It may get busy in the more popular towns during the summer holidays, but there is easily enough beach to go around \u2013 there is a continuous strip of golden sand running along the entire north coast, providing limitless options for days out in Norfolk. Park at pretty Wells-Next-The-Sea beach and make your way through the woods to the sea. From here, you can head west in the direction of Holkham until you find a spot of sand to call your own. Alternatively, hit \u2018Sunny Hunny\u2019 \u2013 the Blue Flag beach of Hunstanton, where donkey rides and boat trips are on offer to the more active bather. Cromer is another Blue Flag beach, thanks to its long sandy stretch and clean waters protected by lifeguards. The beach at Cromer has many more touristy offerings, including cafes, fun fair rides and, of course, its famous pier. You can have a go at \u201cgullying\u201d \u2013 catching the little crabs that hide under the sand in the shallow waters. There are many here \u2013 all you need is a line with some raw meat strung along it and a vessel to keep your haul in.<\/p>\n
Why not say hello to some excitable and friendly seals at the sealife centre?\u00a0Hunstanton SEA LIFE Sanctuary is Norfolk\u2019s only seal sanctuary open to visitors and is home to over 2,000 creatures, from tiny shrimps to Amazonian Piranhas! Boasting a state of the art marine aquarium taking visitors on a memorable undersea odyssey filled with amazing close encounters with sea creatures of astonishing variety in spectacular \u2018high-tech\u2019 displays.<\/span><\/p>\n If you do make the trip to Cromer, why not make an evening of it? Cromer\u2019s Pavilion Theatre at the end of the pier produces a riotous in-house show every summer and winter. Think old school seaside entertainment with family-friendly variety performances for an intimate audience of 500. It\u2019s one of the last surviving \u201cend of the pier\u201d shows \u2013 a fun blend of comedy, singing and dancing where many stage stars start their career.<\/p>\n While taking a dip in the sea off-season takes a courage all of its own, wild swimming is a uniquely thrilling thing to do in Norfolk. It\u2019s also a great way to discover some of Norfolk\u2019s prettiest rivers and waterways. Make The Broads your first port of call on a warm summer\u2019s day \u2013 the River Bure is a perfect spot, with clear waters and charming scenery. Wild swimming takes some serious mettle, so do consider bringing a tea flask and a warm jumper for post-dip recovery.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re travelling with family, then Wroxham Barns is a crowd-pleasing place to spend an afternoon. It\u2019s a little development of craft studios with a funfair, mini golf course and a small farm. The latter gives kids the chance to feed baby lambs by bottle in spring time, meet the pigs making a fine mess of the piggery, and give lunch to guinea pigs, rabbits and pygmy goats. While the kids are squealing at piglets and grooming ponies, you can browse homemade wares in the craft shops, and stock up on plants and local produce too.<\/p>\n If much of Norfolk runs at a slower pace than city-slickers might be used to, you\u2019ll find things move a little more quickly at Snetterton. It\u2019s a motor-racing track and home to the second longest circuit in the UK. It hosts tournaments such as the British Touring Car Championship, the British Formula Three Championship and the British Superbike Championship, as well as novelty events for beautiful old vintage cars. But whatever you drive yourself, you can get a taste of adrenalin with a track day \u2013 many of these are designed specifically for beginners who fancy getting behind the wheel of something speedy. You\u2019ll have one-to-one guidance from a professional race instructor, who will school you in the art of driving fast while keeping a car balanced and under complete control. Just remember to leave your learnings at the door when you head back onto the coastal roads.<\/p>\n The National Trust-owned spread of sandy dunes at Blakeney Point provides a home to one of the largest colonies of grey seals in England. You can take an hour-long trip to see the seals and their record numbers of pups from Morston Quay. These have been running for more than fifty years and you\u2019re almost guaranteed to see some seals \u2013 there are more than 500 animals regularly basking on the sandbanks. The best time to see the baby pups is between June and August, when the common seals have their young, or between November and January when the greys seals give birth.<\/p>\n If beautiful countryside and sandy beaches sound like the perfect weekend away, then take a look at our hotels in NorfolkSee an end of the pier show at Cromer<\/h5>\n
Go wild swimming<\/h5>\n
Visit Wroxham Barns<\/h5>\n
Head to the races \u2013 or get behind the wheel yourself<\/h5>\n
Go seal spotting<\/h5>\n