Caister on Sea - days out recommendations near by particularly broads cruises and safari type things

[lisalisa]

Hi all. Going to a lovely farm near Caister next week and looking for recommendations please for days out . So far we have pleasurewood hills on the list and are looking for a recommendation for a broads cruise - not self drive as my 75 yr old mother with me and she wants a traditional boat cruise - and also safari /wildlife park stuff. Looked at Africa alive and thring but thring looks a bit small and tame and Africa alive far away and tons of traffic? My dcs are 4, 9 and 11. My mother may opt out of some trips so if they are lots of walking not a problem.

Also anyone know anywhere near by we can see seals? I understand from googling that most of the action is near hunstanton area which is far away - anything within 45 m drive of caister for seals /marine life?

Finally the nearest beach appears to be winterton on sea which looks lovely but apparently has highest concentration of adders in sand dunes and occasionally on beach itself!!! Don't fancy that - anyone been there and can counter that or give other good beach recommendations?

thanks all

Anyone ? ????

I've seen a seal in the water at Winterton! Pretty rare apparently though... I was just sitting on the beach and saw it bob up and down. Was amazing. So you never know.. ! And the beach is lovely. I've never seen any adders. To be honest as long as you stick to the main paths and open sand I think you'd probably be fine and see one before you had any problems.

Southwold is another lovely beach area. Worth a visit.

Horsey gap and River trip
BEWILDERWOOD
Great Yarmouth Sea life centre
Wherry trip from Wroxham or Ranworth
The Canoe Man...guided canoe trips down less accessible waterways
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens..yes small but a very pleasant and manageable walk with plenty of animals to get up close to
Africa Alive is great but queues will be big and the space is huge...lots and lots of walking for a 4/75 year old)
Yarmouth pleasure beach...everything your kids want, and you think is tacky they will love you forever!

Winterton is a lovely dog friendly beach (only go here if you like dogs)...adders are in the sand dunes but are not very keen on visitors so despite living nearby and walking there with dogs and children I haven't ever seen one...however I have warned my children not to roll down grassy dunes and what adders look like and not to poke sticks down holes.

caister has a clean and flat beach,www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/beach/caister-point
yarmouth has a flat and sandy beach (though popular and populist!)
Hemsby www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/beach/hemsby
Gorleston si dog free, sandy and big, easy parking but might be further Souith than you want to go

Seals common all along the coastline...more in winter though! Even in Yarmouth. Horsey gap will always have a few and some up on the beach...the further north you go the more likely you are to see them.

You can get a boat trip out to Scroby Sands from Great Yarmouth and see the seal colony May to September

Train: take the Wherry line out to Berney arms pub (not accessible except by water, walking or train) and walk the Wherryman's way back..or vice versa

there are canoes around the trinity broad and some accessible wheely boats for disabled.

sorry about typos

HTH

thank you so very much to all of you. Looking at the scroby trips now from yarmouth and will deffo do that and remember woollies as they recommend. Kids will be thrilled to see seals in the sea .

I think we'll avoid winterton beach and stick to caister and then yarmouth ! Tackiness noted for yarmouth and thanks for pre warning!

Think we'll also stick to thrings too .

Really appreciate all this .

We're going next week too, can't wait. We've been on boat trips from Horning (a mississippi paddle boat) and Wroxham. For us, Gt. Yarmouth is a must, my girls love Regent Street with all the tacky seaside shops, Pleasure Beach and they loved the fair on the Britannia Pier when they were younger.