by Katie Thompson
Whether it’s the school holidays, a long weekend away, or you’re visiting friends and family, Norwich and Norfolk are packed with amazing attractions to keep the whole family occupied! And with many holding special activities during half terms too, there’s even more reason to check them out.
From history to wildlife, outdoor adventure to arts and culture, there’s something for all tastes and all ages (and all pockets!).
Keep reading for our list of the top attractions in Norwich and Norfolk!
Learn about medieval life at Norwich Castle
Part museum, part art gallery, Norwich Castle is undoubtedly a go-to city centre attraction. With a 900-year-old history and displays spanning Anglo-Saxons, natural history, Egyptians, modern art and more, it’s bursting with treasures and stories!
The medieval Keep is currently closed and is due to re-open in 2025. Adults £8.20, children £6.90, family discount adult £7.30 with a paid child ticket. Open daily, 10am – 5pm.
There’s nowhere better than the Museum of Norwich to learn about the city and its people. Through interactive displays and immersive exhibits, you’ll easily spend 2 – 3 hours here. There are plenty of must-not-be-missed moments- including a recreated early 20th century chemist’s shop and restored 19th century handloom!
Adults £8.20, children £6.90, family discount adult £7.30 with a paid child ticket. Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4.30pm.
As one of Norwich’s hidden gems, Strangers’ Hall is well worth a visit. This well-preserved 14th century house is like a living doll’s house, where each room transports you through eras from Norwich’s past, from the Tudor Great Hall to a Georgian dining room and Victorian nursery. Step into its secret walled Knot Garden and soak up this great building’s history.
Adults £7.10, children £6.20, family discount adult £6.50 with a paid child ticket. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am –4pm.
Discover the secrets of Norwich Cathedral with a free 1-hour tour
Norwich Cathedral: a beautiful Romanesque building with 900 years of history set in 44 acres of well-kept grounds. Its spire (the second tallest in the UK) towers above our city skyline- you can’t miss it! Discover its secrets with a free 1-hour tour as you wander through the magnificent monastic cloister (the largest in the country) and into the nave.
FREE to visit, donations appreciated. Open daily, 7.30am – 6.30pm.
We’re a city with not one, but two, cathedrals. The Victorian Gothic Revival architecture of The Cathedral of St John the Baptist is an impressive sight to see. Inside, even more so, thanks to stunning arches, vivid stained-glass windows and marble details. Make sure you stop by their garden while you’re here!
FREE to visit, donations appreciated. Open daily, 7.30am – 6pm.
The Sainsbury Centre is one of Norwich’s best art-themed attractions
As the only art museum in the world to recognise art as living, you can be sure the Sainsbury Centre will offer something new and intriguing. Set in a futuristic Norman Foster-designed building, pieces span from Mesoamerica to modern day Europe, including works by names like Degas, Picasso and Bacon. Experience their forward-thinking exhibitions or explore the outdoor Sculpture Park- this is a fantastic day out.
Pay what you can. Open Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 6pm and Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5pm.
Tucked away in Norwich’s city centre, the South Asia Collection is a celebration of South Asian culture- home to an eye-catching array of objects, art, textiles and furniture from India, Indonesia and more. Not to mention their Country & Eastern shop where you can take a piece home for yourself!
FREE to visit. Open Monday – Saturday, 9.30am – 5pm.
ROARR! is the UK’s largest dinosaur-themed adventure park and it’s right here in Norfolk!
This award-winning attraction is unique to Norfolk. The Bug Parc is home to hundreds of incredible insects, millipedes, spiders and butterflies. Equally as exciting as it is educational, you’ll get to see these tropical creatures up close and maybe even handle one or two!
Adults £13.95, children £11.95. Open Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm and daily during school holidays and bank holidays, 10am – 5pm.
As the largest dinosaur-themed park in the UK, you can guarantee a ROARR-some day out at ROARR!. There’s so much to see and do at this family adventure park, including animatronic dinosaurs, Dippy’s Splash Zone, Predator High Ropes and Dinomite- the county’s largest indoor play area!
Adults and children from £12.95. Please refer to the park’s opening calendar to see when the attraction is open.
Getting outdoors is easy at Pensthorpe. This 700-acre nature reserve is made for budding wildlife enthusiasts, veteran bird watchers and garden lovers alike. With woodland walks, nature trails, lakes and thriving habitats, you can enjoy a day immersed in Norfolk’s wonderful natural landscape.
Adults from £15.50, children from £14.40. Open daily, 10am – 5pm, March – October.
Take to the skies with Go Ape’s Treetop Challenge
There’s nothing like a magical day out- and that’s just what BeWILDerwood offers. Deep in the woods of the Norfolk Broads, you can discover a land of enchanting characters, packed with treehouses, marsh walks, zip wires, boat trips and delicious food!
Adults £22.95, children £20.95. Opening days vary, 10am – 5pm, February – September and 11am – 6pm, October – November.
Go Ape is an exhilarating outdoor adventure awaiting you in Thetford Forest. See how high you can go on their thrilling aerial assault course of wobbly bridges, Tarzan swings and the grand finale: a soaring zip-wire. You can take it one step up with obstacles or explore the forest on Segways!
Courses from £21.95 + booking fee. Opening days and times vary. Go Ape is open daily throughout summer.
As the largest indoor modelling attraction in the UK, Wroxham Miniature Worlds was made (quite literally) for lovers of LEGO, model trains and toys! There’s 10,000 square feet to explore, including huge model train railways, a 130,000-birck LEGO world, over 100 vintage toys and more.
Adults £15.95, children £13.95. Opening days vary throughout the year, from 10am.
Experience the world’s wonderful wildlife at animal attractions across the county
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens is home to a special collection of rare animals from Asia, many of them critically endangered. You can support their conservation by visiting these tigers, red pandas, snow leopards and more. See them close up from a network of raised walkways and appreciate their magnificence.
Adults £19.95, children £15.95. Open daily from 10am.
For a wild day out, look no further than Banham Zoo. With 100s of animals from across the world, it’s the largest zoo in the region, home to big cats, towering giraffes, cheeky monkeys, curious penguins and more. And there are loads of fun events and activities to take part in too. What’s more, your visit will help protect these wonderful creatures for the future.
Adults from £15, children from £12. Open daily from 10am.
All aboard the Bure Valley Railway! This is Norfolk’s longest narrow-gauge steam railway, taking you from the lovely market town of Aylsham to the bustling hub of the Norfolk Broads, Wroxham. Along this picturesque 9-mile stretch, take in wide-open vistas of rural countryside, the river Bure, meadows and ancient pastures.
Adults from £14, children from £10. Open daily, 9am – 4.30pm.
Holkham’s sprawling estate will keep you occupied for hours
A truly all-year-round attraction, Thursford is a brilliant day-out for every age. From their Steam Museum in summer- the largest collection of steam engines and organs- to their winter wonderland at Christmas, which includes the Christmas Spectacular, Santa’s Magical Journey and Enchanted Journey of Light, this is an unforgettable place to visit.
Adults from £9, under 12s FREE for the Steam Museum. Open Sunday – Wednesday, 11am – 4pm, April – September and throughout November and December with Christmas Spectacular performances at 2pm & 7pm.
Home to the only full-season end of the pier show in the world, Cromer Pier is a must-visit for awe-inspiring variety performances (not to mention an iconic Norfolk sight!). With a West End-level of production, choreography, vocals and more, this is an intimate venue made for breathtaking and laugh-out-loud moments.
FREE to visit, performances ticketed. Open daily, opening times vary.
Along a beautiful stretch of the North Norfolk coast is Holkham. This sprawling estate is home to a grand Palladian-style Hall, green parkland with a resident deer herd, mile-long lake, and plenty of cycle paths and walking trails to take you into its nature reserve and wild sandy beach.
FREE to visit, parking £6. Open daily, 10am – 5pm. Holkham Hall is open Sunday, Monday & Tuesday, 10am – 4pm, March – October, adults £24, children £2.50.
