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Discover Stunning Norfolk, England: A Must-Visit Travel Destination

Elizabeth@Second Act Travels
A collage featuring seals on a beach, a quaint street, Norfolk's grand mansions with gardens, townhouses, beach huts, dune paths, and the interior of a cathedral. The central text reads, This is Norfolk England...
There’s something for everyone in Norfolk…

Norfolk: A Lesser Known Area in England That’s Poised to GROW

Quick! Think of the places that you want to visit in England. London pops to mind, of course, and then you probably think about other areas you’ve heard about: Stratford upon Avon, Canterbury, York, etc.

But there’s another place you should add to your list. Make time to visit the east coast of this stunning country– Norfolk, England– part of the larger area of England known as East Anglia. After spending ten days getting acquainted with this lovely part of of the country, I know it’s a destination worth your time.

TBH, I had a bit of a nudge to visit after Lonely Planet named East Anglia one of it’s must-see places for 2025.

The more I read about East Anglia in general, and Norfolk county in particular, the more I wanted to visit. Now I’m a complete fan of this beautiful and underrated part of England. Consider a visit to Norfolk, even for just a day or two, and soak in the stunning scenery and welcoming hospitality found in this corner of the country.

Where Is Norfolk, UK?

Think of England as an imperfect triangle. Norfolk is halfway up the right side of the triangle- and the fifth largest county in England. In this space is everything from the historic city of Norwich to quaint towns and villages, and areas that look more like Netherlands than England. Plus, there are miles upon miles of wide sandy coastline.

Map of Norfolk generously provided by Visit East of England

Norfolk boasts several famous estates including Sandringham Estate (which you’ve probably heard of) and Holkham Hall (which might be new to you). It’s home to a couple of National Trails, including the Norfolk Coast Path running right along its coast, and long wide beaches dotted with seal colonies. The county of Norfolk has both the urban pace of the cities of Norwich and Kings Lynn, and the quiet roads and dark skies of villages like Snettisham and Dersingham.

Norfolk feels a world away from the hustle of London, and its residents are most definitely laid back and eager to converse with visitors. I made more “friends” on this trip than any of my previous ones: standing at the bus stop, walking into a kebab shop, riding in a taxi, having breakfast with my B&B owner. People were kind, generous, and genuinely interested in getting to know me.

This trip reminded me why I love to travel (as if I could forget).

Visiting Norfolk England in the Off-Season

When to Go

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I love to travel in the off season when everyone else is home. I chose November for one main reason which I write about in a separate blog post (hint: baby seals!), but I want to assure any squeamish readers that Norfolk in autumn is absolutely fine for traveling! I arrived to two very cold days– in fact some of the coldest Norfolk had all year, but my long underwear and windbreaker kept me cozy. After the cold snap, the days were generally sunny, dry and very comfortable for walking. One day it was nearly 60∘ Fahrenheit– no jacket needed!

Isn’t there something wonderful about having the beach to yourself?

During the summer, the coastal areas of Norfolk are packed with vacationers heading to some of the best beaches in England. But in autumn, the crowds have gone and beaches become wide open spaces to roam to your heart’s content. The frenzy of people on their summer holidays is gone.

Now off-season quietness cuts both ways, and while I love the quiet, I think traveling in October or December is likely the off-sweet spot. In October, the days are still fairly long (compared with November’s darkness beginning just after 4:30pm) and most of the sites in the area still have generous hours of operation. After October 31, several places curtail their hours- sometimes they were only open on certain days of the week or weekend only. It isn’t a dealbreaker, but it requires some planning.

By late November, the holidays are in full force– and the major tourist destinations such Holkham Hall, Sandringham, and the city of Norwich, UK are eager to show off their Christmas spirit with lights, decorations, and holiday cheer.

November in Norfolk is like the prelude to a kiss– there’s lots of preparations, lots of overtures promising the enjoyment to come, but it isn’t quite there yet. But by the time I left at the end of the month, the lights and festivities were full on!

I expect that hours of operation will only expand as the area grows in popularity– as I said, the area of East Anglia is poised to grow! I had even heard from my B&B owner that Sandringham Estate is opening to the public during the winter, so things are changing!

Getting Around Norfolk

Having a rental car gives you unlimited freedom and mobility, but it’s not a big deal if you don’t have one. I got around quite easily via train and the extensive network of public buses.

One thing to remember about the greater Norfolk area is that there are several different bus operators; different companies provide service to different areas of Norfolk, Suffolk and the whole of East Anglia. If I thought I’d be doing a good bit of traveling on the bus system on any one day, I purchased the Norfolk Fusion Bus Pass, costing 12£ and good for all the bus services in Norfolk, no matter the operator. I used this for a couple of days where I knew I’d be exceeding 12£ in point-to-point ticket purchases.

I purchased a Norfolk Fusion Pass using the First Bus app on my phone. It’s pretty intuitive to purchase a pass, but you can use these screenshots as a guide.

Where to Stay in Norfolk, England:

Town to Town vs Having a Home Base

Ideally, you have all the time in the world to travel and can spend as many days as you like in as many places as you like. Is this you??

Yeah, me either.

Whether to base yourself in one place or keep moving around is very much a matter of personal preference. Since this was a ten day trip, I had the luxury of traveling to different parts of Norfolk county and staying a couple of days in each place: Sandringham/Dersingham, Norwich, Wroxham/The Broads and then moving on to Suffolk County where I visited Cambridge and Sutton Hoo. My itinerary looked liked this:

My 10 Day Itinerary for Norfolk (and Suffolk)

I began my travels by landing at the Norwich Airport direct from Amsterdam. The Norwich Airport is just…cute. Really. Such a change from the hustle and bustle of Heathrow or Gatwick. Because of its size, clearing customs was a breeze and I was out the door (no checked luggage for me, thank you) less than 15 minutes from deplaning.

The Norwich Airport also has some of the nicest customs officials I’d ever met, just sayin…

Below is a map of the Norfolk England area, with my accommodation sites represented by a “bed” icon.

Prefer a Home Base? Stay in the City of Norwich

If you aren’t one of those travelers that likes to move around constantly, I recommend basing yourself in the city of Norwich, England.*

First, the city is lovely and there’s a lot to do here during the days and at night (more on this in a separate post). Also, transportation connections from Norwich to anywhere in Norfolk are super convenient via train and/or bus. Transportation to Norwich from London is also frequent and convenient. You can have the best of both worlds when you stay in Norwich, staying in a city with its wide variety of restaurants, activities, and entertainment, and then using your time to make day trips to various places around Norfolk.

*My only exception to a Norwich home base would be Sandringham and the North Norfolk Coast. If you want to visit the Sandringham Estate, I think it’s easier to stay in Dersingham and use the bus system from there to towns on the north coast like Hunstanton, Wells-next-the-Sea, etc.

I stayed in the Best Western Annesley Hotel, which is just just outside of the more historic city center. The Annesley is a beautiful property with a terrific sitting room downstairs and clean and comfortable rooms. I’ve provided a more detailed map of hotels and including just a couple points of interest so you can see the relationship between them.

Things to Do in Norwich

The Questo App

It was in Norwich that I discovered one of the best ways I know of to see the major sites in a new city. The Questo App. It’s now my favorite way to see a lot of a city in a short amount of time.

The Questo app describes itself as an “outdoor escape game,” and it can be played in cities all over the world. Simply enter your city in the search bar, and a number of games will appear in the results. You can choose whichever game looks the most interesting. I was given these three games to choose from:

I chose the Medieval Norwich Walking Tour and spent the morning walking to various points in the city, solving a puzzle located at each stop, and then unlocking a story about the destination I was at. It was incredibly entertaining, interesting to learn about the city, and took me to numerous places in Norwich I might not have visited on my own. You can play at your convenience and can also play competitively online with others. Win-win-win.

Each game usually costs less than $10.00 USD to play and can be purchased directly from the Questo app, or Get Your Guide, Viator, Booking.com, Trip Advisor, Eventbrite, and Fever. The Questo game took me to all the sites I had wanted to see like Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Castle, as well as several others I hadn’t known about– like Elm Hill and Tombland. Each place I visited was woven into the story that unfolded each time I solved a puzzle.

The Questo App is a great way to see the highlights of the city. Because you can stop/restart the game whenever you want, you can easily spend more time at any destination to which the game takes you so you can explore further.

Resources Used to Plan My Norfolk Trip

Good research is part of making any trip memorable. Here are the resources I used for planning my trip to Norfolk:

*With thanks to Peter Waters, Executive Director of Visit East of England, and Laura Cole-Matthew, Arts Support Officers of Norfolk Arts Service for their help with providing resources. I did not receive any form of compensation on this trip and all opinions are my own.

Day Trips from Norwich

In the interest of your time, I will describe some great side trips I took in separate blog posts. Click on whatever looks interesting to you…

Norfolk may not be the first place that comes to mind when planning a trip to England, but it absolutely deserves a spot on your itinerary. With its stunning coastline, charming villages, historic estates, and welcoming vibe, this lesser-known destination offers a rich and rewarding travel experience. Whether you explore bustling Norwich, roam the quiet beaches, or take in the natural beauty of The Broads, Norfolk has something for everyone.

Traveling in the off-season only enhances the experience—fewer crowds, peaceful landscapes, and the chance to connect more deeply with the region’s character. And with Norfolk’s growing popularity, now is the perfect time to visit. And If you’re looking for a destination that blends history, nature, and hospitality in a way that feels authentic, then Norfolk, England, should be at the top of your list.

After my visit, I’m a complete fan of this beautiful and underrated part of England, and I’m certain you will be too. Consider a visit to Norfolk, even if for a day or two, and soak in the wonderful hospitality found in this corner of the country.

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