If you have ever been to the county of Suffolk before, you will know that the reasons why everyone should visit Suffolk are many and varied. In fact, if you have visited Suffolk before, you are bound to return time and time again.
Suffolk is a top tourist attraction to those holidaying within the UK and also visiting from abroad, and is famous for its historical towns & villages; areas of outstanding natural beauty and RSPB Reserves; its culture including events such as festivals, concerts & art exhibitions; plus its wonderful array of shops, traditional pubs & inns, first-class hotels, and much more besides! So, if you haven’t visited Suffolk already, here are the reasons why you should!
Travelling to Suffolk
Suffolk is in East Anglia, and borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. To the east is the sea so Suffolk offers the best of all worlds – a rural escape as well as lots of coastal resorts with huge amounts to offer. Yet we’re only an hour away from London on the train and offer easy access from Essex, Cambridge, Norfolk and Bedfordshire – so you can be in another world very quickly.
When travelling from London, visitors may choose between driving, taking the train or travelling by coach. There are a number of on-going deals available to cut down on costs when travelling by train or coach – especially during school holidays.
Suffolk Weather
Suffolk enjoys sunny days and dry skies throughout the summer, and enjoys two more hours of sunshine each week than the national average.
You can expect to get a tan when holidaying in Suffolk this year – and how you could’ve had one from us last year if you’d been here even though the rest of the UK was wet, wet, wet!
Even if you do experience wet weather in Suffolk, there are still a great many Rainy Day Activities to keep the whole family entertained!
Of course, where there is sunshine, sunrises & sunsets naturally follow. Suffolk is full of awe-inspiring views, and these are at their most potent during the hours of sunrise and sunset. So whether you are ‘up with the birds’ or a ‘night owl’ type, a glance towards the skyline is a treat not to be missed!
Suffolk Towns & Villages
Suffolk encompasses of a huge variety of towns and villages, ranging from the metropolitan to the rustic.
Ipswich is Suffolk’s county town and has all the facilities one would expect from a modern town, yet a glance up over the shop fronts towards the architecture above reveals that Ipswich still maintains its sense of history, character and charm.
Suffolk towns & villages do not forget their past, as you will discover when you visit the preserved medieval villages of Lavenham and Bury St Edmunds; Britain’s 7th most desirable village, Long Melford; beautiful areas of the Suffolk coast such as Lowestoft, Southwold and Aldeburgh; home of horse racing, Newmarket; the delightfully quaint Stoke-by-Nayland; and relaxed & peaceful Orford.
Suffolk Hotels and Accommodation
Within the marvellous towns and villages visitors will find an exhaustive selection of accommodation options to choose from, including hotels, bed & breakfasts, cottages and other self-catering accommodation, and campsites.
Suffolk Hotels make your stay as easy and relaxing as possible, and come in all shapes, designs and sizes! Hotels in Suffolk range from the stunningly grand Hintlesham Hall Hotel, Ipswich to the spectacular & modern Thorpeness Hotel, Apartments and Golf Club, Thorpeness nr Aldeburgh, and from the coastal Brudenell Hotel, Aldeburgh to the historical Crown & Castle, Orford – and, of course, there is every type of hotel imaginable in between!
Eating Out in Suffolk
You will certainly never go hungry in Suffolk! With the huge variety of inns, pubs, cafes, and restaurants, you will be spolit for choice when deciding where to dine. There is somehwere to eat out in Suffolk to suit all occasions, tastes & budgets.
Suffolk Inns & Pubs
For light snacks, lunches, and traditional, home-cooked fare that is locally sourced, Suffolk Inns are ideal – and, of course, there is always Real Ales and a good selection of wines to wash it all down with! Relaxing with a drink in the garden area is bliss, and there is always a friendly and relaxed atmosphere inside.
You could try The Angel Inn, Wangford, where you will often find live entertainment such as music and quiz nights; The Westleton Crown, Westleton, with its roaring log fires; The Olde Bull Inn Hotel, Bury St Edmunds, where you will find AA Rosette-awarded A La Carte cuisine; The George and Dragon, Long Melford, where you will find a bar as popular with the locals as it is with visitors; The Ship Inn, Woodbridge, where you will find a whole range of country favourites written on the menu blackboards; The Moon and Mushroom Inn, Ipswich, an award-winning 16th Century inn; The Jolly Sailor, Orford that contains a pub, restaurant, inn & art gallery all under one roof; The George, Cavendish, a refurbished 600-year-old timber framed building on the much photographed village Green; or The Griffin Inn, Yoxford, a medieval Suffolk Inn with live folk music every 3rd Saturday of the month!
The majority of Suffolk Inns also offer accommodation.
Suffolk Restaurants
Whether you are seeking to please all the family at dinner-time, a quiet supper, or a romantic meal for two, Suffolk Restaurants will cater for your every need.
There is an excellent – and varied! – choice of restaurants in Suffolk, including Cafe Marsala, Long Melford, serving the best of Indian and Italian cuisine; Lindsay House Restaurant, Eye, a family-run restaurant offering an ever-chainging menu of seasonal produce; Mariners Restaurant, Ipswich, a French Brasserie on a moored 110-year-old Dutch boat; La Tasca Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Bury St Edmunds, serving over 30 tapas & paella dishes in a a unique and genuine environment; The Lady Florence River Cruise Restaurant, Orford, where diners cruise down the calm waters of the rivers Alde and Ore; and Maison Bleue Restaurant, Bury St Edmunds, a fine dining restaurant serving the best French cuisine.
Shopping in Suffolk
As well as all the leading names yoou would expect to find on any modern-day High Street, Suffolk has a marvellous selection of interesting independent shops, selling rare and unusual, and often handmade, items that you won’t find anywhere else.
For example, The Cuckoo Flower, Long Melford sells a fantastic collection of items that would make a perfect gift for just about anyone you know, whatever their age, gender or interests. There is also The Cuckoo Flower At Home, also in Long Melford, selling a wide range of contemporary indoor & outdoor furniture, kitchenware and interiors. Please click on the link for more information on both of these lovely shops – and find that special gift for a certain someone today!
Similarly, Kitty’s Homestore, Framlingham stocks a full range of gifts that can be used to pamper yourself or others! Here are some of the delights to tempt you: linum cushions and table linen, LSA glassware, Kenneth Turner candles, contemporary jewellery, and garden furniture.
If you are a foodie you will definitely have a taste for all of the delicious fare on offer at The Suffolk Food Hall, Ipswich.
Those of you with an appetite for the hot ‘n’ spicy will want to visit The Chilli Company, Stowmarket, which includes a Chilli Farm, a Mexican Restaurant, a Chilli Shop, a Chilli Nursery and an outdoor Tapas & BBQ Restaurant, and also Rafi’s Spicebox, Sudbury, offering their unique ‘Curry Pack’ – a blend of spices and ingredients prepared whilst you wait.
If you have a serious interest in food then you must book yourself onto one of the Field to Fork days with Food Safari, Woodbridge. Here you go behind-the-scenes at some of Suffolk’s best food and drink producers. Workshops combine farm walks, wild food forays or fishing trips with hands-on butchery or cookery demonstrations; and always wrapped up with a gourmet feast!
For the green-fingered there is Harvey’s Garden Plants, Bury St Edmunds, and for art-lovers there are the two wonderful art galleries in Long Melford: The Lime Tree Gallery and The Jessica Muir Gallery. Please continue reading to learn more about Suffolk Art Galleries.
Suffolk Events
There is always something happening in Suffolk to suit all tastes, all ages, all weather – and all bugets!
Suffolk Festivals
Suffolk Festivals are extremely popular, and offer a wide choice of interest including Latitude Music Festival in July, High Tide Arts Festival in May, Aldeburgh Music Prom and too many more to mention!
For fans of music and the arts check out the Aldeburgh Festival, choose from a wonderful selection of theatre productions, debates, talks, and films at the HighTide Festival, experience the comedic, musical & literary wonders of both the Latitude Festival and the Ip-Art Festival, treat yourself to something scrumptious at the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, or take in some fascinating talks and classes at the Lavenham Literary Festival.
Suffolk Music Concerts
Suffolk has a thriving music scene, offering gigs & concerts accross the county.
There is always an impressive classical music concert happening at the Snape Maltings Concert Hall in association with Aldeburgh Music.
Suffolk Art Galleries & Exhibitions
With such beautiful scenery at every glance, it is no wonder that Suffolk has inspired many artists to get creative!
Constable painted his famous Flatford Mill here, and Gainsborough was also a Suffolk born artist.
There are a great many Art Galleries in Suffolk with many techniques and types of exhibitions happening all the time. Galleries are the perfect place to learn about new artists, buy works, or enjoy the latest exhibitions, talks and classes.
If you are interested in trying your hand at an artistic endeavour, Deborah Ardizzone, Yoxford runs weekend painting classes from her studio and all levels of experience are welcome.
Suffolk Attractions & Activities – Things To Do
Suffolk is packed to the brim with fun Days Out and Things To Do – whether this be adult excursions or Family Days Out with the Kids – activities range from the relaxing to the exciting, and cover everything in between!
A visit to Jimmy’s Farm, Ipswich makes for a wonderful family day out. Kids can go on the Farm and Nature Trail and learn all about farming, pig-keeping and nature, let off some steam in the Adventure Playground, which is suitable for both toddlers and older children alike. For the parents there is the Farmer’s Market and the Garden Shop, which sells an extensive range of farmers’ goodies.
Another excellent farm for the whole family to visit is Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm, Ipswich. Here you can spend a relaxing day in the country by a lovely river, and enjoy feeding the friendly and rare animals.
If you are a an adventurous, thrill-seeking family, then a day trip to any of the following is sure to get your pulse racing:
Anglia Indoor Karting, Ipswich has an indoor karting race complex that has to be experienced to be believed, and for children there is a great Kubz track using battery-powered karts that is suitable for 5-7 year-olds.
If you fancy experiencing the excitement of off-road driving, a trip to Suffolk Moto Park, Ipswich will not disappoint. Here you can try your hand at 4×4 driving, quad riding, dirt karts and clay pigeon shooting, plus there are junior quads for 9-16 year-olds.
Pleasurewood Hills Theme Park, Lowestoft is Suffolk’s biggest theme park and is packed full of exciting rides such as ‘Wipeout’, an extremely tall and fast rollercoaster, and ‘Wave Breaker’, the ultimate in white water adventure – just be prepared to get wet!
One extreme sport that is suitable for the whole family can be found at Fulton’s Shooting, Worlington. Fulton’s offer clay target shooting that is suitable for all ages and all levels of experience, including those who have never tried it before – what are you waiting for?!
What could be more fun than a summer day spent at the seaside? Mannings Amusement Park, Felixstowe is a traditional seaside amusement park with childrens rides, penny pushers, video games, casino areas, crazy golf, plus a selection of bars and cafes.
Another great day out if you love to be beside the seaside (beside the sea) is Southwold Pier. Here you will find an arcade featuring handbuilt, old fashioned machines, a gift shop, a beach shop, a life-style store and a children’s shop. There is plenty here to keep the whole family entertained, come rain or shine!
There is always something to learn – especially about the history of Suffolk’s wonderful towns – on a day trip to one of Suffolk’s Museums.
One museum that is definitely worth a visit is The Amber Shop & Museum, Southwold. As the name suggests, here you will fnd everything to do with amber, including an exhibition detailing the history of this precious stone and featuring examples such as sculptures. There is also a fantastic gift shop where visitors can pick up a beautiful piece of amber jewellery.
We hope this article has given you reason enough to come and visit Suffolk for yourself, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
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