Holiday in Norfolk.

[NoNoNoOohmaybe]

Does anyone have good advice and tips about a week in Norfolk next week?

We're going away for a last holiday before school starts and were hoping to do wales but weather looks awful. Norfolk's weather looks nice but I know nothing about it! (And it's so bloody far from everywhere - every time I think "well if it's not what I'm hoping for we'll drive to xxxx" it's 4 hours away.)

I've wanted to go to BeWILDerwood for a while and this looks a good chance but is it as good as it looks?

We're in a campervan and like chilled out basic sites where the kids can run about, nice walks/bike rides and local pubs. We like to be busy and outside.

I'm totally overthinking this but I'm feeling really anxious about school starting, DD is very scared and trial sessions have not gone at all well, and I think we could all do with a really lovely holiday as a distraction!

Please help!

I love Norfolk! We got back yesterday from a week there. Went to Bewilderwood one year and it was great. Adults can go on the slides etc too good day out for all. We tend to spend our time on the coast, so sort of between Thornham and Cley. Crabbing is always fun, we bought an inflatable canoe and it had its maiden voyage at Burnham Overy Staithe- great! Remember it is very tidal so if you wanted to do water activities high tide is either early AM or late afternoon/evening at the moment. Although when the tides low great fun playing in the mud for kids. We always take our bikes. Holkham estate is huge and good safe place for cycling. Lots of pretty villages around and good pubs. I haven’t done camping before but there are a few sites around.

Holkham beach is beautiful. Trip to see seals at Blakeney Point is good, although we go in Spring so I don’t know if they are still there!

Wells Crab House Cafe does lovely seafood, but you need to book - we normally go around 6 - 6.30 pm, as it’s not open late.

The North Norfolk Railway is good if you like steam trains - it runs from Sheringham.

You can go to Nelson’s birthplace - it’s a pretty little village, but I can’t remember it’s name!

Seals still there! Pensthorpe also good to visit, fun indoor/outdoor playground too. Also closer than Bewilderwood (depending on where you’re based, of course). Will think of more. Norfolk is quite vast, and the coast changes all the way along so never boring 🙂

Bewilderwood is good so is the Dinosaur Park, between Fakenham and Norwich. Beaches are lovely all along the coast. Sherringham is like going back in time to an old fashioned seaside town.

Thanks guys, that is so helpful. Is it quite a lot of driving? It seems quite vast.

Is Norwich worth a visit?

If you had the choice between Norfolk and a flat in London (our other option) what would you choose?

We're coming from north yorks so everywhere is far!

Norwich is definitely worth a visit! Beautiful city with lots to do, independent shops, nice streets ect.

Whereabouts are you staying? Norwich is a fab city (maybe biased though!)

So much to do in Norfolk, the north Norfolk coast is beautiful, the steam train from Sheringham to holt is great (as is holt for a quick walk round and lunch at Byfords) there's the dinosaur park and wroxham barns both great for kids. Norwich is definitely worth a visit, a great city with loads of shops and independent places to eat. The cathedral and river are lovely.

Bewilderwood, blakney and dinosaur park all great. Lovely cafe in overstrand, we used to have lovely breakfast looking out to sea. Overstrand and blakney have lovely family pubs.

I would choose Norfolk over London for a relaxing break. If you have got NT membership there are tons of places to visit with plenty to do for children.

Sea Palling is also a beautiful beach. You could visit the broads as well as everywhere else mentioned. Places like Cromer and Hunstanton are good old fashioned seaside towns.

Personally I would do to much in London and come home knackered!

I lived in both London and north Norfolk OP and the drive to Norfolk is a complete PITA (now back home in my native North Yorkshire) ... but very worth it.

I am so fond of where we used to live (near holt) that I have had a weeks holiday there every year since I moved home to the north.

My tip to you is to drive straight to Cambridge on the A1/A11 and drive to Norfolk from Cambridge.

Slightly more mileage but takes the same time and a much less frustrating drive than coming off on the A17/A47.

Norfolk is amazing for a holiday with kids.

Go there you won’t regret it.

Norwich sometimes has good ballet there. (seen a couple of shows.) Lovely villages around the river Ant and the broads.

Make sure you look up at the sky at night when it's completely dark. The lack of light pollution means that you'll see a myriad of stars. It's one of our lovely family camping memories from the Norfolk coast.

North Norfolk is lovely! Try Burnham Deepdale campsite, quiet, clean, good facilities with great small garage shop within 2 min walk and cafe and shops. Can literally cross the road and pick up the Norfolk walkway (can’t remember the name) which will take you to Holkham and Wells approx 10 miles, you can then get coasthopper bus back to directly outside the site.

Ooh you're making me all quite excited for norfolk.

Glitch we haven't picked anywhere yet. Seen what looks like a lovely campsite at Burnham Deepdale (think that's what it's called) and someone has recommended dreamy hollows. So North Norfolk coastal area. Which my parents have said is lovely.

We were thinking a couple of nights in 3 different places but really flexible and could just do 1 or 2 if it's great.

London is familiar as it's where I grew up and that is a bit comforting when feeling anxious about school transitions. But I love camping. We're nicer people when we're all outside and I find it calming being around open skies and greenery. However finding nice places, a good campsite(s) and not driving round for ages is key to it being relaxing.

I used to camp here a lot for the odd night or weekend OP, even though it was so close to home it was close to some friends. It was a complete escape, I haven't been there for four years now but I don't expect it will have changed that much.

Tons of room for children to run around, play on the rope swing, into woodland etc., etc..

Norfolk has some amazing beaches. Would also highly recommend dino adventure land

Life that campsite looks amazing! Just what I want. What is there to do round that area? Can you get around without the car?

Thank you all, this has been really helpful. Please keep the suggestions coming. We've 3 hours to make a decision about if were packing the van or car. I am so torn!

We've been to Norfolk every summer for 6 years now. We love North Norfolk. The weather is so much better than Yorkshire!
The campsite at Sandringham is fab and is a good base to explore the rest of the area.

Not much to do without driving OP but great for exploring that side of the coast and the broads for a couple of nights.

I don’t like the deepdale campsite personally - not my sort of camping - crammed in pitches and I have never found it remotely quiet.

Another tiny campsite near the north coast is Scaldbeck Cottage - very small and very basic and I made friends there years ago that I am still in touch with - I gather it’s in the ‘cool’ book, hopefully that hasn’t ruined it! We used to have communal campfires (a 4 or 5 tent site). Might have changed now.

I did lots of camping close to home as I had large animals and a H who worked away a lot. I used to take DD away for the odd night or two all the time when our horses were living out in the summer.

Campsite for the Dinosaur Park would be Bylaugh Country Park and Caravan site. You could also visit the Mid-Norfolk Railway and Pensthorpe from there too. There is more to Norfolk than the coast!

Bewilder wood is great, dinosaur park if you have young children especially with this weather, Yarmouth is fun, loads of beautiful beaches, blikling hall for nice walks, plenty of zoos x

Thanks everyone.

Life - Scaldbeck cottage looks great but wonder if it'll be busy, as looks very small. Interesting you said about Burnham Deepdale as it looked good (mainly that there seems a lot to do from the site, bus, walk, bike and beach) but I do hate the crammed in sites where everyone is in a slot.

The van is a bit of a pain to drive once at a site, well actually it's fine if we don't put the awning up which we don't need if the weather is good.

I'm realising going on holiday to Norfolk is a bit like saying you're going to Yorkshire - massive and lots of potential places/things to do which is fabulous but quite overwhelming when I've 2 days to plan a holiday and I'm chronically indecisive!

Norfolk is wonderful! As previously mentioned, Holkham beach (long walk from the car park but worth it), Blakeney, Wells, Walsingham, the little railway.

I'm sure you'll have a great time.

We have a flat in Norfolk.