Things to do in Norfolk please!

[Ginismyfriend]

We're off to North Norfolk (a bit up the coast from Yarmouth) for a week's holiday. Where shall we go? DH is excited to the point of hysteria about Dinosaur World, which I don't even think is that close, but that's all we've got planned.

All suggestions of places to visit or to eat at that are cheap and todddler friendly would be very welcome...

Roy's is fantastic!!! I wonder if anyone has actually ever met Roy?

the Dinosaur park is miles away from where you are staying so make sure you allow plenty of time for it

Wroxham Barns, rides are by ticket so it can get expensive and the rides are pretty naff fills a couple of hours but you would be hard pushed to spend more time than that

Pettits is good for under 8s, lots of rides which are included in the entry, magic show, animals etc but pick a nice day to go

bewilderwood is great but if your dcs are under 5 then you may not get the full value of it and it's not cheap

beaches are beautiful and it always seems warmer in Norfolk for some reason

and you absolutely have to spend an afternoon in Cromer trying to catch crabs

If you like seafood you have to go to a place called Cookies at Salthouse. Essentially its a fish shop but it has added outside tables and chairs, some in a shed, some under those marquee style tent jobs.
They have fantastic fish dishes, very cheap. Its always busy. Its owned by some very rude eastern europeans who are very particular in the way things are done (you can't eat a sandwich at one of their tables for eg, they are take away only, even if you are with people who have ordered more). It makes for a very entertaining lunch. And you can take your own booze.

We are going to NW Norfolk and wondered if anyone could suggest child days out where the dog can come too. I have a list of dog friendly beaches, but can't see much else.

\link{http://www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/blog/category/paws-in-motion/\there's some helpful stuff here}

& the National Trust allows dogs in the grounds of most properties afaik

we went to the dinosaur adventure last year and it was absolute rubbish!!! We only went because we had tesco vouchers and saved £30 something that i was very thankful for when we left 2 hrs after arriving because the girls were fed up. My girls LOVE bewilderwood, and its the only place that they have been going on about returning to since we left yarmouth last year! And we WILL be going again this year :)

If you find yourself going along the A140 (which you might, if you go to Cromer), then it's worth dropping in to the Norfolk Children's Book Centre. There's a craft place in Alby too, with cafe etc, but it's an age since I've been there and can't remember whether it's any good.

Sheringham is just up the coast from Cromer, beaches are rather pebbly but it also has a museum and nicer shopping, and heritage steam railway.

Thanks for that Ponders. NT tend to be a bit rubbish with dogs in our experience.

\link{http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/activities/walking/view-page/item717562/\NT has a 'dog walking' page} which sounds vaguely welcoming...maybe they just mean their open spaces, rather than parks around houses? \link{https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:do9yJxwUGuoJ:www.nationaltrust.org.uk/servlet/pdf/1/518864/Trail/Walking/Blakeney_to_Stiffkey_coastal_wildlife_walk.pdf+national+trust+norfolk+dogs+welcome&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjmUbit3D0y2QLSjtsah_BqZtAyOEAnUTeapX0awpmOOvVaJHpH3KA6w6LOeG_l4KCFPdu0iY13cWUuCKkmtqlnx8XEMQpsPKf9hZ5PPPjip9tq2VY0uENXSiXgvk7seCCTtPr9&sig=AHIEtbTfmuXazQs4ITduUvLxq9tKov1ZNQ\eg this coastal walk from Blakeney}

(we don't have a dog, but I thought I had seen them at some of the places we've visited. Maybe not!)

We take our dog almost everywhere we go outdoors in Norfolk. Holkham Hall, for example, lets you walk dogs in the grounds and they're allowed in the courtyard of the cafe, but not in the house. Dogs are allowed on Holkham and Brancaster beaches, and on half of Wells beach (you walk down the steps from the car park and turn left. If you turn right with a dog, you'll get shouted at by the life guards in the station on the hill .

I found dog walking in Norfolk (Wroxham area) a bit crap

everywhere seems to be private land

beaches were ok, though, iirc

you're being v sensible doing research first, DisBo- wish we had

The N Norfolk coast is a right old schlepp from just N of Yarmouth, though - have a good look at all these places on a map. It's 62 miles from Yarmouth to Wells, and not on fast roads, either.

And my top tip would be do not drive 60 miles to the Fakenham Museum of Gas Appliances.

can I just mention, if you go to/talk about Happisburgh, \link{http://www.a2znorfolk.com/towns/155.html\it's pronounced Haysborough}

Don't ask me why

Shouldn't that be Haaaaaaaaaaayzborough?

What Blu said, OP hasn't even said how old her DC is & I wouldn't schlep that far with most age kids. Bewilderwood not that great for under 5s ime, either.

The kiddies funfair at Yarmouth, Joyland, is great. I used to go many hundreds of years ago, the rides aren't too bad, pricewise. Banham Zoo, Pettits, Africa Alive are all good. You can get organised boat tours from Wroxham and Horning which is worth it to learn a bit about the broads and we always hire a day boat for a few hours from Potter Heigham. We went to the Dinosaur Adventure and loved it, but it was getting on for 8 years ago. Caister Castle is OK for a day out, a tower for children to climb and a motor museum yawn for any petrolheads dads

Noooo Joyland is awful and smells of wee!

The Broads Museum at Stalham is rather nice (in a haphazard, slightly amateurish way). It has some children's activities. You can go on a short boat cruise on its historic steam wherry.

The beaches at Haaaaayzborough, Sea Palling and Waxham Sands are lovely. Get the kids to wear jelly shoes or water shoes though because the warm shallow sandy bottom can harbour weever fish. As can any sandy shore in the southern half of the UK, but DS got stung at Sea Palling.

Pretty corner in Sheringham is nice for walking dogs. We also take ours to holy country park and the kids do the orienteering route (you can download the map) but its not worth much of a trek.
For beaches we tend to go to
Runton for the rock pools as its quieter.
There are loads if great places for food. I'd you want great cheap mussels etc the pub in stiffkey (stookey) is great.

holy holt

When I said haphazard and amateurish, I'm probably doing the museum an injustice. It's a clearly run by enthusiasts/hobbyists, who are hands-on involved with restoring the boats they have on display. There are some children's activities too and a little cafe place (nothing special, but perfectly good refuelling).

Took DD to Bewilderwood when she was two and she had best day of her life.

Just do Bewilderwood.

Have I mentioned I love Bewilderwood?

I second Cookies Crab Shack recommendation... We go there every time we visit North Norfolk, it's fab! Also love the beach at Holkham but it is a bit of a trek from the car park (make sure you have change!) If you like pottery there is a wonderful pottery shop in Cley. Sheringham is a nice little town with plenty of little shops to look around... Holds a special place in my heart as DH proposed up in the promenade at dusk

Gorleston is just south of Greath Yarmouth and has beautiful broad stretches of sand with a dog free section including a boating lake, bouncy castles and trampolines and a long dogs welcome section as well. Pic on this website.

Some else mentioned Burnham Overy Staithe, the beach is fantastic, with a sandbar that creates a lagoon that makes a lovely safe swimming place but like a lot of places watch the tide! We walk there from inland and it is a couple of miles down a footpath so the trip needs a bit of planning but it's worth it.

If you are up for a reasonable car ride Hunstanton is great, there's a Dog friendly pub on the front (someone did mention a dog didn't they?), a great sit down fish and chips called Castaways, a small funfair, plenty of amusements and a really good sea life centre. Plus you get the illusion of the sun going down over the sea. On the way back stop at Mundesley and find a burger place called BB's, the buns are huge and they have so much filling you have to unwrap and eat little bits at a time to avoid it all ending up in your lap.

You're also not that far from Lowestoft though that's Suffolk not Norfolk, they've done a great revamp of the front with a pavement fountain that children love getting soaked in.

I could go on, I do so love my home county. Hope you have oodles of fun .