Visit Norfolk in June - and beat the rush!
There’s a reason that Norfolk gets busy in July and August – everyone wants to come here! And who can blame them? We have so much to do to suit all tastes, ages and pockets.
But if you don’t have to think about school holidays, then June is a great time to visit Norfolk too.
You’ll enjoy the longest days of sunlight, great weather (not guaranteed but Norfolk is the combined sunniest/driest county in the country) and everything is open but less crowded. Below are our top things to do…
Great British Cycling Festival
The Great British Cycling Festival will be coming to Norfolk for the first time. Not only will the county be hosting the 2019 HSBC UK National Road Championships, you will be given the chance to ride in the shadows of those elites, riding for the British title with a truly beautiful and exciting 100-mile non-competitive closed road sportive, the National Championships Century.
The Royal Norfolk Show
The Royal Norfolk Show takes place on June 26 and 27. These are two days when all of Norfolk comes together at the Royal Norfolk Showground just outside Norwich. Retaining its agricultural roots, the event nonetheless has something for everyone, with outdoor shows and displays, a funfair, shopping village and huge food and drink hall. The best place to experience Norfolk all in one place!
Henry Moore at Houghton Hall
Fresh from their success with Damien Hirst and now in a unique collaboration with the Henry Moore Foundation, Houghton Hall in Norfolk presents a major exhibition 'Henry Moore at Houghton Hall: Nature and Inspiration' – the first significant show of the artist’s work in East Anglia.
Rediscover the legendary Vikings
You thought Vikings wore helmets with horns, didn't you? Don't worry, we all did. Your preconceptions of our Scandinavian friends will be challenged at Viking: Rediscover the Legend at Norwich Castle Museum and Gallery.
Featuring star objects from the British Museum and Yorkshire Museum, some of the most significant Anglian and Viking treasures ever discovered in Britain, this exhibition offers a fresh perspective on how Vikings shaped every aspect of life in Britain.
Take a boat out on the Norfolk Broads
Getting out on a boat is the only way to properly see the Broads, 125 miles of lock-free waterways. Hire a day boat or a cruiser for a long weekend, mid-week break or a full week. Depending on your likes, you could head into the wild northern Broads or, in the south Broads, take in Great Yarmouth and Norwich.
Three fab family-friendly seaside resorts!
Norfolk has three family-friendly fun-filled resorts. Great Yarmouth is the top seaside town on the east coast, with the Golden Mile packed with rides, attractions and amusemebnts. At Cromer you can see the Summer Show at the Pavilion Theatre, the world’s last end-of-pier theatre! Yes, the world’s last! And at Hunstanton enjoying the late evening sunset is a unique experience – this is the only east coast resort that faces west!
Fab visitor attractions awaiting you...
If you have pre-school children then Norfolk has SOOOO many visitor attractions to enjoy. For the wild ones, we’d recommend Pensthorpe and BeWILDerwood, but there’s fun to be had at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, Banham Zoo and many more. And Norfolk also has a range of steam railways… choo choo!
Inspire your green fingers
June is a great time to wake up and smell the, er… roses. Or rhododendrons in the case of Sheringham Park – in its Humphrey Repton-designed parkland you’ll see one of the best displays in the country. Don’t forget to climb the tower to get a fantastic coastal view all the way down to Blakeney Point. And if it’s gardens you're after...
Get the seal of approval
Did someone mention Blakeney Point? This is home to the largest seal colony in England during Winter, but in June it’s still worth a boat trip from Morston Quay to see these delightful, inquisitive and friendly animals. And because of the longer days, there are two trips a day, unlike Winter.
An abundance of fresh ingredients
June in Norfolk is a great time to enjoy some of our favourite ingredients. Look out for asparagus, samphire, pick-your-own strawberries and raspberries, and fresh seafood, particularly the legendary Cromer Crab (it’s so tasty because it feeds off the world’s longest chalk reef… yes, really!). By the seaside, you can’t miss out on fish and chips and, with it, try one of our local beers, made from the best malting barley in the country… it’s so good because it’s grown in salty sea frets and at height. Yes, we know, you thought Norfolk was flat. It’s not!
Head out to the 90 miles of coast
It’s a great time to be enjoying our coast. We have brilliant beaches, our top 10 are here, and many beaches are dog-friendly. The water might be a trifle cold, but you could always kitesurf at Hunstanton or learn to paddleboard. Almost our entire 90 miles of coast have a walking path, so you can enjoy the cliffs, seashore, salt marshes and tidal creeks at your own pace. Park up, walk as far as you want and then get the Coastal Hopper bus back.
But rain won't stop play!
And just in case inclement weather descends from somewhere else, like Wales or Scotland, then we have plenty of things to do under cover too, from Downton Abbeys to superb museums and most of the top attractions now have weather-proofed facilities too.
