The town is served by a community centre, various shops, restaurants, small hotels, public houses, a petrol station, bank, library, and several churches, including the Norman St Peter and St Paul, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and West Mersea Free Church, affiliated to the Baptist Union. West Mersea has a high proportion of elderly people, so many of the town’s amenities cater for them.

The island has a substantial number of caravan parks, and along with other areas of the Essex coast, the island attracts many visitors from London and the Home Counties in summer. A publication, the Mersea Courier, lists local activities. These include Pond Watch, The Night Sky, Christian Viewpoint and Speed Learn. The Island is famous for its oysters, taken from oyster beds dating back to the Roman era.