Top 5 Best Clacton Amusements

Clacton offers a strong mix of amusements clustered around the beach and pier, which form the heart of the town’s tourist area. Everything along the seafront is within easy walking distance, and with plenty of parking available, it’s a convenient, low-stress seaside resort with a good variety of attractions.

Pubs, hotels, and shops sit close to the promenade, and with direct rail links from Colchester and London, Clacton is easily reached by car or public transport from across the region.

Pier Ave to Clacton Pier 

Most of Clacton’s amusement venues sit along Pier Avenue, just a short distance from Clacton Pier. The entertainment runs seamlessly from Marine Parade through the Pavilion Fun Park and onto the pier itself, giving visitors access to several of the town’s best arcades within a compact area. Whether it’s blazing sunshine or pouring rain, there are lots of different spots to enjoy. 

Top 5 Best Clacton-on-Sea Amusements

Below is our pick of the best Clacton amusements. This was really hard to choose because there are so many great arcades here with fun entertainment, catered toward the whole family. 

For example, Magic City leads the way for the adult gaming machines (with its bar and late license). Though if you are looking for an all-in-one venue for the family or young kids, then the Pavilion Bowl or the Clacton Pier will be better suited.

Visitors will not only enjoy the vast arcades but also a wide range of other attractions, from ten-pin bowling and roller coaster rides to crazy adventure golf, children’s play areas and pool tables. There truly is something for every family member, whether enjoying activities solo or together.

5) Gameshow Amusements

Gameshow comes highly recommended with a great balance of modern ticket arcade games, coin pushers and both fruit and slot machines. The prize shop window has a great range, and the tickets pay out very well here. They have some rare and unique gaming machines in both the adult gaming section and also in the main arcade, so see if you can spot a new game to discovery and enjoy.

4) Gaiety Amusements

Gaiety is thought of as one of the best amusements in Clacton by locals and visitors. This is because they have such a fantastic range of arcade games to play. If you like arcade racing games or the latest fairground arcade machines, then make sure to visit. The casino slots lounge also has a great atmosphere and a wide range of mechanical and digital slot machines to play and explore. 

3) Magic City Amusements

Magic City Amusements has so much to offer for the adults who enjoy a flutter or competitive gaming. With the upstairs bar offering pool and snooker and a super late licence downstairs, Magic City is essentially a casino with all the fun of an amusement arcade. If you like the ambience of the casino and the fun thrills of the latest Vegas games, then do not miss this impressive adult-led gaming venue.

2 Pavilion Bowl Amusements

Being part of the Pavilion Fun Park allows this arcade to benefit from a great range of amenities and food options that upgrade the amusements experience. If visiting with young children, this is a great option as families can have an entertaining day packed full of fun activities including kids soft play, bowling and exploring the great range of larger arcade machines that are available to play. With two adult gaming areas and pool tables, there really is something for all age groups here. 

1) Clacton Pier Amusements

Clacton Pier is touted as the largest pleasure pier in Europe, and for good reason. There is such a huge range of different things to do, and one could spend several days here and not experience it all! The layout is convenient, and arcade machines are plentiful in all the main areas and walkways of the venue. The venue also has adventure golf, kids soft play, ten-pin bowling and even an amusement park and Ferris Wheel with incredible views. With big events happening all year, including Oktoberfest in the late autumn, this gigantic venue really is the perfect destination to visit at any time of the year. 

Visit during the day or play at night?

With many late-night bars and venues with relaxed licensing laws, many places in the tourist area are open until late at night and are certainly worth visiting once the sun has gone down to see all the bright light displays of the attractions and arcades.

In the daytime, visitors have the beach and the promenade and lots of shaded or covered areas to enjoy sea front snacks or a fish and chips lunch. There are also lots of hotel and restaurant bars with verandas perfect for early evening low sun vibe. 

Perfect for Summer and Winter

In the summer heat, Clacton’s layout works well for visitors. Many of the best venues offer shelter or have convenient access, making it easy to dodge the strongest sun. The same applies on wet or windy days, as patrons can move between attractions with minimal exposure to the elements. Being on the east coast also means early morning sunshine on the beach, which is ideal for summer sunbathing. Pubs and restaurants near the seafront make good use of this with outdoor seating, and all the seaside staples such as ice cream, fish and chips, and warm doughnuts are available.

Winter visits remain enjoyable thanks to how close the amusement arcades sit to one another. Even in poor weather, it is easy to move from Pier Avenue through the Pavilion Bowl and into the pier with only brief contact with the elements. Free and inexpensive parking nearby keeps low-season trips simple. In high season, the volume of arcades caters well for the crowds, though bowling and mini-golf are popular enough that booking ahead is advisable.

Clacton Resort Verdict

Clacton benefits from having all of the tourist entertainment venues and activities in a close-knit. The access is great, and one can park up and be straight into the action walk the whole family (and feel safe doing so). 

The quality of the arcade games here is excellent and patrons can find the latest large-scale ticket games such as Space Invaders and Connect Four, yet also discover classic arcade games such as air hockey, pong and shooting games. 

For adults, there is a great range of late-opening nightlife options, including casino slots venues that are licensed to serve alcohol. We recommend exploring everything that Clacton seafront has to offer as it really is a cost-effective and convenient day out for the whole family.