Priory Park Children’s Play Area

The enclosed setup here is genuinely one of the better ones in Southend — you’re not constantly chasing a toddler toward the car park. There’s a merry go round that kids seem to lose their minds over, and the whole area is kept in decent nick, which isn’t something you can always say about council-run spots around here. Good sightlines throughout mean you can actually sit down for five minutes without craning your neck. Suits all ages, so if you’ve got a mix of little ones and older kids, everyone finds something to do.