South Lowestoft, golden sands and buckets & spades

South Lowestoft is just a 15-minute drive from Southwold and is well-known for its golden sandy beach and beach hut-lined promenade. It’s an ideal base for those who enjoy a traditional seaside town and want to explore further into Suffolk and Norfolk.

The South beach is perfect for families. Its golden sands are a magnet for buckets and spades and the shoreline slopes down very gently so is ideal for little paddlers. Two sections of beach are patrolled by RNLI lifeguards during the summer months for added peace of mind. Further south towards Pakefield is a popular spot for kite surfers and wind surfers – fascinating to watch if you’re not one for adrenaline sports.

Along the seafront you can enjoy a stroll around Kensington Gardens where you’ll find a model boating lake, tea room and bowling green. If you’re feeling a little more energetic there’s also four tennis courts that are free to use. Further along the seafront are Zaks Sunrise Café and the Thatched Restaurant and Coffee House, the restaurants of the Victoria Hotel and Hatfield Hotel, plus of course several places for ice creams, donuts and fish and chips. The Claremont Pier and South Pier are both home to bright, bustling amusement arcades.

Lowestoft harbour was once a thriving fishing port and you can capture a piece of its history on a visit aboard the Mincarlo, a Sidewinder fishing trawler open to visitors and run by enthusiastic volunteers who will tell you about the history of the vessel and the town’s fishing industry. You can also visit the Maritime Museum in North Lowestoft. At the harbour you’ll also spot the RNLI lifeboat and if you’re by the beach early on Sunday morning you may be lucky to catch it in action during the crew’s weekly training session.

Lowestoft is 10 minutes’ drive from Oulton Broad, gateway to the Norfolk Broads. Here you can enjoy a boat trip or a stroll around Nicholas Everetts Park. During the summer months there is powerboat racing on the broad on a Thursday evening. It’s also just a few miles to Africa Alive and fun-filled theme park Pleasurewood Hills, both fabulous family days out.

Great Yarmouth (20 minutes), Beccles (15 minutes) and Norwich (45 minutes) are also accessible by car.