Travellers often find the top things to do in Norfolk a bit curious, but of the best possible sort. Everything has a larger-than-life appeal but in a charming and unintimidating way. No wonder Norfolk is a popular tourist destination!

Largely a rural county, it consists of the six districts of Norwich, South Norfolk, Great Yarmouth, Broadland, North Norfolk, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, and Breckland. Combined, these places offer people sweeping beaches, open skies, sprawling inland waterways, beautiful castles, and marshes with abundant wildlife.

Take a trip and explore this wonderland that is brimming with fun experiences for everyone. Begin with these nine best things to do in Norfolk and have a great time.

Outdoors

1. Holkham National Nature Reserve

There is never any shortage of things to do in Norfolk inside Holkham Reserve. Hailed as the largest national nature reserve in England, it is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Sandy beaches, pristine shores, grazing and salt marshes, dunes, forests and pinewoods and scrubs serve as the playground for a wild variety of wild animals and also for the visiting tourists.

Price: Free entrance but parking fees apply: £3 for two hours and £6.50 for a day
Hours: Open access
Location: Wells-next-the-Sea NR23 1AB, United Kingdom

2. Cley Marshes

Over 300 bird species call the Cley Marshes home, easily making it one of the premier bird-watching sites in the country. A network of walking trails and bird hides make it easy to explore the place. Telescopes are also available at the visitor centre with huge picture windows that present panoramic vistas.

Price:  £5 for adults; children go free
Hours: Open access
Location: near Cley-next-the-Sea, England

3. Wells Beach

Miles of sandy beach, undulating dunes, and pine forests await you. There is no better place for a long and leisurely walk. Bright beach huts add color to the shore, while the woods provide a refreshing escape if you have had your sun’s fill.

Price: Free
Hours: Open access
Location: Wells-next-the-Sea, England

Museums

4. Norwich Castle

Atop a hill overlooking central Norwich, this castle is a 12th-century royal fortification that is on every list of the top things to do in Norfolk – it is the city’s most known landmark, after all. The Normans built it as a Royal palace 900 years ago and today serves as one of the best examples of preserved Anglo-Norman military architecture.

Inside, multiple attractions capture the interest. There is an interactive museum with exhibits centered on the Vikings, Boudica, Iceni, and the Anglo-Saxons. There are guided tours in the battlements and dungeons too, along with graphic displays on grisly punishments from the time the castle served as a medieval prison. Meanwhile, the art gallery showcases 19th-century landscape paintings, plus the world’s largest collection of novelty teapots – welcome to England.

Price: £8.80 for adults and £7 for children
Hours: 10 AM to 4.30 PM every Monday to Saturday and 1 PM to 4.30 PM every Sunday
Location: Castle Meadow, Norwich NR1 3JU, United Kingdom

5. Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell

A lot of history circles the Bridewell building. In 1325, it began as a prosperous merchant’s house, only to be transformed into a prison or house of correction for women, beggars, and tramps in 1585. Nowadays, it is a museum that entertains travellers seeking to do interesting things in Norfolk. Abundant displays include exhibits on the prominence of Norwich during the Middle Ages, as well as 19th century industrial heritage. A 1950s parlour also enthral, plus films in a pocket-size cinema.

Price:  £5.50 for adults and £4.40 for children
Hours: 10 AM to 4.30 PM every Tuesday to Saturday
Location: Bridewell Alley, Norwich NR2 1AQ, United Kingdom

Restaurants

6. Davies

This place is a local institution. Once you have eaten seafood here, you will never want to go to any other place ever again. Every day, the Richard William sets out to catch crab in the waters around the Norfolk coast, then it is cooked, cracked, and dressed on-site. Delicious lobsters, cockles, mussels, and whelks are also on the menu, plus a range of wet fish.

Price: Crabs start at £3.50
Hours: 8.30 AM to 5 PM every Monday to Saturday and 10 AM to 4 PM every Sunday from April to October; 8.30 AM to 4 PM every Tuesday to Saturday from November to March
Location: 7 Garden St, Cromer NR27 9HN, United Kingdom

7. Picnic Fayre

Champion of local produce and specialties, a visit to Picnic Fayre is one of the best things to do in Norfolk for your tummy. It is an award-winning wonderland of pastes, spices, cheeses, and wines and an original source of English picnic classics including home-baked lavender bread, pork pies with chorizo, and sweet chill sauce–smothered sausages. Their Portuguese custard tarts and homemade fudge are to die for, too.

Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM every Monday to Saturday; 10 AM to 4 PM every Sunday
Location: The Old Forge, Cley next the Sea NR25 7AP, United Kingdom

8. Roger Hickman’s Restaurant

Modern British fine dining in Norwich is synonymous with Roger Hickman’s Restaurant. Quality and imagination come together in incredible dishes like the pork-cheek terrine, venison with figs, and monkfish with octopus. The ambiance heightens the experience with understated elegance permeating every inch of the place.

Price: £125 for lunch for two, including drinks and service
Hours: 12 to 2.30 PM and 7 to 10.30 PM every Tuesday to Saturday
Location: 79 Upper St Giles Street, Norwich NR2 1AB, United Kingdom

9. The White Horse

 

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Seasonal food, seafood specialties, and real ales and fine wines put The White Horse on the map of Burnham Deepdale. Its imaginative menu features brown crab custard, cod and dill, tempura Brancaster oysters, and scorched bass. But apart from the interesting dishes, the deck terrace, and adjoining dining area create an unforgettable experience opening to beautiful views of the Norfolk Coastal Path and the tidal marshes.

Price: Mains starts at £13
Hours: 9 AM to 11 PM every Monday to Saturday; 9 AM to 10.30 PM every Sunday
Location: Main Rd, Brancaster Staithe PE31 8BY, United Kingdom

Find accommodation in Norfolk, England

Recommended Hotels

Budget – Cavendish House Hotel

Mid-Range – Brook Hotel

Luxury – Old Town Hall House

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