Paddle, wander, stroll and potter
Paddle the sea, stroll the prom and wander the pier at Southwold. Meet polar bears at Jimmy’s Farm, elephants at Africa Alive, and some of the UK’s rarest wildlife at Minsmere. Treat yourself to a massage at Seckford Hall Spa, potter the polite high streets of Aldeburgh and Southwold, and discover castles at Orford and Framlingham.
Country kids
Paddle the sea, stroll the beach hut-lined prom, and wander the Edwardian pier at ice cream-rich Southwold. Take an escorted hack through the Suffolk countryside with North Manor Equestrian. Or ride the county’s only standard-gauge heritage railway, the Mid-Suffolk Light.
Love animals? Easton Farm Park’s home to lambs, goat kids, pigs, alpacas and more plus home-baked treats in the Willow Barn Café. Meet everything from farmyard favourites to zebra, crocodiles, polar bears and Arctic foxes at Jimmy’s Farm. Or find dinosaurs at ROARR!, plus tree trekking and a maze.
Go Ape and ride the Segways at Thetford. Learn all about agriculture and textiles and how they’re woven into local living at the Museum of Anglian Life. Transport yourself to the plains of Africa and spot lions, giraffe, meerkats, rhinos and more at Africa Alive. Or ride the camels and the land train at Camel Park Oasis.
Get your crabbing gear out for the nature reserve at Walberswick, then enjoy the lovely sandy beach. Crack the clues on the Southwold Mystery Treasure Trail. Make a splash outdoors at Beccles Lido. Or let the experts from Iken Canoe and Kayak Hire guide you as you glide along the Alde in canoes or on paddleboards.
For the grown-ups
Set in 200 acres of stunning, undulating Suffolk countryside, Halesworth Golf Club gives you nine-hole and 18-hole courses. But if your handicap is your golf game, maybe just walk without the clubs along the Suffolk coast through Rendlesham Forest or from Aldeburgh to Thorpeness.
Listen out for nightjars and woodlarks at Dunwich Heath, then stroll along Southwold beach and pier, pausing for ice cream from the beach kiosks. Or head to RSPB Minsmere to spot some of the UK’s rarest wildlife, including avocets, bearded tits, bitterns, marsh harriers, water voles and otters.
Catch more birds and water wildlife on a trip up the Blyth Estuary on the Coastal Voyager RIB. Take your pooch to Sutton Hoo to roam the 245 acres and see where they filmed The Dig. Shoot clay at High Lodge Leisure. Or taste coastal botanicals in Fisher’s Gin or the 150-year pedigree in Adnam’s beers, wines and handcrafted spirits.
Hunt for a gem at Yoxford Antiques, then take it up to London for a pretty profit. Shop, gig or eat at Snape Maltings. Treat yourself to a massage at Seckford Hall Spa and stay for the golf and brunch. Potter the polite high streets of Aldeburgh, Southwold and Woodbridge and discover castles at Orford and Framlingham.
