You want beautiful countryside, coastal escapes, good food, and award-winning attractions? OK – look no further than the broad skies and wild shores off Suffolk in the East of England. With big names from the TV and film industry living and holidaying here, Suffolk should be on your holiday hitlist this year. Celebrity news presenters live here. It attracted artists Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Benjamin Britten. Ed Sheeran loves Suffolk. And even Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift have graced Suffolk beaches with their presence. Here’s our top ten reasons why you should escape to Suffolk…
Maggie Hambling Scallop on Aldeburgh Beach
1. A PLACE TO STAY
You really are spoilt for places to stay – whatever your budget. In Suffolk you’ll discover woodland campsites, idyllic glamping, cliff top caravan parks with dramatic vistas, spa hotels oozing glamour, lakeside fishing lodges, and self-catering within teensy fishermen’s cottages and country houses. Whether you’ve got a couple of hundred pounds to spare, or thousands, your holiday awaits.
View of Lilyput Lane model of Roundhouse, Framlingham
2. FOOD AND DRINK
This is the home of world class breweries and distilleries, and of some of the very finest ingredients our fair isles have to offer. Free-range pork. Rare breed beef. Fish and shellfish caught by day boats off the coast. Hand-picked samphire. Asparagus. Strawberries. Pump Street’s Bean-to-bar chocolate. Suffolk offers rich pickings indeed. Restaurants such as Maison Bleue (award-winning French modern), Milsoms at Dedham and Kesgrave Hall, The Suffolk Distillery Ltd, Emmett’s Smokehouse and Tuddenham Mill are all incredible eats. That’s not to mention all the award-winning pubs, cafes and farm shops too. You will not go hungry!
Fish and chips on Aldeburgh beach
3. BEACHES
Oh, the beaches. Again, you are totally spoilt. If rugged coastlines are your thing, make for the other-worldly stony shore of Shingle Street, where strange sea vegetables unfurl from between the pebbles, and where you could spot shark’s teeth and amber. Felixstowe has seen a tide of change in recent years and offers so much for a family day out – excellent fish and chips, gourmet ice cream parlours, a sandy beach, fantastic modern pier amusements and, of course, crabbing at Old Felixstowe. The seafront gardens are beautiful too. Aldeburgh and Southwold are tops for fashionistas and foodies. Thorpeness has charm and a magical meare. Lowestoft brings more sandy fun, while wild sand dunes of Walberswick are just stunning.
Lowestoft beach
4. COUNTRY PARKS AND WOODLANDS
Simply the best for a picnic, kicking about a football or flying a kite. Suffolk has loads of country parks and woods to make the most of. We rather like Clare Castle Park, Christchurch Park, Thetford Forest, Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve and Brandon Country Park.
Enjoy the wildlife and fresh air at Brandon Country Park
5. SUFFOLK ATTRACTIONS
If you have children in tow they won’t get bored, with so many attractions on the doorstep. Newmarket Horse Racing Museum, Oasis Camel Park and Easton Farm Park, Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park have animal encounters sorted. Visit West Stow Anglo Saxon Village and Sutton Hoo for a history trip. Head to RSPB Minsmere and Fullers Mill Gardens for a spot of nature. Join in the fun at Kentwell Hall for historical re-enactments. Ride the train and see the animals at Africa Alive! Go wild at Tree Top Adventures at Go Ape Thetford. Cycle off-road at High Lodge. Hop aboard Snape Maltings boat trip Or step back in time at Little Hall Lavenham. As well as our stunning beaches and countryside. Phew. There’s just too much to do.
See the animals at Africa Alive!
6. HEALTH AND FITNESS
Is fitness your thing? Let us whet your appetite with many outdoor adventures. Run one of the many races put on by local clubs throughout the year. Sail, surf, kayak and paddle board on Suffolk’s creeks or on open water at Alton Water or Lackford Lakes. Climb The Cragg at Stowmarket. Or try the more difficult cycle routes at High Lodge, Thetford Forest.
Cycling in the forest at Brandon, Suffolk
7. OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
There are so many adventures to be had. Take on the high ropes challenge at Go Ape in Thetford Forest (or go on Segway). Check out one of the go-karting tracks like Anglia Indoor Karting. Whizz along on dry land at Flo-Ridaz – a hovercraft driving experience in Mendlesham.
Family on Go Ape Segways in Thetford Forest
8. WALKING AND CYCLING
Walkers and cyclists alike will love Suffolk’s wild and expanse landscapes. Great for outdoor activities, Suffolk sports miles and miles of off-road cycling and quiet country roads await cyclists, with lovely routes including the 69-mile Painters Trail around Constable Country, The Saints cycle around the Bungay area, and the marked paths within Thetford and Rendlesham Forests. Keen walkers will love The Sailor’s Path in the Suffolk Coast and Heath’s National Landscape. Wherever you stay, you’re never far from a brilliant walk.
Southwold Beach
9. ARTS AND CULTURE
Suffolk is the home of Constable, Gainsborough, Benjamin Britten and more recently, Maggi Hambling. There is a simply enormous arts and culture scene, traversing music, art, theatre, literature and photography. World class facilities includes the Jerwood Dancehouse and Snape Maltings. Top acts regularly appear in Suffolk’s theatres. Then there’s the pull of festivals such as Latitude, and literary events like Slaughter in Southwold.
A performance of The Borrowers at Dance East
10. PLACES
There are simply too many wonderful places to visit. Beautiful Bury St Edmunds with its independent shops and clutch of award-winning restaurants. Medieval Lavenham (with its links to Harry Potter). Southwold, where you can ‘whack a banker’ on the pier. Boating at Shotley Peninsula. Constable Country in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The list is endless.
Lavenham and its links to Harry Potter
This is an article written by the EADT and adapted by Visit Suffolk
