It may be a little chilly at times but all you need to do is wrap up warm and you can enjoy all that Suffolk has to offer in the winter.
It’s festive, bustling, and if it snows it’s beautiful. You can walk on a deserted beach, unwind at a spa, visit illuminated gardens, visit Christmas events and stroll through towns decked out for the festive season before heading into the new year.
VISIT A COSY PUB WITH AN OPEN FIRE
There is nothing better than to sit and relax in a cosy pub, maybe with a good book but definitely alongside a roaring fire with a warming drink or a glass of one of the counties best beers.
Close to the medieval town of Lavenham, in the heart of Suffolk, is The Bildeston Crown a former 15th-century coaching inn. You can choose from an eclectic menu with plenty of fresh and local ingredients and dine in comfortable and stylish surroundings.
Meander along the country lanes through the towns and villages and you will come across many typically Suffolk pubs and restaurants, many still with their thatched roofs and painted in an array of colours.
Bildeston Crown at night
SCARE YOURSELF ON A GUIDED EVENING WALK IN BURY ST EDMUNDS
Discover the history, folklore, and all things ghostly and macabre as you are taken on a 90 minute guided evening walk in Bury St Edmunds.
Every Friday evening at 6.30 pm between October and March walk the streets with your tour guide who will recall stories of murder, execution, riots, and sightings of ghostly figures.
You will definitely need some refreshments afterwards so make the most of your evening out and visit one of the many pubs, cocktail bars, and restaurants in the town, where you will find an amazing choice of menus and delicious food.
FAMILY FESTIVE FUN IN SUFFOLK
Have a bit of ho ho ho! and family festive fun with the children at Easton Farm Park on the Suffolk coast where they can meet the man in red, listen to stories, and enjoy making something crafty to take home.
Step back in time at Kentwell Hall and meet a range of Victorian characters, including Cooks in the Great Kitchen, Bakers, and Villagers at the Moat House. Meet Mr. Charles Darwin himself and the Victorian Ladies in the Parlour. The Great Hall will be decorated in sumptuous style, with a massive Christmas tree and the decorated Dining Room will be set for Christmas Dinner.
Follow the Days of Christmas Trail through the Gardens and find the animals and garden crafts at the stables. Head to Father Christmas’s Cottage, Mother Christmas will make you very welcome and help you write and post your Christmas letter.
Have a magical visit to see Santa
There are plenty more ways to have some family Christmas fun and other events in Suffolk, take a look here
VISIT AN ATTRACTION
Whatever the weather there are still many attractions open throughout the winter.
Go on an adventure at Africa Alive! and trek through the 100-acre parkland to discover lions, giraffes, meerkats, fennec foxes, and many other animals from the African continent. The Park is also home to some other amazing primates including bushbabies, colobus monkeys, drill, and the rare Golden-bellied mangabeys.
Little ones with love to climb aboard the free Safari Roadtrain for an entertaining journey around the Park and then have a play in the fun-packed “Discovery Centre” with a chance to meet some of the smaller residents at the animal encounter sessions.
Browse all the other attractionsto visit in Suffolk this winter.
These giraffe calves were born on 17th November 2020 at Africa Alive!
TAKE A WALK ON A SUFFOLK BEACH
You won’t have to worry about the crowds and quite possibly may have the whole beach to yourself during the winter months. This makes them the perfect place for blowing away the cobwebs, stretching your legs and enjoying the exhilaration of just being out in the open with just nature all around you.
At Walberswick, nearby to the birdwatchers paradise, Minsmere, you can enjoy a coast and countryside walk before or after some delicious food at The Anchor Inn. Nearby is Dunwich, which has a fascinating history – look out to sea from the beach and you’re staring at a city, now beneath the waves, which was once a city larger than London!
Walberswick beach
Aldeburgh is famous for its coloured houses, beach sculpture and freshly caught fish and chips! Walk from Thorpeness to Aldeburgh where you can view the House in the Clouds, then induldge in one of the nation’s favourite dishes of fish and chips, wrapped up warm and sitting on the beach.
Indulge in fish and chips on the beach
Dog’s love Suffolk, and it’s where they love to stretch their legs. Most of the beaches are dog-friendly, especially during the winter months, so your four-legged friend can join in the fun too.
HAVE SOME ‘ME TIME’ AT THE SPA
With all the stresses in our daily lives, we all need a little ‘me time’ to gather our thoughts, plan our lives and well, just be pampered.
Suffolk has some unique and luxurious spa’s where you can truly relax and probably won’t want to leave.
Set in the heart of Suffolk is The Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa a beautiful medieval hotel steeped in history. Weavers’ House Spa at The Swan is one of the most luxurious and intimate boutique spas in Suffolk. Not only can you enjoy the variety of treatments but if you stay awhile you will be able to enjoy the sumptuous sofa’s in the hotel where you can indulge in an afternoon tea with champagne. You can choose to dine in either the contemporary style Brasserie or opt for fine dining in the AA two rosette Gallery Restaurant before heading up for the night in one of the hotel’s deluxe bedrooms.
Weavers House Spa at The Swan at Lavenham
Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa is located in a country setting in the home of horseracing in Newmarket. The award-winning luxury spa offers a range of treatments to relax and rejuvenate you. Staying at the hotel will allow you time to explore the town, visit the National Horse Racing Museum and take a tour of some of the stables and gallops.
Closer to Ipswich, is Milsom’s Kesgrave Hall with a recently opened luxury spa. The beautifully designed interiors and wooden features, promise a haven of relaxation and rejuvenation. Enjoy an ‘Afterhours’ spa and then relax and dine in the brasserie restaurant.
Relax with friends at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall and Spa
SEE AN EXHIBITION
The Creating Constable exhibition can be seen at Christchurch Mansion in the centre of Ipswich. This new exhibition explores the work of one of Suffolk’s most famous artists – John Constable.
Clare is a charming town and home to Sea Pictures Gallery. Here they specialize in marine art and bring together exhibitions of works from artists based in Mid and West Wales; West and South West of Sweden and from the whole of East Anglia.
ILLUMINATIONS IN THE NEW YEAR
Sparkling lights aren’t just for Christmas, they are for the new year too. From 4th – 27th February 2022, you can discover the night-time wonder of Haughley Park and its gardens in a Spectacle of Light, as you follow a beautiful illuminated trail around the glorious gardens and majestic trees.
Follow the enchanted illuminated trail around Haughley Park
Find more inspiration for when you visit Suffolk.
