Brambly Trails Family Staycation Guide: North Norfolk
Chris's sun soaked summer on the Norfolk coast
When planning a UK trip with kids, my criteria are simple: big skies, endless beaches, and plenty of space for my five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son to burn off their boundless energy. For our last summer staycation, we packed up the car and headed to the North Norfolk coast for a four-night family getaway.
If you are looking for family friendly outdoor adventure activities, the North Norfolk coastline is an absolute paradise for slow, nature-led exploring. Here is how we spent our long weekend.
Arrival: Settling into Heacham
We used a cozy Airbnb in Heacham as our base, which is perfect for accessing the quieter corners of the coast. Arriving in the late afternoon, we unpacked the car, ensuring the children’s backpacks and water bottles were lined up by the door, ready for the morning.
We headed out for an easy, welcoming dinner at The West Norfolk Heacham (91 Station Road, Heacham). Back at the cottage, we squeezed in a few garden games before bed. To set the tone for the trip, we sat down together and drew what we thought we might see over the next few days: the sea, fish, wild birds, and hopefully, some local seals. An old welly boot, crab claws and rainbow coloured ice creams were also drawn!
Day 1: Purple Fields & Secret Shipwrecks
We started early with a sensory morning at Norfolk Lavender. The children loved running through the fragrant purple pathways, checking out the plant center, and exploring the animal gardens. For lunch, we grabbed incredible sourdough pizzas from Yard Pizza and treated ourselves to giant, fluffy scones from The Mill Kitchen.
In the afternoon, we headed to Old Hunstanton Beach. The North Sea breeze was the perfect excuse to test-run our sustainable kites; these were declared an absolute winner by my daughter. The kids spent a glorious couple of hours running south down the wide sands, keeping their eyes peeled for the historic Wreck of the steam trawler Sheraton, which is partially buried in the sand. We wrapped up the day with a hearty pub dinner at The Ancient Mariner Inn, which has a fantastic family friendly garden overlooking the coast.
Day 2: Wide Sands & Wildlife at Brancaster
Day three was all about Brancaster Beach, a vast expanse of golden sand that is perfect for little explorers. On the way, we made an essential stop at Thornham Deli to grab coffees and stock up on picnic supplies.
We packed our beach bags with the British Coastline Nature Journal and the Amazing Birds of the British Isles Fact Cards from the Brambly Trails shop. While the kids wore their new spring jackets to keep the coastal breeze at bay, we used the cards to identify the gulls and waders gathering by the shoreline, turning a simple beach walk into a mini wildlife safari.
Day 3: Boat Trips, Beach Picnics & Kitchen Helpers
This was our biggest adventure day. We started early at Blakeney for a spot of seal watching. Top tip: make sure to book the boat trips well in advance and check the departure times, as they change daily with the tides. Seeing the seals bobbing in the water was absolute magic for the children.
After the boat trip, we headed back toward Wells-Next-The-Sea, stopping at Thornham Deli again for much-needed iced coffees, children's hot chocolates, and fresh baked treats packed with fresh fruit. At Wells beach, the kids changed into their UV Toastie swimsuits for a paddle, while Dad proudly wore his 'Chief marshmallow toaster' cap from Father's Day.
We had a beach picnic, then walked along the sand with our notebooks to sketch our findings. My daughter took great pride in drawing her dad's toe after it had been completely buried in the sand! On the way back to the car, we recharged with ice creams at the Beach Cafe and let the kids have a final run around the Burnham Market Children’s Play Area.
That night, we opted for a slow evening in. The children loved helping to chop the sweet tomatoes we bought at Thornham Deli and grating the cheese for a big, comforting bowl of homemade spaghetti bolognese.
Day 4: Castles, Animals & Classic Fish and Chips
On our final day, we left our base early and headed toward Cromer. On the way, we stopped at the National Trust’s Felbrigg Hall. The rolling estate and wooded paths are fantastic for an outdoor family stroll before the day gets too busy.
Next, we spent a brilliant two and a half hours at Amazona Zoo, which is home to some incredible South American wildlife including a Jaguar, Puma and Scarlet Ibis. It is just the right size for younger children. Afterward, we headed into Cromer town center for snacks at Fika East, a beautifully calm, Scandi-style cafe.
We finished our Norfolk staycation with a long walk along Cromer beach, watching the waves crash against the pier. We simply couldn't leave without trying the local catch, so we rounded off the trip with traditional fish and chips at NO1 Cromer before starting the journey home.