This is it. We’ve found it. The ideal small beach town in the UK that has enough activities to keep both you and your children entertained for days on end.
Introducing to you, Lowestoft, a town in the Eastern county of Suffolk for which we have found the top 10 things to do. Now, considering there will be children involved, we’ve added an extra twist and provided you with a fancy dress option for each activity. All children love fancy dress and we know that they’ll have a great time at each of these activities. So get reading and start preparing your fancy dress outfits!
1. East Anglia Transport Museum
Built from scratch in 1962, this museum focuses on early 20th-century transport. The unique experience at this museum is that every piece of transport can be ridden, so now is your chance to experience the sounds and life of people going about their daily lives in the early 20th century. Our highlight at the museum has to be the trolley bus, working on a system that is one of the most complex in the country.
Fancy dress option: Ride the transport dressed in early 20th-century attire. You’ll fit right in!
East Anglia Transport Museum
Address: Chapel Rd, Carlton Colville, NR33 8BL Lowestoft, UK
Price: from 11 USD (9 GBP)
Website: East Anglia Transport Museum
2. Pleasurewood Hills
This amazing 21-hectare (52-acre) family theme park has something for all the family, from thrill rides for the teenagers to gentle trips for the adults or the Kiddie Zone for youngsters. For the best thriller ride, be sure to join the queue early for Wipeout, the tallest, fastest and most extreme roller coaster in eastern England!
Fancy dress option: Pick a cartoon character and go all out.
Pleasurewood Hills
Address: Leisure Way, NR32 5DZ Lowestoft, UK
Price: from 28 USD (22 GBP)
Opening Times: Open 10 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. (depending on the season)
Website: Pleasurewood Hills
3. Lowestoft and East Suffolk Maritime Museum
Head through a cottage door and spend a few hours enjoying this maritime museum. There are a number of exhibitions to peruse, from large displays to unique artifacts and even videos! The passionate volunteers who dedicate their time to running the museum have a wealth of knowledge, so be sure to ask them any questions that you might have. One of our favorite things about this museum is the working VHS radio which means that you can listen to passing ships. Kids love it.
Fancy dress option: We think this one is fairly obvious: pirates. You could go for the traditional peg-leg pirate style or perhaps something a bit more fancy by harnessing your inner Captain Jack Sparrow.
Lowestoft and East Suffolk Maritime Museum
Address: Whapload Rd., NR32 1UL Lowestoft, UK
Price: from 3 USD (2 GBP)
Opening Times: 10am-5pm daily
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4. Somerleyton Hall and Gardens
If you are visiting Lowestoft, spending an afternoon in this Tudor period mansion house with walled gardens is a must. Somerleyton Hall is one of Britain’s best-preserved stately homes and is nestled in 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land. It is absolutely massive and is incredibly beautiful. With the ornate furnishings inside the house and the intricate landscaping designs we are sure that you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to visit The Dukes Head Pub, while you send the children off to explore the maze.
Fancy dress option: Maybe something a little high-class would be suited for this day out. Girls in bonnets and boys in breeches!
Somerleyton Hall and Gardens
Address: Somerleyton Hall, Somerleyton, NR32 5QF Lowestoft, UK
Prices: from 14.80 USD (11.62 GBP)
Opening Times: Open from April to September. The Hall & Gardens: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Gardens: Wednesday.
Website: Somerleyton Hall and Gardens
5. The Marina Theatre
This quaint theater in the heart of Lowestoft has an interesting, somewhat surprising history. Originally constructed as a roller skating rink in the 1870s, it was converted into a theater in 1897 and enjoyed a successful time offering up live performances such as music, comedies, and pantomimes. However, disaster struck during the 2nd World War in which time the laughter left the theatre and the building was temporarily used as a mortuary.
Popularity continued to decline and in 1985 the theater was purchased by a new owner just 24 hours before demolition was due to begin. Those days however now seem like a distant memory as the theater has continued to flourish and offers shows that all the family will enjoy. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra now calls the building home. Times and shows vary throughout the year so be sure to check online to find one suitable for your family.
Fancy dress option: Hey, it’s the theater so anything goes!
The Marina Theatre
Address: Marina, NR32 1HH Lowestoft, UK
Website: The Marina Theatre
6. Sail the Norfolk Broads
This national park, just north of Lowestoft, has over 200 kilometers (125 miles) of navigable lock-free waterways just waiting to be explored by you and your family. Because the waterways are lock-free, this means that there are fewer safety precautions to worry about with people leaving the boat to handle the locks; particularly if you have small children with you. You can hire a boat from a number of companies, dress your kids as pirates and get ready to sail the seven seas.
Fancy dress option: Wait, is this our second pirate fancy dress? Hmm!
Norfolk Broads
Address: Broads National Park, NR1 1RY Norwich, UK
Website: Norfolk Broads
Website Boat Rental List
7. Lowestoft Point (Ness Point)
Now there might not be a huge amount to do here but we feel that standing on the most eastern point of England deserves to be in this list. At any rate, at least you get a good view!
Fancy dress option: This one got us racking our brains, so we decided anything goes!
Lowestoft Point (Ness Point)
Address: NR32 1UZ Lowestoft, UK
Website: Ness Point
8. Gunton Warren Nature Reserve
Got a craving for some rare spotting? We’re not sure who gets this type of craving, but for now, we’re going with it. Well, you’re in luck because, at Gunton Warren Nature Reserve, you can do just that. Take a walk with your family or you could even join an animal watch group. There are also lots of educational events for the children to enjoy, alongside adult classes such as Bowl Carving, for those of you who want to be a bit more serious.
Fancy dress option: Dressing up as a bird watcher, if that fails then make a break and be birds for the day!
Gunton Warren Nature Reserve
Address: 161 Corton Rd, NR32 4PR Lowestoft, UK
Price: Entrance to the nature reserve is free but workshop prices vary
Opening Times: 24 hours, daily
Website: Gunton Warren Nature Reserve
9. Rollers at Claremont Pier
This is one of our all-time favorite family things to do in Lowestoft for three reasons. First, it is a good price. Secondly, it involves mirror balls and smoke machines. Finally, it wears kids out so much that they’ll be sleeping soundly for days. Honestly, this is such a fun activity, skating to music that you may or may not love, but either way, you’ll be wishing you could go every week.
Fancy dress option: Head to toe 80s style, don the glitter, the leg warmers and get ready to party
Rollers
Address: Wellington Esplanade, NR33 0BS Lowestoft, UK
Price: Two hour skate session with hired skates is 6.50 USD (5 GBP), own skates 6 USD (4.50GBP)
Website: Rollers
10. Africa Alive
This Africa themed conservation center, located a 24-minute drive from Lowestoft, continues its vital work in animal care and welfare. Offering both educational opportunities and animal conservation, this walking safari covers 40 hectares (100 acres) of land. The park itself is owned by a charity that has very clear objectives so you can be safe in the knowledge that by visiting Africa Alive, you’ll be supporting animal conservation, not paying to see caged animals in a zoo. The park is home to over 80 species of animals that your family will love learning about, and you never know, it may inspire a new generation of vital animal conservationists. Be sure to check out ‘Lookout Lodge’ for a birds-eye view of the whole park.
Fancy dress option: Anything animal themed would work well.
Africa Alive
Address: White’s Ln, Kessingland, NR33 7TF Lowestoft, UK
Price: from 23.40 USD (18.10 GBP)
Opening Times: Open daily 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Website: Africa Alive
Website Charity Information
Something you can all enjoy
Well, that’s it, we’ve come to the end of our list. We hope that you’ve been inspired and now feel happy to take out your whole family to explore Lowestoft. No longer will entertaining the kids mean sitting them in front of the TV; with our fun activities, you’ll be enjoying yourselves in no time.
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