.

Daniel Carter, who runs the shop with his partner, Sally Duvall, made the visit extra special with his warmth and passion for what they do.

The shop serves daily cheese and charcuterie boards, gourmet cheese toasties, Spanish croquetas, and deep-fried brie.

They've been in the location for almost a year and emphasised how rapidly the community embraced the local business. It's the kind of place that makes you linger, chat, and leave with a bag full of treats, a full stomach or both!

As you stroll from the high street to the seafront, you can stop by Remedy Tea Shop, which offers a welcoming setting, dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, a wide range of loose-leaf teas, and a traditional tea room that also serves great coffee.

I only wish I'd stayed longer to try one of Southend's seafood restaurants and discover more of the town and its hidden streets. I'd love to return and spend a lazy afternoon on one of the golden sandy beaches, followed by a meal at one of the charming seafront spot and sample some of its well-known seafood. Wilkie's Shellfish Bar, Mimosa Southend, Namaste Village, La Petite Petanque, and San Fairie Ann are high on the list.