Seasides
If you're looking for night life, restaurants, seaside piers, kiss me quick hats, amusement
arcades or fish and chips, you have two main seaside towns close by.
6½ miles to the north is the Norfolk town of Gorleston-on-Sea with it's stunning stretch of sandy beach, cliff gardens and grand promenade, and just 3.5 miles further north is the larger town of Great Yarmouth, one of
the UKs most popular seaside resorts. And to the south, the Suffolk town of Lowestoft is just 2.5 miles away.
Between them, you'll be able to find all the British seaside fun you're looking for.
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And in addition to traditional seaside antics, other tourists attractions include museums, theatres, parks, landmarks, a sea life centre, model village, crazy golf, sky diving and parachuting.
The Big City
In addition to Great Yarmouth, if you're after a spot of culture, or city shopping, just 25 miles inland is
the historic city of Norwich. Famous for being the second city in the UK after London, it is peppered with
a wealth of mediaeval buildings, and is the only UK city located in a national park.
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From its impressive medieval cathedral (originally a Benedictine monastery), to the quaint cobbled street of Elm Hill - one of the best preserved medieval streets in England - Norwich is a city of history waiting to be explored.
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If retail therapy is more your thing, then The Lanes is a great place to eat, drink and shop, and is full of independent retailers, antiques and eateries. Norwich also boasts a 189-stall market, one of the oldest
and largest in the country, as well as several indoor shopping malls.
Countryside
Suffolk and Norfolk are both very rural counties with plenty of outdoor space to get your fresh air fix.
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There's plenty of walking trails, cycle tracks, horse riding centres and boating opportunities throughout the area as well as a variety of wildlife, nature reserves, garden centres and fruit picking sites to enjoy.
With Thetford Forest, the Norfolk Broads National Park, Waveney Valley and the flat Fens all within reach,
there's no shortage of spectacular countryside days out to take advantage of.
Quiet Beaches
There's no shortage of outstanding beauty and quiet beaches to stroll along in Suffolk, with perhaps a pub lunch stop on the way.
A clear favourite, and just 15 miles south, is the picturesque village of Southwold with it's long, sandy beach,
old world harbour and riverside pubs.
And just across the river from Southwold is Walkberswick with its sand dunes, nature reserve, marsh and heathland.
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A little further south is one of the best known Suffolk beaches; the sand and shingle beach of Aldeburgh,
with its many quirky, historic buildings lining the beach front.
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If you're not wanting to venture too far, just up the road on foot is the charming little village of
Hopton-on-Sea with its wide, sandy, dog friendly beach.
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And a bit of a hidden gem with single track access only by foot, is the stunning Covehithe beach, a peaceful stretch of sand backed by crumbling golden cliffs. A 6 minute walk north brings you to Benacre Broad, an isolated, brackish lagoon and conservation area.
Closer To Home
If you're not one for travelling too far, then Ocean Retreat Lodge offers a peaceful stay, a leafy glade location, and its own cliffside path down to the long stretch of Corton Sands. On-site there's a picnic area, wildlife pond and woodland walk, and just across the road, a ¼ mile walk away, is Corton Woods Nature Reserve. Half a mile at the other end of The Street is a small convenience store, a Chinese takeaway and a pub/restaurant for a quiet evening out.
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And if you're looking slightly further afield but not too far, all within 5 miles of the lodge is:
"The most elegant holiday home I've ever stayed in, the decoration is in muted tones which reflects the environment and the views of the sunrises are gorgeous. It's properly dog friendly, without being shabby. The heating works well and the TV is good quality too!"
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(Rosalind)