Things to do in Norfolk

Lifejackets and dry bags are provided as part of this package as well as a basic demo and safety tuition by our qualified paddlesport instructors prior to your launch. Importantly there are no boats to avoid on this section of the beautiful wensum and you will find yourself amongst Kingfishers, Heron, Swans and dragonflies as you embark on your very own water adventure! Once you retirn, find yourself in the Gibraltar gardens beer garden to enjoy a wine or beer and look back on the spectacular day you have had! The perfect day out!

This paddleboard rental allows you to explore and unwind down the Norfolk broads for 2.5 hours. With two routes available, either head north into the tranquility of the broads and witness wildlife and beautiful scenery or head south with options of Riverside bars to stop off at and enjoy.With our location on the banks of the River Wensum, our unrivalled launching point in our beautiful location offers the perfect start to your hire. Our team is on hand to help you out throughout your hire, offering guidance and advice for whichever route you choose to pick. You can either head upriver through the winding and tranquil meadows into the heart of the beautiful Norfolk countryside or head right and explore Norwich’s city centre by the water as you’ve never seen it before. Both routes offer a fantastic and unique paddle-boarding experience! Prior to your launch a tuition and basic demo is provided and everything included lifejackets and dry bags are provided as part of your hire.

Come explore the Norfolk Broads national park on our 3 person Canadian canoes! Each hire comes with a safety demo and basic tuition taught by our qualified instructors and includes lifejackets and dry bags to ensure your safety whilst on the water. Amongst the tranquility of the River wensum is a variety of wildlife such as kingfisher, heron, river otters and swans, offering the perfect day out for all the family. As a bonus, we have no motorised craft on our section of the river, offering enhanced safety and ambience for all our customers.

Interact with playful Humboldt penguins as they swim and socialise, come face to fin with the rapidly growing juvenile blacktip reef sharks, and find out how it feels to touch a starfish at the interactive rock pool experience. Make the most of your visit and enjoy the daily fun talks, animal feeds, special events, and the Dive Adventure Quiz Trail - there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy at SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth. You can also come face to face with Ntombi and Masozi, the African dwarf crocodiles - these sleek and sinister sisters can grow up to 5ft long. Plus, walk through the amazing tropical ocean tunnel, where you can see the largest inhabitants as they roam around the lost city of Atlantis themed display. New for 2019, Jelly Invaders takes you on a journey into the fascinating world of jellyfish. Get up close to ‘Moon Jellyfish’ and follow the jellyfish life cycle. Come down and see jellyfish in a whole new light.

Join a family-run seal trip to Scroby Sands, the UK’s largest grey seal colony. Observe grey seals and common harbor seals in their natural environment. Enjoy a thrilling adventure and support a local business dedicated to showcasing the east coast’s marine life. Depart from Great Yarmouth and head to Scroby Sands. Witness hundreds of seals in their habitat from a comfortable jet boat. See large groups of seals as they gather on the sandbanks during low tide and swim around the boat at high tide. Scroby Sands, shaped by tides and currents, serves as a home for Norfolk seals. Known for its impressive wind farm, the sands provide a stunning backdrop for your seal-watching adventure.

Explore Norfolk your way with this guidebook that illustrates a scenic 113-mile (181 km) road trip through waterways, coastline, and historic cities. Designed for flexibility, the guide is organised into three themed sections—Norfolk Broads, Norfolk Coast & North Norfolk, and North Norfolk to King’s Lynn—so you only visit the places that you choose. __________________________________________________________________ WHAT TO EXPECT • This is an online travel guide – much like a digital book – ready for you to read, browse, and get inspired while planning at home or using your phone on the go. • The guidebook offers an overarching plan to help shape your multi-destination holiday, with different ideas and sample itineraries. It shows how destinations can be combined to suit your timeframe – typically from 3 to 14 days. • It’s designed to help you decide where to go, what to see, where to stay, and to inspire your trip in a way that suits your interests. It also includes helpful tips such as how to get there and where to park. • Please note: the guide itself is not customisable. However, each route includes Uncover Britain’s own pre-populated Google Maps with suggested pins and directions, plus customisable directions by section using Google Maps. __________________________________________________________________ GO BEYOND THE CLASSICS WITH: • Norwich – Discover the medieval city, from Norwich Cathedral and Castle to the charming lanes and cultural gems • Norfolk Broads – Explore this unique National Park with traditional towns, scenic walks, wildlife spotting, and optional boat hire • Potter Heigham, Horning & Hickling Broad – Use the guide to plan tranquil days in Broads’ villages and windmill spotting • Great Yarmouth & Cromer – Enjoy seaside fun, piers, and beaches with nostalgic charm • Norfolk Coast AONB – Visit nature reserves and enjoy dramatic scenery across this protected landscape • Sheringham & Wells-next-the-Sea – Discover quintessential coastal towns with colourful beach huts and local charm • Sandringham Estate & Lavender Fields – Use the route to plan visits to royal heritage sites and scenic gardens • King’s Lynn – End your route at this historic port town with museums, grand architecture, and a fascinating maritime story __________________________________________________________________ While you could search for places to go on your own, this guide offers curated context and ready-made itineraries along a recommended journey—so you don’t have to second-guess or piece everything together yourself. HOW TO ACCESS: see Know Before You Go

This sea life sanctuary is Norfolk’s 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, the sanctuary takes visitors on a memorable undersea odyssey filled with amazing close encounters with sea creatures of astonishing variety in spectacular high-tech displays. Experience the new penguin beach enclosure where you can learn how to waddle with the charming colony of Humboldt Penguins and meet the Inca Terns, the birds with magnificent mustaches. Walk through their enclosure and watch them glide underwater as you get up close and personal to these amazing birds.

Join us on the river for Norfolk’s first LED night paddle experience. Paddle down the Norfolk Broads as the night draws in, and turn on the boards to illuminate the river and bring it to life. Meet your instructor and be given a safety demo and basic tuition to paddleboard. Then, receive your lifejacket and safety leash and whistle and help you into the water. From there, follow your instructor up the river before the experience begins. Set off down the river Wensum in central Norwich at sunset before switching to full glow mode upon your return to the base at the Gibraltar Gardens pub.

The Museum offers a unique opportunity for visitors to delve into the rich maritime heritage of King's Lynn’s North End, showcasing both its past and present through preserved historic assets. At the heart of the Museum are two late 18th-century cottages, which are Grade II listed buildings, providing a rare glimpse into the lives of the fisherfolk who once lived there. These cottages, along with a Victorian smokehouse and a fishing boat on-site, highlight the traditional fishing industry that shaped the area. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Museum hosts temporary exhibitions, lunchtime talks, and family and local history classes, as well as guided tours of the North End neighborhood. Visitors can learn about the evolution of the fishing community and explore lesser-known stories from King's Lynn’s history. For those looking to relax, the Museum’s Georgian panelled tearoom is an ideal spot to enjoy a slice of cake and refreshments, perfect for meetups or even event hire. There's also a gift shop on site, offering unique souvenirs and local crafts. This blend of historical preservation and community engagement makes the Museum a must-visit for history enthusiasts and curious visitors alike.

We depart from Cambridge at 8am by luxury mini-coach for the 2-hour drive to north Norfolk. All Roots' tours are for small groups of no more than 16 passengers so tours are flexible and informal with a great chance to meet your fellow travellers. The north Norfolk coastline is the closest coast to Cambridge, and is one of the prettiest coastlines in Britain. Dotted with quaint villages, the coast road flanks enormous stretches of sandy beach and wetland, one of the most important landscapes in Europe for migrating seabirds as they head to and from their summer breeding grounds further north. First, our journey takes us east from the flatlands around Cambridge, past the horse racing town of Newmarket, through Britain's largest lowland forest at Thetford, around the US military base at RAF Lakenheath, and on towards the coast. Our first stop is at Holt, an elegant Georgian town a few miles inland from the sea. Time to stretch your legs, browse the quaint shops or perk yourself up with coffee before we head down to the coast. We take the coast road through a succession of pretty villages before arriving at Morston Quay for our seal-watching trip. Grey seals and common seals have made Norfolk their home due to the shallow waters and plentiful supplies of fish that inhabit the North sea. The boat will cruise up to the beaches for closer inspection of the seals that lounge on the headland, while inquisitive younger seals swim about the boat inspecting the human cargo inside! The trip takes about an hour in total and does not head out into open sea. Sea-sickness is never a problem. Afterwards, we head to Wells-next-the-sea for lunch. Wells is a small, popular seaside town that has avoided the development brought about by mass tourism. It is a more sophisticated place with boats moored at the harbour, the tinkling noises of sailing ropes tapping their masts, and seagulls wheeling in the skies above. Beware the same gulls swooping down for your lunch if you choose to take away fish'n chips! After lunch we burn off those calories by heading west to the fabulous beach at Holkham. We take a 90-minute circular walk down on to the enormous beach, through the sand dunes to the seashore, along the shoreline and back through the pine forest to the bus. If you prefer to just sit and watch the world go by, that's absolutely fine! The walk is on firm sand so no special shoes required, just flat soles will do. Bring your swimming costume if you're brave! We then head for a short refreshment stop in the pretty village of Burnham Market before making the journey through the King's estate at Sandringham, across the flatlands of The Fens, past the cathedral city of Ely and back to Cambridge. We aim to be back by 7pm. Please note: seal-watching boats can only sail at high tide so the itinerary may be reversed. Please contact us in advance if you need to know which itinerary we will be following on the tour date of your choice. For best prices, visit our website.