Hunstanton
SEA LIFE Hunstanton · Photo: Basher Eyre
A morning in the dunes and pinewoods at Holme, where children go free, then the seal rescue centre at Hunstanton's aquarium. The aquarium also works as the whole day if the weather turns.
Nature & gardens · 10:00–12:30 (2h30m)
Follow the paths through the dunes to the beach; cafe at the visitor centre.
Dunes, pinewoods and a wide sandy beach where the Wash meets the North Sea, managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust. Children go free; adults pay one charge covering parking and entry.
Photo: norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk
Aquarium · 13:30–15:30 (2h)
See the seal pup recovery pool; book online to save.
A seafront aquarium in Hunstanton that also runs Norfolk's only seal rescue centre, with a new recovery pool for pups. A good indoor stop on a coast day.
Photo: Basher Eyre
East of EnglandNorwich
Day one pairs the newly reopened Norman keep in the middle of Norwich with an easy lakeside walk on the edge of the city. Day two heads into the Broads for old boats, a short river trip and a wildlife reserve on Hickling Broad.
Norwich Castle → Whitlingham Country Park → Museum of the Broads → NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes
East of EnglandLowestoft
A free wetland reserve with a play area and marsh-view cafe in the morning, then down the coast to Southwold, where the pier's Under the Pier Show is full of odd home-made coin machines. Walking the pier itself costs nothing.
Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve → Southwold Pier
East of EnglandRestaries at Paradise Farm, Westhall
Settle into a converted barn on a Suffolk farm, swim in the heated covered pool and meet the goats and alpacas, then spend a day on the coast: giraffes and lions at Africa Alive, lunch on Southwold Pier, Tim Hunkin's eccentric machines and a run on the beach. Works for toddlers through to tweens.
Restaries at Paradise Farm → Africa Alive! → Boardwalk Restaurant, Southwold Pier → Southwold Pier
