Things to Do in Norfolk with Kids: 10 Family Days Out to Pair with Camping
· Updated
Norfolk is one of the easiest counties in England to keep children happy for a week, because the big attractions sit close together and most are a short drive from a campsite. A treehouse adventure park, two proper zoos, a national park you explore by boat, wide sandy beaches and a colony of wild seals are all within about an hour of each other in the north and east of the county.
This is our pick of 10 family days out in Norfolk, what each one actually offers, and how to fit them around a camping trip. Base yourself well and you can do the Broads one day, a beach the next and a wildlife park when it rains. For where to pitch, start with our guide to child-friendly campsites in the UK, then browse the full directory at Camping Sites in Britain to compare sites near the coast and the Broads.
1. The Norfolk Broads: explore a national park by boat
The Broads is Britain's largest protected wetland and a member of the national park family, and the best way to see it with children is from the water. Hire a day boat from Wroxham or Potter Heigham, or take a skippered river trip if you would rather not steer, and drift past reed beds, windmills and moored cruisers looking for herons, kingfishers and Chinese water deer. Boats are slow, calm and endlessly interesting to a five-year-old, and there is no better place in Norfolk for a picnic afloat. Full details on hire and trips are on the Broads Authority website.
If your children take to being on the water, our family-friendly cycling routes near campsites pair well with a Broads base, since the flat lanes around Wroxham and Horning are ideal for small legs.
2. BeWILDerwood, Hoveton: treehouses and zip wires
BeWILDerwood is an outdoor adventure park built around a children's book, and it is the standout day out for active families. Set in woodland and marsh near Hoveton, it has treehouses, rope bridges, zip wires, a boat ride and marked trails, plus storytelling and den building, and most of it is free play rather than queuing for rides. Wear old clothes and wellies, because getting muddy is the point. See the BeWILDerwood website for opening dates, which vary by season.
3. Banham Zoo: big cats, giraffes and birds of prey
Banham Zoo, run by the Zoological Society of East Anglia, is a full day out with more than 2,000 animals across 50 acres in south Norfolk. Children come for the giraffes, snow leopards, lemurs and red pandas, and the daily bird of prey flying displays are the highlight for most. There is indoor play for wet spells and plenty of grass for a picnic. Plan your visit through the Banham Zoo website.
4. Pensthorpe Natural Park: wildlife and indoor play near Fakenham
Pensthorpe, near Fakenham, combines wetland wildlife with some of the best play areas in Norfolk, which makes it a safe bet whatever the weather. Outdoors there are lakes full of waterfowl, wildflower gardens designed by Piet Oudolf, red squirrels and the large WildRootz adventure playground. Indoors, the Hootz House soft play keeps younger children busy when the rain comes in off the coast. It is calmer and more natural than a theme park, and better for it. Details are on the Pensthorpe website.
5. Wells-next-the-Sea: a proper wide-sand beach
Wells has the classic North Norfolk beach: a vast stretch of pale sand backed by a pine forest and a row of brightly painted beach huts on stilts. At low tide the sand runs out for what feels like a mile, perfect for kites, cricket and paddling, and a little narrow-gauge railway runs between the beach and the harbour town so tired children need not walk back. Keep an eye on the tide, which comes in quickly across the flats. There is more on facilities at the Visit North Norfolk beach page.
6. Cromer: pier, crabbing and a Victorian seaside town
Cromer gives you the traditional seaside day, with a working Victorian pier, a sandy beach below the cliffs and the famous Cromer crab. Crabbing off the promenade with a line and a bucket is the cheapest entertainment on the coast and can occupy a child for hours. The pier has a theatre and the lifeboat station at its end, and the town is full of chip shops and ice cream. Cromer features in the Visit Norfolk beaches guide.
7. Blakeney Point: see wild seals from a boat
Blakeney Point holds England's largest grey seal colony, and a boat trip out to the sandbank is the wildlife encounter children remember longest. Trips run from Morston Quay and get you close to hundreds of grey and common seals hauled out on the sand. Grey seal pups are born from late October into winter, while summer trips still guarantee plenty of curious heads bobbing around the boat. The colony is looked after by the National Trust, whose Blakeney seals page explains the seasons.
8. Norwich: castle, cathedral and city things
Norwich is the wet-weather backstop and a good half-day when children want a change from fields and beaches. Norwich Castle is a Norman keep turned museum, with armour, an Egyptian gallery and hands-on exhibits, and reopened after a major redevelopment of the keep. Norwich Cathedral is free to enter, has a peregrine falcon nest you can watch on a live camera in spring, and a huge cloister to run off energy. Plan the castle visit through the Norfolk Museums Service. These are the kind of trips that turn a holiday into a bit of learning, which our guide on how to make a camping trip educational for kids leans into.
9. ROARR! Dinosaur Adventure, Lenwade
ROARR!, the dinosaur park at Lenwade that many families still call Dinosaur Adventure, is a hit with any child in a dinosaur phase. Life-sized models line a woodland trail, and there is a mix of outdoor and indoor play, a splash zone for hot days, animals to meet and daily activities. It sits between Norwich and Fakenham, so it slots neatly between the Broads and the coast. Check opening times on the ROARR! website.
10. North Norfolk Railway: the Poppy Line steam trains
The North Norfolk Railway, known as the Poppy Line, runs heritage steam trains along five miles of coast between Sheringham and Holt. The journey takes in sea views and Weybourne's traditional station, and the railway holds special event days through the year. It pairs perfectly with a Sheringham or Cromer beach day and is an easy, low-effort outing for grandparents and toddlers alike. Timetables are on the North Norfolk Railway website.
Which day out for which day?
Match the outing to the weather and where you are pitched. This is the quick version for planning a week.
| Attraction | Best for | Indoor or outdoor | Nearest base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Broads boat trip | Wildlife, calm days | Outdoor | Wroxham, Horning |
| BeWILDerwood | Active 3 to 11s | Mostly outdoor | Hoveton, Wroxham |
| Banham Zoo | Animal lovers, all ages | Both | South Norfolk |
| Pensthorpe | Mixed weather, under 8s | Both | Fakenham |
| Wells-next-the-Sea | Beach days | Outdoor | North coast |
| Cromer | Crabbing, seaside classics | Outdoor | Cromer |
| Blakeney seal trip | Big wildlife moment | Outdoor | Morston, Blakeney |
| Norwich castle and cathedral | Rainy days, older kids | Indoor | Norwich |
| ROARR! Dinosaur Adventure | Dinosaur-mad children | Both | Lenwade |
| North Norfolk Railway | Easy day, all ages | Outdoor | Sheringham, Holt |
Norfolk weather turns fast, so always keep a wet-weather option in reserve. Pensthorpe, Norwich Castle and Banham Zoo all work in the rain, and back at the tent our list of campsite games for rainy days covers the afternoons when you cannot get out at all.
Camping near the attractions
The trick with Norfolk is to base yourself between the coast and the Broads, because that puts most of this list within 45 minutes. Sites around Wroxham and Hoveton reach the Broads and BeWILDerwood in minutes, while the North Norfolk coast between Wells and Cromer suits beaches, seals and the Poppy Line. Compare family sites across the county through the Camping Sites in Britain directory, and read our broader advice on enjoying the great outdoors with kids before you set off.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best thing to do in Norfolk with young children?
For under-eights, BeWILDerwood at Hoveton and Pensthorpe near Fakenham are the two strongest choices, because both mix outdoor adventure with indoor play, so they work whatever the weather. A Broads boat trip is the gentlest option of all for toddlers.
Where can you see seals in Norfolk?
At Blakeney Point, home to England's largest grey seal colony. Boat trips run from Morston Quay year round and get you close to hundreds of seals. Grey seal pups are born from late October into winter, and summer trips still see plenty of animals.
What is there to do in Norfolk when it rains?
Norwich Castle museum, Banham Zoo's indoor areas, and the Hootz House soft play at Pensthorpe all keep children busy in the wet. Norwich Cathedral is free to enter and gives you a huge covered cloister to run around.
How many days do you need for a Norfolk family holiday?
Four to five days lets you do the Broads, two beaches, a wildlife park and a seal trip without rushing. Because the attractions sit close together, a long weekend still covers three or four of the days out on this list.
Is the Norfolk coast good for camping with kids?
Yes. The North Norfolk coast between Wells and Cromer has wide safe beaches, wildlife and the Poppy Line steam railway nearby, and plenty of family campsites. Base yourself here or inland near the Broads to reach most attractions in under an hour.
The short version
Norfolk packs an unusual amount into a small area, so pick a base between the Broads and the North Norfolk coast and the whole of this list opens up. Do the beaches and the seals on fine days, keep Pensthorpe, Banham Zoo or Norwich Castle for the wet ones, and you will not hear "I'm bored" once.
When you are ready to book, our guide to child-friendly campsites in the UK and the Camping Sites in Britain directory will sort your pitch.
