Family Holidays Overview

Family Holidays: Suffolk family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4 stars out of 5

Why

It's peaceful. It's beautiful. It's flat. It's only two hours from London. It's Suffolk.

If you want your kids to enjoy some good old-fashioned seclusion and wide open space, even Suffolk's geography is in your favour – erosion has stopped anyone building much of a coastal road, so to travel along, you have to drive inland and then back out to the water. It's an effective way of deterring too many visitors and this is some of the least developed part of southeast England's coastline, much of it declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The seclusion has also allowed wildlife to flourish, notably wildfowl and wading birds on the five rivers and their estuaries, marshes, reedbeds and the coastal lagoons where there are bitterns, marsh harriers and avocets.

The lack of development has gone hand in hand with a cultural element to life here, notably Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh music festival, and other concerts through the year. This is high brow stuff! In fact the only downside is its proximity to the capital. In recent years, Southwold and Aldeburgh have started to resemble Islington-on-Sea at weekends.

Indeed a well-placed beach hut can sometimes change hands for the same price as a small flat elsewhere!

Crooked houses in Lavenham
Colourful beach huts
The beach in Suffolk
Family fun in Southwold
  1. Top left: Crooked houses in Lavenham
  2. Top right: Colourful beach huts
  1. Bottom left: The beach in Suffolk
  2. Bottom right: Family fun in Southwold

When

Suffolk is worth visiting any time of year, but obviously its beaches are more popular in the warmer months. And if you fancy crashing waves and bracing walks, you can enjoy its charms any time of year. But remember this is most definitely the North Sea you're swimming in rather than the Red Sea. It's that bit wilder in comparison with England's gentler south coast.

How

take the car

If you really want to see Suffolk at its best with children, you need the car. The coast is approximately two to two-and-a-half hours from London.

take the train

Trains leave from Liverpool Street regularly for Ipswich and beyond. Note that the train lines stay a fair distance inland from the coast.

take the plane

You can fly into Stansted from many British cities. Low-cost airlines that use it as a hub include Ryanair and Easyjet. You'll then need to rent a car.

Stay

There are numerous accommodation options on the coast and inland. We provide details on a couple of options below and you can also check out our wide selection of cottages or consider a stay at the Elveden Forest Center Parc Resort.

Do

Suffolk has so much to offer kids of all ages from theme parks to fascinating museums and, of course, fantastic beaches.

Pure fun is available at Pleasurewood Hills nr Lowestoft, with an all in one price of £11.50 (online) for those over a metre, under 1 metre free. Family ticket for four including a parent £34. On 50 acres with parrot shows, sea lion shows, rides especially for the 4 to 9s, traditional fairground games, plus thrill rides like the Cannonball Express, log flume, pirate ship etc. Chairs and trains transport visitors.

Also worth a look is Discovering East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft – themed on a North Sea Gas Exploration Rig, with ropes, scramble net, ball pond etc.

Pure history is up for grabs if you turn your Suffolk trip into a learning holiday and ensure the kids impress their teachers when they get back to school. Take the Family favourites include:

  • Sutton Hoo Woodbridge, a burial site of low grassy mounds which revealed an Anglo-Saxon ship containing the treasure of an early English king. Now part-owned by the National Trust, the treasures in the British Museum. Guided tours Bank Holidays and weekends and exhibition explaining site’s importance.
  • Framlingham Castle Norman battlements with 13 towers in a one-time fortress, Elizabethan prison, school and poorhouse. Free activity sheet for children and in summer period recreations. Open all year.
  • Orford Castle A great keep of Henry II on four levels with interactive CD-ROM system and children’s activity sheet. Views over Orford Ness. Open all year.
  • Bungay Castle Norman with flint walls.
  • Windmills include Saxtead Green Post Mill, an 18th century mill still in working order with audio tour; Buttrum’s Mill Woodbridge, six-storey 19th century, working most weekends; and Woodbridge Tide Mill 18th century on the quay of the River Deben, set in motion on the tides.
  • Somerlyton Hall A Jacobean house rebuilt as Anglo-Italian in last century, still with lived in feel, and gardens with maze and miniature railway.
  • Churches – notably the so-called cathedral of the marshes at Blythburgh.

You can also take the kids along to Suffolk’s wide range of museums:

  • Long Shop Museum Leiston. An award-winning museum in the place built in 1852 for Britain’s first production line for steam engines. Steam engines, traction engines and memorabilia plus an exhibition on how a steam engine works.
  • East Anglia Transport Museum – Carlton Colville with three acres of woodland with restored vehicles and reconstructed ‘30s scene.
  • Dunwich Museum offers intriguing information on the medieval town which has slipped into the sea.
  • Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum Flixton, Craft and related material from the Wright brothers onwards.
  • Lydia Eva steam drifter Lowestoft, the last surviving herring drifter with exhibition of life on board.
  • Maritime Museum of the International Sailing Craft Association Oulton Broad with the largest collection (around 300) of man and wind powered ethnic craft from around the world. In summer some boats may be sailed.
  • William Clowes Print Museum Beccles, commissioned by the local print company, covering printing from 1800.

Pure nature is on your doorstep everywhere in Suffolk:

  • Woodlands notably the coastal forests of Tangham, Tunstall and Dunwich, managed to produce timber and benefit wildlife and visitors. There are a number of way-marked trails and bridleways (leaflets from the tourist information centres). The Three Forest Cycle Trail is popular.
  • Rendlesham Forest Centre is a forestry commission centre five miles from Woodbridge with waymarked trails, visually impaired/all ability trail, easy access trail, cycle trails and hire, children’s adventure play area, giant nightjar play sculpture, and children’s orienteering course.
  • Sandlings Heaths is part of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
  • Orford Ness until recently MOD land (used for radar testing, switching gear for the atomic bomb) and rather eerie. Now NT. Accessible by boat, mainly for serious bird watchers.
  • Minsmere Reserve is a big RSPB reserve. Skirted by public paths but you'll need a permit for all but one hide.
  • Bikes can be hired, for example, from Byways Bicycles Darsham nr. Saxmundham (01728) 668 764. From £5 per day, children’s bikes from £3.50, child trailers £5.
  • River boat trips from Orford, Snape, Waldringfield, and Woodbridge. Options include Sail Southwold (07887) 525 082 in a converted 1912 sailing fishing boat, still traditionally rigged. No experience required. There is day boat hire at Oulton Broads, available hourly or daily, trips from Lowestoft, from Snape Maltings down the river Alde. From Orford there are boat trips to see seals, avocets etc.
  • Horse and Carriage Rides are available at Tannington Hall, nr Framlingham. These can be combined with a meal at the hall.

Pure beauty of the beaches

Much of the 45-mile, largely unspoiled coast is managed for conservation. Agate and other semi-precious stones like amber may be found on the pebble beaches (we found a small piece of amber). Felixstowe north and south, the Pier and the Denes at Southwold are the only three beaches where water quality is approved by the Good Beach Guide.

Pure animal magic

  • The Otter Trust Earsham, Bungay. Reported the largest and oldest otter conservation organisation in the world, operating a re-introduction programme. Britsh otters tend to be retiring so there are Asian otters for visitors to see. Also lakes with waterfowl, deer and free-roaming wallabies. Children’s play area.
  • Easton Farm Park south of Framlingham, with working dairy, animals to pet, pony rides, adventure playground, and a green trail by the River Debden. Also working blacksmith. Usual shops. Gravel paths tricky with buggies.
  • Suffolk Wildlife Park African Adventure on 100 acres, actively encouraging hands-on experience at daily animal handling sessions. Bird of prey displays, children’s entertainers Mid July to September, bouncy castles, adventure playground, free safari road train, face painting, interactive discovery area, crazy golf. Also roaming Chesney the Cheetah character. Real animals include lemurs, meerkats, parrots, aardvarks, lions, monkeys giraffes and more.
  • Country World Fritton – woodland walks, children’s farm, heavy horse stables, miniature railway, birds of prey.

Pure splashing around in the pool:

  • The Waveney Sports & Leisure Centre Lowestoft
    (01502) 569 116
  • The Waveney Valley Swimming Pool Bungay
    (01986) 895 014
    Has a pool with flume, plus a teaching pool.
  • Dairy Hill Halesworth
    (01986) 872 720
    Outdoor heated pool May to September.
  • Puddingmoor Beccles
    (01502) 713 297
    A heated outdoor pool and children’s paddling pool, May to September.
  • Deben Pool Deben
    (01394) 380 370
  • Leiston Leisure Centre Leiston
    (01728) 830 364

Pure other stuff

Crabbing – a favourite activity with bacon on string and a bucket to collect the crabs before throwing them back in.
Lifeboats – the one at Southwold is open to visitors on a viewing platform for example.

Pure tourism information

There is a lot of material available from tourist offices. A Day Out in Suffolk by Suffolk County Council offers pretty comprehensive detail on museums and galleries, town trails, historic buildings. boating information, arts and crafts, country parks, picnic sites, walks and rides, nature reserves and woodlands, wind and watermills, animal and rare breed collections, and churches. There are also specialist leaflets.

Particularly good is the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Project pack with details of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths paths and a leaflet on the wildlife you may encounter. There are also town trail leaflets, for example to Framlingham.

East of England Tourist Board
Toppesfield Hall, Hadleigh, Suffolk, IP7 5DN
(01473) 822 922
Produces a guide to East Anglia, largely looking at attractions, plus events, ideas for family fun etc.

Visit Suffolk
(01638) 667 200
A portal site for the county with access to a mass of printed brochures, accommodation listings, on-line maps of the region, and the site can be searched by location, name or particular interest, such as animals.

Suffolk Coastal District Council
(01394) 276 770
Under Leisure and Tourism offers an on-line list of accommodation, annual holiday guide, details of tourism information centres and major events.

Eat

Suffolk is definitely glass half full when it comes to pubs and indeed breweries. Here is a selection of Take the Family favourites often offering great seafood and fish fresh off the boat.

The Crown & Anchor, Framlingham
(01728) 723 611
A 16th century inn with snacks through the day.

The Chequers Inn, Kettleburgh
(01728) 723 760
Snacks and bar meals.

Barnabees Restaurant, Westleton
(01728) 648 848
A country restaurant.

Wheelwrights Restaurant, Framlingham
(01728) 724 132
A good quality family restaurant.

Mary’s Restaurant, Walberswick
(01502) 723 243

Butley Orford Oysterage, Orford
(01394) 450 277

The Regatta, Aldeburgh
(01728) 452 011
A seaside restaurant specialising in seafood.

The Queen’s Head, Bramfield
(01986) 784 214
Pub with family room.

The Queens Head, Dennington
(01728) 638 241
Freehouse with play area for children on playing field behind. No under 7s Sat evenings.

Flora Tearooms, Dunwich
(01728) 648 433
Right on the beach. Known for fish and chips.

The Ship Inn, Dunwich
(01728) 648 219
Old seaside pub with good fresh fish. Baby changing option in upstairs bathroom.

The Crown, Snape
(01728) 688 324
Unfaked smugglers' inn with inglenook etc and good food.

The Lord Nelson, Southworld
(01502) 722 079
Traditional 18th century seaside pub. Children welcome away from main bar and patio behind.

The Red Lion, Southwold
(01502) 722 385
17th century pub carefully extended. Local fresh fish.

Cost

Unless you stay at the very swankiest hotels and dine at the top-end restaurants, you shouldn't leave Suffolk too out of pocket. Nevertheless, popular towns like Southwold have been invaded by weekending Londoners so expect correspondingly higher prices.

Travel reading

Take the Kids: England, by Joseph Fullman

Take the Kids: England

by Joseph Fullman

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Family friendly coverage of England.

Family Travel website, by Kate Calvert

Family Travel website

by Kate Calvert

Buy from family-travel.co.uk - Subscription payable to access reports

Highly comprehensive coverage of the UK for families. Click here to visit the site.

Days Out 2008, by Days Out

Days Out 2008

by Days Out

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Days Out magazine offers hundreds of ideas for a perfect day out AND over £700 of discount vouchers at the most popular attractions. Buy the magazine from the Days Out website where Takethefamily visitors will receive £1 off by using discount code TTF0601.

Eco Escape - The New handbook to responsible escapism, by Laura Burgess

Eco Escape - The New handbook to responsible escapism

by Laura Burgess

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The Latest Edition of the new, (and first), guide-book series for eco travel in the UK and beyond. Leading the way in inspiring travellers to go green, and change the way we travel.