Page Contents
Things to do in Norfolk
Days out in Norfolk
Places to visit in Norfolk

Norfolk is the largest but least populated County in East Anglia, covering around 3,337 sq. miles / 5,371 sq. km., encompassing The Broads National Park, a unique part of England visited by thousands of visitors each year.

Much of Norfolk's coastline is designated as An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the County contains 20 National and 10 Local Nature Reserves.

Sandringham is the Norfolk country home of the Royal family and is open to the public during summer months.

Broadland

Aylsham,is an attractive market town, a short drive from Norwich. Just outside Aylsham is Blickling Hall, one of Norfolk's finest stately homes. The villages of Reedham, Reepham and Wroxham are all worth visiting.

The Broadland region is situated between Norwich and the coast and boasts over 124 miles / 200km. of navigable waterways. There are historic market towns and villages to explore, the tranquil countryside offers green fields, river valleys and fen land.

Broadland supports a wide variety of flora and fauna, for naturalists this is a destination not to miss.

North Norfolk

North Norfolk encompasses some 400 sq. miles / 643 km., forming part of the largest coastal nature reserve in England and Wales. The coastline stretches over 40 miles with long sandy beaches, crumbling cliffs, flint pebble banks and salt marshes.

One of the most famous paths in Britain The Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path can be walked in this area of Norfolk.

The north Norfolk villages of Burnham Market, Blakeney and Cley-next-the Sea, offer stylish shops and award winning restaurants. The seaside towns of Cromer and Sheringham are popular for holidays. Blakeney, Cley and Wells are good centres for birdwatchers and naturalists.

Holt is a small town with several Georgian buildings, interesting for shopping or browsing the art and crafts galleries.

The village of Walsingham is famous as a place of pilgrimage for people of many faiths, worth a visit to see the religious buildings in the village and enjoy its peaceful atmosphere.

Breckland

The heart of Norfolk known as Breckland has an amazing landscape, with wide skies, open countryside and home to Thetford Forest, which shelters a variety of animal and plant life.

Visit Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse to learn about rural Norfolk.

The Breckland area boasts the following interesting towns:

• Derham - a busy market town, with a good shopping centre.



• Swaffham - a historic town, with an elegant market place, which holds a weekly market on Saturdays, and a lively public auction.



• Thetford - the largest town in the Breckland area. It was the capital of the Saxon kingdom of East Anglia, and birthplace of the writer Thomas Paine, author of "The Rights of Man".



• Watton - in the heart of Breckland is a good centre for exploring the area. To the south of the town is Wayland Wood, where the story "Babes in the Wood" illustrated on the towns sign is reputed to have taken place, legend tells that the wail of the doomed children can still be heard at midnight.

Norwich , the county town of Norfolk is a delight to visit and makes an ideal base from which to explore the Fens, East Anglia and the Norfolk Broads.

West Norfolk

West Norfolk Tourist Information can be found in King's Lynn, Hunstanton, Downham Market, and Burnham. Much of the coastline of West Norfolk is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there are several Nature reserves, such as RSPB Reserve at Titchwell. Families will enjoy a visit to Snettisham Park, and find lots to see and do.

South Norfolk

Tourist Information in the south of the County can be found in Diss, Wymondham and Loddon. South Norfolk stretches from the south of Norwich to the Suffolk border, including the peaceful Waveney Valley. There are many little villages with thatched cottages, welcoming pubs and historic churches for you to explore. South Norfolk has over 50 conservation areas, protected for future generations.

Days out in Norfolk

• 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum
  The 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum is a tribute to the Eighth Air Force. There is a fine collection of U.S.A.A.F. uniforms, decorations and combat records.
  
• Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life
  Set in a beautiful Tudor house with 21st century displays, this museum tells the remarkable story of Thetford and the Brecks. Discover rich collections alongside audio guides, films and animations.
  
• Banham Zoo
  An award winning family attraction, Banham Zoo is one of the most exciting wildlife attractions in the country.
  
• BeWILDerwood
  Found deep in the Norfolk countryside, BeWILDerwood is a place of adventure and make believe for children aged between 2 and 102. It is an award-winning attraction and a new concept in child's play.
  
• Bircham Windmill
  Standing in the heart of Norfolk's undulating fields, the windmill now looks as it did over 100 years ago. At that time over 300 mills ground corn for horse and cattle feed and bread making in Norfolk.
  
• Bishop Bonner's Cottage Museum
  This delightful early 16th century, timber framed, thatched building, once three cottages, is the oldest domestic building in East Dereham
  
• Blakeney National Nature Reserve
  The shingle spit of Blakeney Point in Norfolk was one of the first areas ever to be managed by The National Trust, and it has been in their protective care since 1912.
  
• Blickling Hall
  Blickling is one of the greatest houses in East Anglia. The house dates from the early seventeenth century and has fine collections of furniture, pictures and tapestries.
  
• Bressingham Steam and Gardens
  Bressingham Hall offers a unique insight into the dual passions of Alan Bloom - horticulture and steam. The gardens are renowned worldwide, while the steam collection is one of the most comprehensive collections of steam engines and artefacts in England.
  
• City of Norwich Aviation Museum
  Aircraft and memorabilia showing the aviation history of Norfolk. The collection features a massive Vulcan bomber and some of the military and civil aircraft which have flown from Norfolk airfields.
  
• Cromer Museum
  Step inside this cosy Victorian fisherman's cottage and imagine what it was like to live in Cromer at the end of the 19th century.
  
• Elizabethan House Museum
  The Museum is housed in a sixteenth century building with rooms displayed to reflect the lives of families who have lived there.
  
• Fakenham Racecourse
  A day's racing is an exciting day out for people of all ages and from all walks of life. Fakenham prides itself on its friendly, casual atmosphere and it has no formal dress code.
  
• Felbrigg Hall
  This lovely house is within North Norfolk's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and stands in its own 1,750 acre estate. It is one of the finest seventeenth century houses in the country.
  
• Great Yarmouth Racecourse
  Situated in East Anglia's premier holiday resort Great Yarmouth Racecourse provides a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, which attracts serious racegoers and holidaymakers alike.
  
• Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre
  The magical marine world of Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre will introduce you to many beautiful and fascinating creatures of the deep.
  
• Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse
  At Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, enjoy a fascinating journey through the story of rural Norfolk.
  
• Holkham Hall and Bygones Museum
  Holkham Hall, home of the Coke family and the Earls of Leicester, was built between 1734 and 1764 by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester.
  
• Holkham National Nature Reserve
  Holkham National Nature Reserve can be found on the Norfolk coast in the east of England; it is the largest National Nature Reserve (NNR) in England.
  
• Horsey Windpump
  Horsey is a restored drainage windpump that affords striking views across Horsey Mere.
  
• Houghton Hall
  Houghton Hall is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in England, it was built in the 1720s for Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first prime minister.
  
• Hunstanton Beach
  Hunstanton has two beaches - the main town beach called Hunstanton South Beach, and the quieter Old Hunstanton Beach, at the nearby village of Old Hunstanton.
  
• Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary
  Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary provides a vital role in the rescue, rehabilitation and eventual release back into the wild of numerous abandoned seal pups each year.
  
• Inspire Discovery Centre
  INSPIRE is East Anglia's only hands-on science centre, aimed specifically at children and families.
  
• Lynn Museum
  Visit the home of Seahenge - the astonishing Bronze Age timber circle uncovered on a Norfolk beach.
  
• Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
  The ancient Norman Keep of Norwich Castle dominates the city below. Once a royal palace, the Castle is now the centrepiece of a museum housing one of England's finest regional collections of natural history, art and archeology.
  
• Norwich Cathedral
  The splendour and tranquillity of Norwich Cathedral have attracted pilgrims for nearly 1,000 years. For today's visitors the building remains a place for quiet reflection and prayer.
  
• Oxburgh Hall
  The Hall has a magnificent Tudor Gatehouse and boasts needlework by Mary Queen of Scots. Oxburgh is surrounded by lovely gardens and there are charming woodland walks with picnic areas.
  
• Pensthorpe Nature Reserve & Gardens
  Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park is the home to Europe's finest collection of endangered and exotic waterbirds.
  
• RSPB Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve
  Titchwell Marsh is, not surprisingly, one of The RSPB's most popular reserves from sandy beaches to lagoons and reedbeds - it's all here! See the magnificent Marsh Harriers soar overhead! Something for everyone. Don't miss our Guided Walks!
  
• Sandringham House, Museum & Gardens
  Sandringham House is the country retreat of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, built by King Edward VII and passed down as a private home through three generations of monarchs.
  
• Sheringham Park
  Sheringham Park was designed in 1812 by Humphry Repton, the great landscape designer. Repton himself said it is "my most favourite work".
  
• Shirehall Museum
  Walsingham Shirehall was built in the early 16th century and was used as a hostel for important visitors to the adjacent Augustinian Priory. It now houses a hands-on museum about Walsingham.
  
• Snettisham Park
  Make a visit to Snettisham Park, 320 acres of lovely countryside, and you will find lots of interesting things to see and many exciting activities to do.
  
• Strangers' Hall
  Visit one of Norwichs oldest and most fascinating buildings, dating back to 1320.
  
• The Animal Ark
  The Animal Ark is a Centre dedicated to family entertainment and we think we have something to delight all ages; set in 25 acres of pretty parkland there's lots to see and do despite the weather.
  
• The Bridewell
  The Bridewell museum is closed for redevelopment until summer 2011.Discover how Norwich found fame and fortune producing mustard, shoes, textiles, chocolate and beer.
  
• The Tolhouse
  Visit one of the UK's oldest gaols, dating back to the 12th century. See the original cells and discover the fate of thieves, smugglers, witches, pirates and murderers.
  
• Thursford Collection
  Thursford Collection is open as a working museum from Good Friday to end September, (closed Saturdays) when all our mechanical organs are played and shows are given on the Wurlitzer by Robert Wolfe.
  
• Time and Tide Museum of Great Yarmouth Life
  Set in one of the UK's best preserved Victorian herring curing works, Time and Tide tells the story of Great Yarmouth from its Ice Age origins to the present day.
  
• Town House Museum of Lynn Life
  Find out about everday life in Lynn through the ages. This jewel of a museum is set in a 19th century town house.
  

Places to Visit in Norfolk

• Belton
  Belton is a beautiful village on the outskirts of Gorleston-on-Sea. It's a great place for lovers of the outdoors, walkers and those interested in history and architecture.
  
• Blakeney
  If you're planning a visit to Norfolk, then a boat trip to Blakeney Point is a must. The sand and shingle spit of land sticks out like a finger from the main coastline.
  
• Caister-on-Sea
  Caister-on-Sea lies to the north of Great Yarmouth, it is a vastly populated village with not many small shops although it has two supermarkets with the numerous shops and amenities of Great Yarmouth close by.
  
• Cromer
  Cromer is captivating. It is an old town with a long and unique history. Today one tends to be reminded of the archetypal Victorian seaside town with atmosphere from different eras seeping through the old buildings...
  
• Downham Market
  South of King's Lynn on the edge of the Fens is Downham Market, a small hillside town dating back to Saxon times, and one of Norfolk's oldest market towns.
  
• East Dereham
  'The heart of Norfolk' is Dereham's apt slogan as the town lies perfectly at the centre of Norfolk, approximately 20 miles from the county town of Norwich. It is a medium-sized market town surrounded by outlying villages in a rural region.
  
• Gorleston-on-Sea
  Gorleston-on-Sea is a village of around 5,800 residents just south of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Often known simply as Gorleston, it is located on the banks of the River Yare.
  
• Great Yarmouth
  Great Yarmouth, or Yarmouth as it is often shortened to, is on the estuary of the River Yare in Norfolk. It is described by some as a large village, and by others as a small city, but it happily offers the best of both worlds.
  
• Hempnall
  Hempnall is a large village in the north-east corner of the Hundred of Depwade in South Norfolk, about ten miles south of the City of Norwich, at the source of the River Tas.
• Hemsby
  Hemsby is a small seaside village in Norfolk, just a few miles north of Great Yarmouth.
  
• Hopton on Sea
  Hopton-on-Sea with its wide sandy beaches is just six miles south of Great Yarmouth. It is best known for hosting the World Indoor Bowls Championships each January in a series of tournaments at Potters.
  
• Hunstanton
  Hunstanton's clean and safe beach is ideal for family holidays, and a short walk northwards along the shore brings visitors to the town's famous striped cliffs.
  
• King's Lynn
  King's Lynn is an historic medieval port dating back to the 12th century, situated on the River Great Ouse. In medieval times, the Hanseatic merchants wanted an English base with many warehouses, and chose King's Lynn
  
• North Creake
  On the face of it North Creake is an ordinary North Norfolk Village, just a point on the journey to the more lively and popular Burnham Market 3 miles away. But take the time out to stop and explore.
  
• North Wootton
  North Wooton is close to the famous North Norfolk coastline, approximately three miles North West of King's Lynn town.
  
• Norwich
  The beautiful city of Norwich is a delight to visit and makes an ideal base from which to explore the Fens, East Anglia and the Norfolk Broads.
  
• Sandringham
  Sandringham is a small village in Norfolk situated about seven miles north of King's Lynn.
  
• Sea Palling
  The pretty little village of Sea Palling lies on the East Coast of Norfolk, approximately 15 miles north of Great Yarmouth.
  
• Sedgeford
  Sedgeford with just 600 inhabitants has a reputation for being one of the friendliest villages in Norfolk. Located within an area often refered to as "High Norfolk" the landscape is rolling with picturesque woodlands and hills.
  
• Thetford
  Thetford is an ancient market town in Norfolk, located between Norwich and London.
  
• Thuxton
  Thuxton in Norfolk was famous for the Norfolk Black Turkey produced by Peels Turkeys at the Rookery Farm, Thuxton and even to this day Peels Turkeys are still farming this Norfolk delicacy
  
• Tottington
  Once a beautiful village, Tottington has been uninhabited since 1942 when the World War II UK War Department aquired it for trianing purposes.
• Winterton on Sea
  The delightfully unspoilt village of Winterton-on-Sea lies on the east coast of Norfolk. It is only ten miles distant from the bustle of Great Yarmouth, but its a million miles away in character.
  
• Wroxham
  Wroxham, which lies on the River Bure, is very much the heart of the Norfolk Broads. Here you can hire a boat of any shape or size, and spend many lazy hours (or days) meandering along through the scenic countryside.