Rayleigh is a market town in Rochford, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea, just over 30 miles outside of London. This Essex town is very popular with commuters who work in the city. If it's not travelling in and out of the big smoke you're looking for though, there's still plenty to do. You can visit a small Dutch cottage or a local town museum, the Rayleigh windmill or the National Trust Estate of Rayleigh Mount. There's an amusement centre, plenty of country parks and gardens, including an RHS estate not too far away in Chelmsford. If you're looking for a seaside retreat, it won't take you too long to travel down to Southend from here.