WHERE TO STAY IN SUFFOLK: A TOWN BY TOWN GUIDE

Lowestoft is a great base for active, fun-loving families. It’s got miles of golden beaches (as does next-door Kessingland), access to the Suffolk side of the Broads National Park, plus Africa Alive!, Pleasurewood Hills and the beautiful village of Somerleyton nearby.

Best for: beaches, broads, family fun.

Beccles is a pretty town right on the Suffolk Broads, and while there’s lots to do on land, it would be a crime not to explore these tranquil waterways by boat, kayak or canoe. 

Best for: broads, boating, views.

Like Beccles, Bungay sits on the edge of the Suffolk Broads, and is the perfect place from which to explore Suffolk’s waterways at a leisurely pace. It’s also loved by real-ale drinkers, who walk the town’s ale trail and visit nearby St Peter’s Brewery.

Best for: broads, boating, beer, castles.

Not only is Aldeburgh blessed with a stunning pebble beach, sculptures by Maggi Hambling and a very special art gallery; it’s also where Benjamin Britten made his name, and home to both the Aldeburgh Festival (“arguably the best musical event in Britain” – The Guardian), and a famous food festival. Enough said.

Best for: art, music, beaches, festivals, food.

It’s easy to see why people love Southwold: it has a sandy beach, colourful beach huts, an arts festival, and a pier full of wacky, hand-built arcade games. On top of that it’s a very foodie town, and home to the world-famous Adnams Brewery.

Best for: beaches, food, beer, family fun, art.

Walberswick has a resident population of artists, who were perhaps drawn there by the swathes of beautiful countryside surrounding this stretch of coast. Families love it for the crabbing, great pubs and gorgeous beach.

Best for: beaches, food, beer, family fun, landscape.

Dunwich is a tiny village set against a landscape of incredible beauty. Kaleidoscopic heathland meets rugged coastline, and wildlife flourishes. This is the place for cyclists, walkers and birdwatchers, who will love nearby RSPB Minsmere.

Best for: landscapes, walking, cycling, nature.

Poised on the peaceful River Deben, Woodbridge is loved by foodies, families and shoppers alike, a fantastic vintage market, and one of the country’s oldest working tide mills.

Best for: views, boating, food, family fun, sightseeing, shopping.

Thorpeness is a strange, magical village. Transformed into a rich Scot’s private playground in the early 1900s, it is now loved by families for its floating House in the Clouds, Peter-Pan boating lake, mock-Tudor cottages and golf course.

Best for: family fun, landscapes, beaches, golf.

Despite its diminutive size, Orford has a lot to offer. Mysterious folk tales, eerie landscapes, the Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, a majestic castle, an RSPB island full of wildlife, an award-winning bakery, and a famous oysterage are just some of those things.

Best for: food, castles, nature, landscapes.

Felixstowe is traditional seaside town that’s simply full of things to do, including building sandcastles on the beach, exploring the historic Landguard Fort, playing golf beside a rare Martello Tower, and even watching bird-ringing!

Best for: family fun, golf, beaches.

Halesworth has lots to offer in the way of culture, including its annual arts festival at creative centre, The Cut. It’s also the town that featured in the recent film, Yesterday, which was produced by Danny Boyle, written by Richard Curtis and starred Lily James and Himesh Patel.  Halesworth is close to the coast, so you can enjoy a few beach days during your Suffolk holiday.

Best for: culture, shopping, coast.

The most striking thing about Framlingham is its spectacular castle, yet this medieval market town has plenty more history to share, not to mention vineyard tours, and nearby sights like Glemham Hall and the village of Earl Soham.

Best for: history, castles, wine, sightseeing.

Surrounded by gorgeous countryside, Stowmarket is worth visiting if only to see the fascinating Museum of East Anglian Life, and the John Peel Centre for Creative Arts. There are many more family attractions nearby, including the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary and Stonham Barns.

Best for: museums, family fun, countryside.

Ipswich is a place where history meets cutting-edge modern culture, where you can see masterpieces by John Constable, discover maritime history, catch a show at DanceEast or a play at one of Ipswich’s many theatres, take a boat trip up the river, visit independent shops in The Saints and stroll along the stylish marina.

Best for: art, theatre, museums, boating, landscapes.

Sudbury is surrounded by the stunning landscapes of the Stour Valley that first inspired the great master of English landscape painting, Thomas Gainsborough. It’s a fantastic place for walking, and Gainsborough House is a must-visit, although currently closed for an extension and refurbishment.

Best for: history, art, landscapes, walking.

As one of Suffolk’s famous Wool Towns, Long Melford is unsurprisingly picturesque. Timber-framed buildings, a beautiful church and two medieval halls (one frequented by Beatrix Potter) make it a very special place to stay.

Best for: history, sightseeing, shopping, museums.

A chocolate-box village full of medieval architecture such as the aptly named Ancient House, Clare is a beautiful location for a holiday. It’s also packed with independent shops, galleries, and places to eat and drink.

Best for: views, sightseeing, art, shopping.

Perhaps the most famous of Suffolk’s Wool Towns, Lavenham’s cobbled streets and awe-inspiring buildings make staying there a like travelling back into the past. It’s also home to the spectacular Great House restaurant and Weaver’s House Spa, and will be known to J.K. Rowling fans as the inspiration for Harry Potter’s fictional birthplace!

Best for: history, views, sightseeing, food, shopping.

Bury St Edmunds not only has a fascinating history, it’s also full of things to see and do, such as a medieval abbey, the smallest pub in Britain, the Greene King brewery, the neoclassical Ickworth House and the flower-filled abbey gardens.

Best for: history, sightseeing, shopping, food and beer.

Newmarket is famous as the home of horseracing, and you can spend days here discovering the sport’s past and present at the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Arts, the Jockey Club, Tattersalls auction house, and of course, Newmarket Racecourses!

Best for: horseracing, history, sightseeing.

Set amongst enchanting countryside, Elveden is a tiny village with a population of just a few hundred. You can stay on the Elveden Estate, home to majestic wild deer, or at Center Parcs, where the landscape is yours to enjoy.

Best for: family fun, landscape, views, food, walking, cycling, sports.

You’ll find Brandon on the edge of Thetford Forest, which you can explore on foot, by bike, or even by swinging through the trees at Go Ape! Nature-loving families will love Brandon Country Park, and all should visit the eerie Grimes Graves flint mines.

Best for: landscapes, nature, views, family fun, walking, cycling, sports.

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