by Diversity is the watchword in Suffolk, with an amazingly wide range of attractions and experiences within its small borders – everything from boating in the southernmost reaches of the Broads National Park to visiting an icon of the Industrial revolution ( located, incidentally, not far from. one of the largest nuclear reactors in the country). Meanwhile, you can choose between nature at Minsmere, culture in Aldeburgh, and booze in Southwold.
For more inspiration, discover our guide to Suffolk and the best hotels, restaurants and nightlife in the area.
Find things to do by area
Inland Suffolk
Take to the water in Beccles
Beccles is a handsome Georgian town high above the river on the Suffolk-Norfolk border, and well worth a visit for that. But it’s also the southernmost navigable point of the Broads National Park, so it’s a great place to pick up a day boat or canoe and get out on the water. You can do that at the family-run hippersons Boatyard in town, or at Rowan Craft or Three Rivers, both in nearby Geldeston. The latter has its own floating wood-burning sauna if you’re after something different.
Insider tip: If you prefer to let someone else do the driving, take the Great Dog Ferry to the excellent Locks Inn for a pint or two.
Swinging through the trees in Thetford Forest
Just on the border between Norfolk and Suffolk, Thetford Forest is made for Go Ape zip wires and rope bridges, and a branch of the tree adventure park is a must. Bring the family and enjoy a forest adventure – not just at Go Ape but on the many trails and cycle paths through the woods. Book in advance, and check first if your children are old enough (and tall enough) for the main Tree Top Adventure.
Insider tip: Before or after enjoy a meal at the excellent Elveden Inn or Courtyard Restaurant – both part of the extensive Elveden Estate.
Contact: goape.co.uk
Price: ££
See the sights in Lavenham
Perhaps the prettiest of the woolen towns in Mid Suffolk – and certainly the most famous and most visited – Lavenham is the jewel in the crown of inland Suffolk: a small town with more creaky timber houses , biased than you can shake a stick at. . The main market square is right in the center of the town and there is a Town Hall run by the National Trust, where you can watch an exhibition of the town’s history. You should also visit the church of St Peter & Paul up the hill – also a testament to the wealth and piety of 16th century Lavenham.
Insider tip: Among Lavenham’s many good options, a good place for lunch is the brasserie in the historic Swan Hotel, which serves an excellent two-course set lunch for £22.50.
Explore one of the best places to live in Britain
Regularly voted one of the best places to live in Britain, the grand sight of Framlingham is its castle, home to Mary Tudor in the 1550s, commanding the town from its hilltop and a reference of sorts by a well-done local boy, Ed Sheeran. You can walk around the 12th century defensive walls, which still have their Tudor-style chimneys on top, and enjoy wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.
Insider tip: Be sure to visit the impressive medieval church of St. Michael next door – a collection of the world’s finest grave monuments is worth a look.
Contact: english-heritage.org.uk
Price:£
Suffolk coast
Try your hand at making gin
These days you don’t often come across a working brewery in the town center but that’s exactly what you find in Southwold, which is still haunted by the fumes of beer from established local brewery Adnams every day, despite its noble reputation. Tours are regular and popular, and take an hour to see the highlights of the brewery and taste a beer or two. They have also started distilling gin so you can take a tour of the distillery too.
Insider tip: Keep an eye on the website because on certain days, you can make our own gin.
Contact: adnams.co.uk
Price: ££
Go Twitching in Minsmere
It’s hard to believe now, but the sleepy coastal backwater of Dundee was once a large and important medieval port before it was swept away by the sea. You might enjoy visiting the ruins of a monastery, visiting the local museum or even exploring some offshore ruins, but the real draw of this small town is the RSPB’s amazing bird reserve at Minsmere in nearby, where visitors can walk on the lagoons, watch the birds and perhaps spy the odd otter among the reeds.
Insider tip: If you get hungry you can enjoy the excellent fish and chips at the Flora Tea Rooms in Dunloe, or pop into the cozy Ship Inn for a pint or a bite to eat.
Contact: rspb.org.uk
Price:£
Discover one of England’s most famous composers
Situated on the edge of town, the Red House was once the home of Benjamin Britten and houses a museum full of artefacts relating to England’s most famous 20th century composer. Among the various outhouses you can also see the library, still filled with Britten’s and Pears’ collection of furniture, books and paintings, and the studio where he composed ‘War Requiem’ and other late works.
Insider tip: Try to time your visit with one of the tours around the house, which is full of Pears and Britten’s large collection of 20th century art.
Contact: brittenpearsarts.org
Price:£
Dig into Anglo-Saxon history
Sutton Hoo is perhaps the most important Anglo-Saxon archaeological site in the country – the burial ground of a war king buried in a forty ship containing a treasure trove of possessions in the early seventh century. You can see the main burial mound as well as a lot more, a replica of the ship and a short film, and sadly only a handful of the main finds as most of them are in the British Museum.
Insider tip: Tranmer House is a late 1940s bubble used by the Women’s Land Army during the war and still has the graffiti to create it.
Contact: nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo
Price:£
Experience Suffolk’s industrial revolution
The working town of Leiston is not generally considered one of the best places to visit in Suffolk. It’s a shame, because the Long Shop Museum has an authentic and atmospheric icon from the 19th century, the Leiston Works, which produced steam-powered machinery and exported its products around the world. Not only that but the founder’s daughters, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Millicent Fawcett, became two of the most famous and influential women of their age.
Insider tip: Walk down to Sizewell and enjoy a hot drink in the shadow of the nuclear power station at Sizewell Tea, a proper beach cafe with decent food too.
Contact: shipshopmuseum.co.uk
Price:£
Visit a town forgotten by time
On a peaceful corner of the Suffolk Coast, sheltered by the long Orford Ness headland, Orford is one of those places where the road seems to disappear – a sleepy village-cum-small town split between a market square and the 12th century. castle grounds and quayside area where you can take trips across to Orford Ness National Nature Reserve and the RSPB reserve on nearby Halvergate Island.
Insider tip: Make sure you’re hungry – there are several dining destinations on the main square, or you could stop for some seafood to take home at Pinney’s by the harbor.
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up-to-date recommendations.
