Park Close Up: Places to visit in Suffolk near Broadland Sands

Activities

Merrivale Model Village, Great Yarmouth
(17-minute drive)

Fancy feeling like a giant for a day? If so, you will want to experience Merrivale Model Village. With miniature running waterfalls, active train lines and a functioning theme park, you will be blown away by the attention to detail put into creating this village. Miniature golf (included in the price) and an old fashioned penny arcade are also available on site for added fun.

Pleasure Beach, Great Yarmouth
(19-minute drive)

Whether you are seeking high octane rides or traditional amusements, there’s something for everybody. With the amusements spread across nine-acres, you will have your choice of dodgems, cups-and-saucers, the haunted hotel, log flume, roller coasters, the sky drop and so much more. And if you wish to go simply for the atmosphere, you’re in luck, as the pier offers free entry all year round.

UK Parachuting, Beccles
(23-minute drive)

Calling all thrill seekers! Have you always dreamed of jumping out of a plane at 13,000ft and plunging back down towards earth at 120mph in a breath taking and unforgettable experience of a life time? Well now you can, with the choice between a tandem skydive or an accelerated freefall to fulfil your crazy dream. What will you choose?

The Marina Theatre, Lowestoft
(11-minute drive)

The Marina Theatre is steeped in history, and has played host to some top performers, such as The Troggs, Fleetwood Mac and Status Quo. With a mixture of live performance and cinema, if you enjoy comedy, musicals, dance, drama performance, panto or the cinema, you will find something to enjoy.

Historic Smokehouse Pottery, Great Yarmouth
(16-minute drive)

Have you ever wanted to take a piece of clay and turn it into something you will treasure for years to come? Well now the entire family can, with these pottery classes, you will all be tutored on how to use the potter’s wheel, shape your clay and use tools to personalise your very own ceramic creation.

Museums and Local History

East Anglia Transport Museum, Lowestoft
(22-minute drive)

Love Vintage Transport? Step back in time, and visit a time capsule of transportation which includes buses, cars, vans, trams, trolley-buses and a narrow gauge railway. You will also receive unlimited rides in admission to this open-air museum.

Lowestoft War Memorial, RNSPA and Sparrows Nest and Garden, Lowestoft
(9-minute drive)

For an insightful trip, visit the Lowestoft War Memorial Museum. Opening their doors in 1995, the museum was created in dedication to the men and women from Lowestoft who served in World War One & Two. With many fascinating artefacts, a cherished chapel, a well-kept garden and a humbling war memorial, you will come away with a real knowledge of Lowestoft’s war time history.

Time and Tide Museum, Great Yarmouth
(16 minutes)

Discover the history of Great Yarmouth, from its Ice Age origins to present day. You will learn about the town’s rich maritime legacy and its development into a popular seaside resort. Explore the home of a local fisherman and his neighbours, and the smoke house with its unique aroma.

Somerleyton Hall, Lowestoft
(12-minute drive)

Step back in time and take a trip to one of Britain’s best kept stately homes and it’s 12-acres of surrounding grounds. Inside this Victorian home you will witness the beautiful ballroom, Jacobean oak parlour and charming library. On the grounds you will discover the beautiful walled garden and the stunning hew maze, planted back in 1846. The route out of the maze is 400 feet from the centre, however, visitors suggest it takes a lot longer to get out than expected… (Open: Easter-September)

Animals & Nature

Africa Alive!, Lowestoft
(23-minute drive)

Set across 100-acres of Suffolk countryside, Africa Alive! homes the wonders of the lions, giraffes, rhinos, meerkats, birds, and all the other animals from the beautiful continent of Africa. Witness the Plains of Africa, Kingdom of the Lion, Farmyard Corner and Lemur Encounters, to name just a handful of attractions. With so much to see and do, it’s sure to be a fun-packed day of family fun.

Red Wings Horse Sanctuary & Fritton Owl Sanctuary, Fritton
(15-minute drive)

Feel at one with the animals at Red Wings Horse Sanctuary. Home to over 120 rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. The sanctuary offers walking tours and animal care demonstrations for anyone looking to learn more about the animals.

Just two-minutes away, on the same road is the small Fritton Owl Sanctuary. Focused on helping injured and unwanted owls, and when possible the sanctuary release them back into the wild after rehabilitation. For a small donation, it is possible to hold or stroke one of the owls on your visit - which is a real tweet tawhoo! (Sorry, couldn't resist)

Sealife Centre, Great Yarmouth
(17-minute drive)

If you love marine life, then this is for you. With roughly 1500 creatures, you can see the life of the sea, from the starfish to the shark, and even the giant sea turtles. With all aquatic life homed in carefully recreated natural habitats, you will walk away with a renewed fascination of the world under the sea.

Beaches, Castles and Beautiful Sights

Gorleston Beach, Great Yarmouth
(13 minutes)

Gorleston Beach is a mostly sandy beach, with a more relaxed atmosphere than the others in the surrounding area. The beach stretches over three miles, with a promenade that runs for one mile which makes for a beautifully scenic walk. Wonderfully, this beach is dog-friendly, which means those with four legs and a tail are free to enjoy this beautiful seaside location as well.

Burgh Castle, Great Yarmouth
(15-minute drive)

The ‘Saxon Shore’ fort at Burgh Castle was built as part of the Roman network of coastal defences, which was abandoned only a hundred years later, and is the best kept Roman monument in Britain. The land around the fort provides panoramic views of the natural surrounding area and wildlife. To ensure you get a comprehensive overview, guided tours are available.

Waveney River Tours, Oulton Broad
(14-minute drive)

Take a river boat tour and be delighted with information on the ecologically diverse region, as you explore the ancient marshlands. Choose between a nature, sightseeing or a heritage river cruise, and if you fancy your own personal adventure, you can even become the captain of your own boat, with a self-drive boat day.