If you are driving to Southend-on-Sea, the best route to take depends on where you are coming from. From London, take the A13 towards Southend. From Ipswich, take the A12 to Chelmsford, then join the A130 towards Southend. If you are coming from the north, take the M11 to the A130 towards Southend.
If you prefer to take the train, you can catch a direct train from London Liverpool Street station to Southend-on-Sea station. The journey takes around an hour. If you are coming from further afield, you can catch a connecting train from London Victoria station or Stratford station.
If you are in nearby towns or cities such as Basildon or Chelmsford, you can catch a train from those stations to Southend-on-Sea station, or take the bus or drive. Buses are also a convenient option if you are coming from further away.