The area caters for most tastes and interests…
Art:Art Galleries, Centres for Visual Arts, Artists’ Open Studios
Antiques:Antique centres & shops, antique fairs & flea markets
Amber:Look for some on the beach – best place in Britain to find it
Aviation history:WW2 airfields & memorial museums
Archaeology:Sutton Hoo, Dunwich, Grime’s Graves
Architecture:Rich in Medieval timber-framed buildings
Auctions:Weekly at nearby Beccles and Diss
Beaches:Clean and safe bathing on sand and sand shingle beaches
Bird-watching:RSPB Minsmere Bird Sanctuary, Orford Ness
Boating:As in ‘messing about in’ on the Broads, Thorpeness Meare, Fritton Lake
Books:Second-hand & antiquarian
Car Boot sales:Friday Street Car Boot every Sunday in season + numerous others
Cycling:Good hire facilities in nearby Southwold
Castles:Framlingham, Orford , Norwich, Bungay
Crafts:Potteries, ceramics, textiles, glass
Churches:Did you know that there are over 500 medieval churches in Suffolk alone?
Country pursuits:Agricultural Shows, Game Fairs, Farmers Markets, Riding, Clay shooting etc
Country Estates & Houses:Sandringham, Somerleyton, Holkham Hall, Blickling, Oxburgh Hall etc
Eating Out: From excellent pub meals to fine dining
Family:Pleasurewood Hills, Banham Zoo, Play Barn, Suffolk Wildlife Park, Discovery Centre, Dinosaur ,Adventure Parks, Aquariums, Fritton Countryworld etc
Fishing:Deep sea, trout lakes, coarse fishing (angling licence needed)
Fresh food:PYO, markets, preserves, roadside stalls, farm shops
Flying/gliding:Beccles & Old Buckenham
Gardening:Specialist nurseries, village open gardens, country house gardens
Golf:Excellent local courses with day memberships
Going to the Dogs:Great Yarmouth Stadium
Ghosts:Black Shuck at Blythburgh, the Bungay Bigod Ghost!
Horses:Equestrian centres, riding, horse sanctuaries, specialist museums
Horse-racing:Newmarket, Fakenham
History:Museums, medieval buildings & ancient monuments
Kites:Acquire a hand-crafted one and fly by the sea!
Mills:Working Windmills, Tide Mills, Tower Mills
Motor Racing:Sport/banger/karting/ at Snetterton, Foxhall, Yarmouth
Music:Everything from classical to jazz to contemporary
Nightlife:Not a lot – clubbing in Gt Yarmouth/Norwich?
Theatre:Loads of choice from seasonal open-air productions of Shakespeare to whodunnits at Southwold Summer Theatre + mainstream at Norwich, Ipswich and Lowestoft
Rail & Steam:Narrow gauge railways, steam locomotive rallies and museums
Real Ale:Adnams, St Peters Ale and many more
Roses:Peter Beales, Mannington Hall Gardens
Ruins:Leiston Abbey, Covehithe church, Framlingham Castle, the Minster
Rural trades & crafts:Agricultural museums, farm tours etc
People-watching:Southwold Pier, street cafes, town strolls
Seafood:Fresh-off-the-boats fish, crabs in season
Swimming:Blue Flag beaches, indoor heated pools
Shopping:Snape Maltings, Southwold, Norwich, Woodbridge etc
Urban Fix:Norwich, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge
Vineyards:Excellent locally made wines from several local vineyards + tours
Walks:Coastal & marsh walks, country rambling, forest trails
Water Sports:Sailing, wind-surfing, water-skiing
Wildlife:Birds of Prey/Owls, RSPB Sanctuary, Nature Reserves
www.norfolktouristattractions.co.uk
Note: American visitors may be particularly interested in the ‘american connections’ page of www.suffolkcc.gov.uk/tourism
Further detailed information as to many of these places – and others – is supplied in the Information Pack at the cottage which has been compiled for your use.
