5 Amazing Things To Do With The Kids During Your Trip To Suffolk

As a family, we absolutely love exploring different places around the UK and finding hidden gems. We feel that the UK has so much to offer, there's so much history here and many different fun family days out. And so over the next few weeks, I'm going to be sharing some posts on a few different places around the UK and some of the amazing things that they have to offer to families with young children, starting today with Suffolk. 

Where to Stay? 

Let's start with where to stay during your trip to Suffolk. If you live in or around Suffolk then you'll already know that Suffolk offers some pretty wonderful places to stay. Suffolk-Secrets by Holiday Cottages is a fantastic website that helps you match with the perfect holiday property for you. From gorgeous beach huts, woodland lodges, cosy cottages, stunning homes and even fantastic barn conversions, plus tons more amazing holiday properties to choose from, you'll no doubt find the perfect place to stay for you. 

What to do? 

Southwold Beach and Pier 

You can't beat a day at the seaside and Southwold Beach makes for the perfect spot for a family day at the beach. With its sand and shingles shore and brightly coloured beach huts, Southwold is described as the jewel of Suffolk's Heritage Coast. The Pier at Southwold which has previously won the prestigious Blue Flag award offers delicious food, excellent shopping, breathtaking sea views and eccentric British seaside fun. Nearby you'll also find Southwold's lighthouse built in 1887 as a coastal mark for passing shipping and as a guide for vessels sailing into Southwold Harbour. 

Africa Alive

Africa Alive, formerly known as 'Suffolk Wildlife Park', is a zoo located in Kessingland, Suffolk, where you can explore the sights and sounds of Africa and discover lions, giraffes, rhinos, meerkats, hunting dogs and many more animals from the African continent. In their 'Plains Of Africa' zone, you are able to see a re-creation of the African Savannah, where the animals of the plains roam freely together, as in the wild. There's a free safari road train which allows you to explore the park and learn about the animals with a live educational commentary. And also lemur encounters, a discovery centre, a farmyard corner, Kingdom of the Lion (which gives you the chance to see and photograph the lions without obstructions from Lookout Lodge) and also an amazing indoor adventure play area named the 'The Wild Zone'. 

Framlingham Castle

Framlingham Castle is located in the market town of Framlingham in Suffolk and was built after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Once refuge to Mary Tudor pre-coronation, this castle offers magnificent views, exhibits and events. You can walk along the ramparts and stroll through the grounds. There's also a small cafe with a good selection of food and drinks. Entry includes access to the Lanman Trust's Museum of local history and there's an exhibition in the Poorhouse which tells the story of the people who lived in the castle throughout its long and varied history. 

BeWILDerwood 

BeWILDerwood is an exciting adventure park for families located in Horning, a parish in the English county of Norfolk. Not technically Suffolk but only a short drive for what is an award-winning wild and imaginative adventure park with magical treehouses and a hint of intriguing characters.  The setting for the book 'A Boggle at BeWILDerwood', by local children's author Tom Blofeld, it's a mystical land of brave adventurous creatures where parents are encouraged to play alongside their children, making it an exciting day out for the entire family! 

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway

At the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway you can visit the railway museum based in the restored station and also take a ride in the Victorian coaches of the steam train, which is free for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. And at Christmas time you are able to pre-book a place to take a ride from Brockford Station to go and see Santa himself at the North Pole Hait. Each child gets given a special ticket and be given a present by Santa in his Magic brake van. Plus all visitors are given a mince pie and a drink. If your children love trains, you can't beat a ride on a steam train! 

I hope you've enjoyed these suggestions. Have you found any hidden gems across the UK lately? 

Thank you for reading.

Alex xo