Norfolk has lots of fabulous family-friendly visitor attractions, many of which are open most of the year. Here’s just a selection…
Roarr!
Major investments over the past few years, not least indoor Dinomite and Dippy’s Theatre, make Roarr! the top adventure park in the region.
Head out on to the Valley of the Dinosaurs, hit the heights on the Predator High Ropes, play Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf, or zip around Dippy’s Raceway after a frolic in Dippy’s Splash Zone.
There’s lots of hot and cold food options and indoor and outdoor picnic areas.
BeWILDerwood
Run wild in this award-winning outdoor adventure park in the Broads National Park. Enjoy treehouses, wobbly wires, slippery slopes, storytelling, boat rides, marsh walks and meet the Crocklebogs, Twiggles and Boggles.
There’s lots of special events to look out for too.
Pensthorpe Natural Park
Part conservation trust, part visitor attraction, Pensthorpe does an exceptional job of encouraging people to look after the environment and our wildlife… while everyone is also having a lot of fun!
Explore the wild side of nature in this stunning 700 acre nature reserve located within the Wensum Valley, just 11 miles inland from the Norfolk coast.
There’s epic indoor adventure at Hootz House and at Wildrootz eco-play area children with energy to burn can push themselves physically whilst boosting confidence and having fun scaling 30ft towers, swinging from zip wires, venturing into underground tunnels and flying down twisty slides.
Amazona Zoo
This zoo in Cromer is absolutely Braziliant! Meet the 200 animals who call Amazona home, get up close and personal with Brazilian wild animals or visit the education yurt to learn more about the wildlife and ecology of South America.
Under 12s will love Jumble Tumbles soft play adventure and youngsters will enjoy Rainforest Springs play area.
Banham Zoological Gardens
Set in 50 acres of Norfolk parkland, Banham Zoological Gardens, run by the Zoological Society of East Anglia, is a great place to get up close and personal with amazing wildlife.
A conservation hub for endangered species of animals from around the world, Banham aims to spark a lifelong interest in protecting the rich diversity of our natural work through conservation and education.
Join us to learn more about incredible animals including the Amur Tiger, Red Panda, Grevy’s Zebra, and Black-Footed Penguin and the world’s tallest animal, the giraffe.
Watatunga Wildlife Reserve
If you’re looking for a unique experience to entertain the whole family from nought to ninety, look no further than a self-drive safari tour at multi-award winning Watatunga Wildlife Reserve. With the UK’s largest collection of endangered deer and antelope, this 170-acre gem is one of Norfolk’s best kept secrets.
Hirsty’s Family Fun Park
Hirsty’s Family Fun Park in Hemsby is an action-packed day out for the entire family. Enjoy a day away from the beach and explore all the fun of the farm.
Perfect for youngsters with lots of energy, Hirstys has acres of space to discover.
Feeling peckish? Pop over to Hirst Farm Shop and Café, the family-run farm, offering fresh, locally sourced produce from the fields and network of local farmers, fishmongers and artisan suppliers.
Go Ape
Unleash your inner Tarzan by taking to the trees at Go Ape at High Lodge, Thetford Forest. Explore the forest canopy 40ft from the floor on wobbly crossings, giant swings and zip wires.
While you’re here, tear up the trails on an all-terrain electric Segway, try your arm at archery, enjoy the adventure playgrounds and much more.
Pleasure Beach
Great Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach offers huge fun for all the family, from white knuckle rides to traditional attractions, including dodgems, fun factory and freefall.
Don’t miss the wooden rollercoaster, the last one in the UK that needs a brakeman because there are no brakes on the track. Eek!
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens
Explore the thrilling park near Great Yarmouth using the unique network of walkways. Follow the bridges across the lake, climb the Jubilee Tree walk to get magnificent views of the park, and venture onto the Tiger Machan Viewing Platform. Walk through the tree tops with the Gibbons and over the Leopard Enclosures.
Animals to be enthralled by are Sumatran Tigers, Red Pandas, Meerkats, Snow Leopards, Otters, Alligators and Crocodiles.
Holkham Hall and Estate
With a stunning location on the north Norfolk coast and at the heart of a thriving 25,000-acre estate, 18th century Palladian Holkham Hall is an exceptional place to explore.
Discover the ‘Holkham Stories Experience’, the walks and cycle trails, hit the high ropes course, take a boat on the lake, or a wander around the refurbished Walled Garden.
The estate also hosts events throughout the year, including outdoor cinema and theatre.
Wroxham Barns
There’s great shopping and eating at this fabulous countryside venue, but there’s also lots of family fun. Explore the Junior Farm and Fun Park, romp around in the soft play area, and get lost in the Maize Maze.
There’s heaps of cute animals to meet including sheep, pigs, rabbits, alpacas, guinea pigs and goats. And pony grooming too!
Sea Life Centre
Discover an amazing underwater world on Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile including the Rockpool Explorer Experience and meet the Humboldt Penguins, blacktip reef sharks, Clownfish, and turtles.
There’s a Sea Life at Hunstanton too.
Bugz UK
The largest all invertebrate zoo in the UK, Bugz UK is absolutely unique… especially if you like creepy crawlies!
The venue has hundreds of tropical insects, millipedes, spiders and tarantulas… and there are handling sessions every hour.
New in 2023 are a huge jumping pillow, a covered sandpit and extra picnic benches.
Church Farm Stow Bardolph
Come and meet the friendly farm animals and learn more about them from the experienced livestock staff, whilst getting to pet some of them. The animals, not the staff.
The adventure playground is a must for all younger visitors, with trampolines, climbing frames, a great pedal tractor trail and our enormous undercover sand pit and straw barn, where children can jump and play in the straw bales.
Redwings
Lovable donkey duo Wiggins and Wacko, real-life Black Beauty Maya and resident troublemakers, the Gangsters, are just some of the 50 rescued residents to discover at Redwings Aylsham, while Caldecott, a Visit England Quality Assured Visitor Attraction, is a must-see for all donkey and mule lovers with a herd of over 30 of the adorable, long-eared creatures!
Wroxham Miniature Worlds
The largest indoor modelling attraction in the UK stretching over 10,000 square feet with some of the largest model railways in the world on permanent public display. Come and be immersed in these miniature worlds.
The attraction is made up of many zones including model railways in various scales, slot car displays and a whole city made from over 130,000 Lego bricks! With model boat displays and a host of toys from across the decades there is something for the whole family.
