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The Great Mass Debater

Things to do/places to stay in Norfolk

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Posted in the football section as I dont think anyone reads the non-football section (thanks to Herman and CanaryDan23 for previous responses). Sorry, but local knowledge required

 

After not having had a holiday for about 6 years, my wife surprised me today by saying she would consider a short Butlins/Haven type holiday for around 4 days. Her sister is on one of these £9 Sun holidays at the moment, and so this changed her mind.

She surprised me even further by suggesting Norfolk, as I am always saying what a lovely part of the country it is.

Truth is, as an adult I have only ever been to Norfolk twice, though I lived for a year in Lincolnshire and thought there were some similarities, based on my brief experiences of Norfolk.

When I was a kid, I got taken on boating holidays on the Norfolk broads on a number of occasions. I have only happy memories of that, and to be honest, those holidays are probably why I support Norwich City.

 

Our main barrier to going on holiday has been kids. I have 4 young children (7, 6, 5 and 18 months). We tried going on holiday when we had just the one, to Mallorca, and it wasnt much fun, there wasnt much we could do and at times we fell out. Going abroad seems costly and unnecessary, as our passports have expired, so we'd have to get 6 of those before we even considered flights and hotels.

My kids are very boistrous and can get fed up easily, but I think they'd like somewhere you could walk along a sandy beach, perhaps paddle in the sea, maybe rock pools. They would love penny amusments or any where with some rides. I love the Norfolk broads, but I dont know if this is something you can really do if you're not in a boat.

 

 

Any recommendations for holiday parks (or warnings) or places to go/things to do in general?

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Can't beat Hemsby on a wet August day

PS If you can fall out with each other in Mallorca hate to think what will happen in Hemsby

Edited by daly

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36 minutes ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Posted in the football section as I dont think anyone reads the non-football section (thanks to Herman and CanaryDan23 for previous responses). Sorry, but local knowledge required

 

After not having had a holiday for about 6 years, my wife surprised me today by saying she would consider a short Butlins/Haven type holiday for around 4 days. Her sister is on one of these £9 Sun holidays at the moment, and so this changed her mind.

She surprised me even further by suggesting Norfolk, as I am always saying what a lovely part of the country it is.

Truth is, as an adult I have only ever been to Norfolk twice, though I lived for a year in Lincolnshire and thought there were some similarities, based on my brief experiences of Norfolk.

When I was a kid, I got taken on boating holidays on the Norfolk broads on a number of occasions. I have only happy memories of that, and to be honest, those holidays are probably why I support Norwich City.

 

Our main barrier to going on holiday has been kids. I have 4 young children (7, 6, 5 and 18 months). We tried going on holiday when we had just the one, to Mallorca, and it wasnt much fun, there wasnt much we could do and at times we fell out. Going abroad seems costly and unnecessary, as our passports have expired, so we'd have to get 6 of those before we even considered flights and hotels.

My kids are very boistrous and can get fed up easily, but I think they'd like somewhere you could walk along a sandy beach, perhaps paddle in the sea, maybe rock pools. They would love penny amusments or any where with some rides. I love the Norfolk broads, but I dont know if this is something you can really do if you're not in a boat.

 

 

Any recommendations for holiday parks (or warnings) or places to go/things to do in general?

I've never been but there is an adventure park near Horning called BeWILDerwood, which could be fun for your children. It has stuck in my mind because sometimes reading this message-board (especially the Brexit thread) I feel I have entered a very bewildering wood...😎

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Vauxhall holiday park and Caister Haven sites are pretty well run with decent facilities, Vauxhall is near Gt Yarmouth centre and Caister is literally on the beach, High Kelling at North Norfolk (Pinewoods?) is also supposed to be good. Hiring a boat on the broads would probably cost as much as a two week all inclusive in the Caribbean though!

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Wells mate. Big beach great walks through pine forest to Holkham, penny slots, French’s fish and chips, terrific sunsets from the beach if you’re lucky, Vic at Holkham for the adults... get the weather and it’s fantastic for kids. 

Edited by Van wink
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1 hour ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Going abroad seems costly and unnecessary,

Sounds like your kids are costly and unnecessary 😉

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Banham zoo is very good - decent size enclosures etc but might get a bit pricey with 4 kids in tow. A trip to Horsey to see the seals basking on the beach is well worth it and costs nothing but the petrol.

Edited by kick it off

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Found this out a few years ago when I took the girlfriend back to the home county, so she would fall in love with Norfolk.

Hunstanton is the only place in the UK you can see the sunrise, and the sunset, over the sea!

I bought her a photography course that started at Holkham beach and ended at Hunstanton.

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10 hours ago, splendidrush said:

4 kids under 7? No wonder your Wife wants a holiday 😱

More mass debating might help.

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11 hours ago, Van wink said:

Wells mate. Big beach great walks through pine forest to Holkham, penny slots, French’s fish and chips, terrific sunsets from the beach if you’re lucky, Vic at Holkham for the adults... get the weather and it’s fantastic for kids. 

Just got back yesterday from a long weekend in Wells and my family love it there 😎 

 

we love holidays abroad and now that my daughter is old enough we’re going to do the Inca trail this summer... but we’ll always come back to Norfolk !

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  • Wells is great for the beach, especially with kids. If you go in the Summer you do need to get there by about 10.30 if you want to park near the beach cafe - this makes it much easier to get your stuff and children on the beach. The town at Wells is also nice, fish and chips on the quay are good.
  • Mundsley is a great beach. You can park behind the shops and it is a short walk down tot he sand. There is a cafe on the beach that does okay food, handy if you haven't brought what you need. You can rent deck chairs for a reasonable fee, so that might save some carrying. The sea is safe for the kids to swim in and there are life guards.
  • Holkham - the estate is lovely and normally costs about £3 to park during the Summer. They have a good play area and lots of grounds to wander around. One the other side of the road is the beach, this is smashing but probably going to be a bit difficult if you have four youngsters. It is a 15 minute walk to get to the really sandy bit and that might be a pain with the kids.
  • Brancaster is my favourite beach in Norfolk. Long sandy beach, relatively quiet, but there aren't life guards and when the tide goes out it can be a 10 minute walk to find it again. Brancaster is really close to Hunstanton so we tend to work up an appetite on the beach and then go to Sunny Hunny for Fish and Chips ('fishers' on the green does a really good meal).
  • Cromer and Sheringham - Cromer is my preference but very similar. Nice towns, good beaches, very convenient. 

In terms of more organised places:

  • Bewilderwood - as mentioned above. Good for a day, walkways int he trees and slides etc. Will keep the kids going and they will be knackered come the end of it.
  • Banham Zoo, Amazonia, Africa Alive - as the names suggest, all animal parks. Not my thing so I haven't been but the wife and kids have and they enjoyed it.
  • Sea Life Centres (Yarmouth and Hunstanton) - I have only been to the Hunstanton one, was good. What can you say, fish and penguins and that.
  • Norwich Castle and Cathedrals - Check what is on but they are well worth a visit. The castle is really good and has a museum attached. The CofE Cathedral is near the river, good pubs and a nice walk. Some interesting shops. The RC Cathedral is at the top of Grapes hill. Nice part of the City too, little shops but quite pricey. Good if they are doing tours because you can go to the top - might be a grind with the kids though.

I am sure others can add to this. Good luck and enjoy, the coast is bloody smashing!

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2 hours ago, smooth said:

Found this out a few years ago when I took the girlfriend back to the home county, so she would fall in love with Norfolk.

Hunstanton is the only place in the UK you can see the sunrise, and the sunset, over the sea!

I bought her a photography course that started at Holkham beach and ended at Hunstanton.

Tis true! That's my neck of the woods, where I went to school and my dad has his business etc.

You can't beat a nice lil holiday in sunny Hunny! Searles have a holiday park akin to what you were describing and, having known the Searle family for some time, I can say it's a great little place for a young family like yours to be. But the really nice part of Hunstanton is Old Hunstanton. Here you have a beach with lovely sand dunes instead of a rocky one like in New Huns'ton. You can do things like paddle boarding there (see Supslife page on Insta etc.) and it's not far from Brancaster, Burnham Market, Thornham etc. Lots of lovely pubs and beaches everywhere!

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With four kids eating out and visiting attractions soon becomes expensive. 

You need a base so look at the holiday parks like Pinewood or numerous others around Cromer where there is easy beach access. 

Put kids on the beach and they'll make their own fun all day. Take a packed lunch, use your own water bottles and cook at the caravan site. 

Kids need space and if they are happy you'll be happy, simple. 

Go crabbing on Cromer Pier and enjoy the promenade. 

That's my advice. Kids seldom need theme parks. Just some time and attention and room to let off steam. 

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I'd agree with Wells for kids and Holkham for adults. The parking at both is now significantly more than the £3 mentioned above. Friends of mine with children went to the caravan park at Holt which someone else has recommended. They loved it and its not far from Wells. 

If you do go to North Norfolk it is worth doing one of the seal boat trips from Blakeney. Kids love it. 

Avoid the Norfolk Broads. It costs a fortune and kids will be bored in 10 minutes 

Edited by dylanisabaddog
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3 hours ago, smooth said:

Found this out a few years ago when I took the girlfriend back to the home county, so she would fall in love with Norfolk.

Hunstanton is the only place in the UK you can see the sunrise, and the sunset, over the sea!

I bought her a photography course that started at Holkham beach and ended at Hunstanton.

Sorry Smooth, but you've obviously not been to Cromer

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Quote

 

Put the kids in storage for a week and give Mallorca another try

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13 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

I've never been but there is an adventure park near Horning called BeWILDerwood, which could be fun for your children. It has stuck in my mind because sometimes reading this message-board (especially the Brexit thread) I feel I have entered a very bewildering wood...😎

Beailderewood is ok but the dinosaur adventure park, Roar is a lot better

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1 hour ago, Ramrod said:

Take a packed lunch

Definitely - anywhere you go you will be ripped off for horrible, unhealthy food, which you have to queue for and often can't anywhere pleasant to eat! A couple of days of packed lunches (or picnics as a marketing tool for the kids:classic_biggrin:) will pay for a visit to one of the more expensive sites on a third day.

Weather and budget obviously come into it - especially with 6 of you! There are loads of great beaches if the weather's ok, whichever part of Norfolk you choose. Holkham bay is my favourite but there are many others. Don't forget some form of bat and a couple of balls! + containers for the kids to collect things in and use to build sandcastles!

It's expensive, but my daughter used to love the dinosaur park. Whilst the dinosaurs are just big plastic models, kids love collecting the stamps to complete the challenge (they get a medal if they do it!) + there are one or two rides + animals to see + a very good play area, that my daughter would play in for hours. If you plan ahead, you can get discounts for nearly all "visitor parks."

Adults may have to hold their nose a bit, but there is loads for the kids to do in Great Yarmouth (there are some really interesting things as well, but not really for kids) - again at a cost, but with loads of amusement arcades that you spoke of. There is a mini pleasure beach aimed at younger kids near one of the piers. Cromer and Sheringham are a more up-market (not too much so) alternatives. My daughter was disappointingly unimpressed by piers though!

My wife took my daughter camping - I was working - and she spent days playing cricket with the other kids (and she doesn't like the sport at all). 

Avoid Hemsby.

Edited by Badger

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Yarmouth will offer most of what you're looking for. 

The Haven holiday parks all have loads for kids to do - there's one at Caister which has direct beach access, a pool, amusement arcade and evening entertainment.  Most of the holiday parks have that - Searles in Hunstanton is another one.

Bewilderwood is great for under 10s.  Personally I think it offers more than Roar (sorry JF).

Zoos - Banham, Africa Alive, Thrigby.

I'd agree to avoid the Broads - the kids won't appreciate it.

This is a good site - https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/east/norfolk

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Because the OP wants penny arcades and rides (plus beach) for his kids FF. Where else would you get all those (for that age group)  in Norfolk in one location?

Edited by Crabbycanary3

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If you’ve got kids, I’d definitely look at Elveden center parcs (not quite Norfolk, I know...) or one of the Haven sites as mentioned above if you’ve after something cheaper. Seashore in Yarmouth is good because there is a free road train which transports you down to the seafront where all the arcades and rides are. Doesn’t have to be that expensive either if you book at the right times to get good deals.

Edited by AJ

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Center parcs  would be counterproductive though, you have to sell your children to be able to afford to take your children there.

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