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With a stunning coastline Norfolk is a great all year round destination.
To help plan your stay we’ve put together some of our top recommendations on the best places to visit.
Beaches
- Winterton-on-Sea – not only is this dog friendly beach covered in fine golden sand but it is backed by what are widely regarded as the best sand dunes in Norfolk.
- Gorleston-on-Sea – a two mile stretch of sandy beach, with a children’s splashpad and boating pond plus plenty of cafes.
- Happisburgh – the lighthouse perched on the cliffs provides an impressive backdrop to this secluded sandy beach which is dog friendly and great for days out.
- Hemsby – a lively village resort with shops, amusements, attractions and cafes as well as a wide sandy beach.
- Sea Palling – awarded the Blue Flag status for several years, this is the perfect family friendly beach with parking, and a very small selection of cafes and shops.
Walking & Cycling
- Bacton Woods – if you fancy a change from beach walks, Bacton Woods offers shade and a variety of paths through the forest.
- The Weavers Way – a long distance footpath running for 61 miles between Cromer and Great Yarmouth.
- The Norfolk Coast Cycleway – a 92 mile network of quiet roads stretching from King’s Lynn to Great Yarmouth offering cyclists fantastic views of the coastline and Norfolk countryside
- Broads by Bike – 14 circular trails exploring the Norfolk Broads area
- Broadland Cycle Hire – based at BeWILDerwood which is situated between Hoveton and Horning on the A1062.
Family Days Out
- Bewilderwood – an award winning adventure park with tree houses, zip wires and jungle bridges.
- Wroxham Barns – offers something for all the family with shops, plant centre, junior farm, children’s funfair, craft studios and a restaurant.
- Hirsty’s Family Fun Park – open during the whole of the summer holidays with it’s fantastic Mega Maze.
- Great Yarmouth – with two piers and amusement arcades lining the golden mile stretch of beach, there’s also a pleasure beach, as well as the Merrivale model village, crazy golf, and the Sea Life Centre.
- Roarr – there are digs to be dug and dinos to discover at the UK’s largest Dinosaur themed adventure park.
Gardens & Stately Homes
- The Old Vicarage at East Ruston – a beautiful, 32 acre modern garden containing many garden rooms, and walks.
- Fairhaven Water Garden – 130 acres of ancient woodland in the heart of the broads, with a habitat rich in wildlife.
- The Venetian Waterways – located north of Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile, the ornamental gardens have a boating lake and cafe.
- Blickling Hall – a complete Norfolk estate with a breath-taking red brick mansion, magnificent gardens and historic parkland.
- Felbrigg Hall – a 17th-century English country house noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior.
Museums & Culture
- Time & Tide Museum – set in an old herring curing works, it tells the story of the Great Yarmouth’s growth as a fishing port.
- Norwich Castle – a medieval royal fortification in the city centre built on the instruction of William the Conqueror.
- Happisburgh Lighthouse – the oldest working light on the Norfolk Coast and the only independently operated lighthouse in the UK.
- Museum of the Broads – discover the stories of the broads, it’s people, boats and wildlife at this family and dog friendly museum.
- The Muckleborough Collection – enjoy the experience of driving an actual military tank at this former military camp.
The Norfolk Broads
- The Norfolk Broads – made up of seven rivers and 63 broads, The Broads National Park offers visitors an experience unlike any other with plentiful wildlife, walking and boating.
- Day Boat Hire – there’s a huge choice of hire companies at Wroxham, Potter Heigham and Martham and more than 125 miles of lock free waterways to explore.
- Canoeing, Kayaking and Paddeboarding – either bring your own and launch from approved sites, or there are several hire companies.
- The best way to see the Broads is from the water and Broads Tours offers a choice of trips from Wroxham.
- Mississippi Paddle Boat – the Southern Comfort is a double-deck paddle boat purpose built for the Broads which runs regular trips from Horning.
Wildlife
- Horsey Seals – the spectacular sight of thousands of seal pups can be seen from October to January, and seals can be spotted all year round on the beaches or swimming close to shore at Horsey.
- Winterton Dunes National Nature Reserve – a bird-watchers delight and a haven for wildlife with tern and seal colonies in residence, along with the rare Natterjack toad.
- How Hill Nature Reserve – a large area of established fen within the River Ant valley, north of Ludham Bridge.
- Ross Wildlife Boat Trips – fantastic local guided trips of the Norfolk Broads operating from Martham. A must for bird watching enthusiasts.
- Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens – has tigers, snow leopards and crocodiles.
Food & Drink
- Beachside Cafes – at Winterton you’ll find Seal View at the beach, and Poppy’s Tea Room in the village. We also like the Dunes café at Waxham especially for breakfast.
- Local Pubs – some of our favorite Norfolk pubs include The Fisherman’s Return at Winterton, The Nelson Head at Horsey and The Star at Lessingham.
- Fine Dining – for a special occasion choose from The Kings Arms at Fleggburgh, The Swan at Ingham and Norfolk Mead at Coltishall.
- Farm Shops – Hirsts at Ormesby has a great selection of local produce, Dabs & Crabs Fishmongers and a lovely café. Salhouse Farm Shop & Café is also worth a visit.
- Private Dining – if you’re celebrating something special during your stay we can recommend chefs to cater for your special occasion including Chef2Dine4 and Norfolk’s Edge.