May Bank Holiday Fun in Norwich

19 April 2023

Bank Holiday Fun in Norwich 

There’s nothing quite like a long bank holiday weekend. It provides the perfect excuse to treat yourself, spend some time with family and friends, go out, and do something fun. And with three to look forward to this year there’s nowhere better to enjoy a bank holiday than Norwich, where sunshine-soaked (possibly!) cobbled streets will lead you to adventure after adventure. So, make sure you take a trip or two to the City of Stories this May! 

Norwich  

With the weather forecast predicting a little bit of rain (it’s still early days, yet!), why not treat yourself to a little shopping spree this bank holiday? There’s plenty of choice in Norwich from independent stores like Slayyy vintage, Country & Eastern and family-run Jarrold Department Store to regional flagship stores from John Lewis, Marks and Spencer and Primark. 

Start your trip at Castle Quarter and Chantry Place, there’s some seriously good shops and entertainment in both venues, from Lisa Angel and Langleys to Escape Hunt and Vue Cinema. Shop and enjoy to your heart’s desire. Plus, over the Coronation bank holiday they both have special events happening.  

Snap a photo on a royal throne, red carpet, and royal backdrop at Chantry ‘Palace’ (Saturday, April 22 – Monday, May 8), and find all the hidden crowns for your trail sheet to be in for a chance to win £50 to spend at Castle Quarter (Monday, May 1 – Sunday, May 14). Not a bad way to spend your morning or afternoon! 

Looking to take a break from all the shopping? It’s always a good idea to unwind with a spot of lunch. And in Norwich, we’re lucky to have so many amazing restaurants, cafés and eateries to choose from. 

Enjoy a classic fish and chip lunch at Grosvenor Fish Bar, with so many options available. Or indulge in true authentic Italian pizza and more at Saporita. If you’re not in the mood for a meal, why not cool down with an ice cream or sorbet from Café Gelato? 

And if you really want to make the weekend special, head into the city in the evening for a bit of fine dining. You can’t go wrong with The Ivy , Benedicts and Brix and Bones. 

The Ivy Norwich

The Ivy

Should the sun come out, make sure to enjoy the gorgeous green spaces Norwich has an abundance of such as Plantation Garden, a beautifully kept Victorian garden, perfect for a picnic or a walk admiring the flora. Or if you’re looking to get a bit more active, Eaton Park is a great choice with plenty of space to roam and admire.  

You can even get stuck into a game of Eaton Park Crazy Golf, from just £5 for adults, £4 for children aged 8-16, and £3 for children aged 3-7, with further discounts available for groups.  

The Plantation Garden

Plantation Gardens

Museums

Norwich is home to several brilliant museums filled with interesting artefacts, historical displays and art galleries. And a bank holiday weekend is the perfect time to leisurely stroll around a museum or two and soak it all in. 

The Museum of Norwich is open on the Saturday to start your bank holiday (adults £7.40, concessions £7, children £6.30), and Norwich Castle is open the whole bank holiday weekend, the perfect time to see the fascinating Last Voyage of the Gloucester exhibition (adults £7,40, concessions £7, children £6,30).  

Or why not visit Strangers’ Hall? Open on Sunday (adults £6.20, children £5.30), this 14th century Grade-I listed building is a great place to explore on your weekend, with so much to learn about this local time capsule. 

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts  

The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is the place to go in Norwich if you’re wanting a dose of culture. Their new ‘Pay If and What You Can’ scheme means you can explore the permanent collection and the stunning Sculpture Park set in 350 acres of grounds, all at a price that suits you. While they’re unfortunately closed on Bank Holiday Mondays, you can enjoy these sprawling exhibits across both Saturday and Sunday. 

There are also fantastic exhibitions that you won’t want to miss. Julian Stair: Life, Death, and the Afterlife explores the pandemic and grief, and offers commemoration to loved ones of those who have passed. This exhibition invites viewers to meditate on the human body and the clay vessel in front of them, it’s really striking. Donors have expressed their wishes of loved ones to be embedded in the clay vessels on display, which will be given back to the families as permanent memorials once the exhibition ends on Sunday, September 17. 

The other exhibition on offer is Empowering Art: Indigenous Creativity and Activism from North America’s Northwest Coast. This exhibition is filled with groundbreaking and rarely seen works, both contemporary and historical, from the northwest coast of North America. Developed in close consultation with Indigenous artists and community leaders, the exhibition tells the stories of contested pasts with artistic and cultural traditions. A showcase of this magnitude hasn’t been seen in the UK since the 1970’s, so it’s definitely  worth the visit! 

Theatre 

With an extra lie in on the cards, stay out late one night with a trip to the theatre! Celebrating its tenth-anniversary, ‘Titanic the Musical‘ hits the Norwich Theatre Royal stage for its opening night on Monday, May 1. Following real people aboard the ship, this hard-hitting musical focuses on their hopes, dreams, and stories as the ship sank. Tickets are available from £10 – £53.50. 

Norwich Theatre Royal Auditorium

Norwich Theatre Royal Auditorium

Fun Adventures 

There’s plenty of fun adventures to be had in Norwich. For a bit of bowling, karaoke and food why not head to Bowling House? Lane hire costs £39 for an hour for up to six people, split it with your friends and see who comes out on top!  

Or how about an escape room? Cryptic Escape on Tombland and Escape Hunt in both Chantry Place and Castle Quarter are great venues with incredible rooms for a challenge to undertake with friends or family. Booking is advised for both, be sure to bring your best detectives! 

Cryptic Escape’s rooms start at £48 for two people, up to £117 for six people. Escape Hunt’s rooms start at £30 per person for 2-4 players, and £25 per person for 5-6 players, with other discounts available. 

Bowling House

Bowling House

Norfolk 

The great thing about a bank holiday is that you can easily fit a trip to Norwich and a day trip out to the Norfolk coast or countryside in the same weekend!   

Holkham Hall is always a treat, whether you’re taking a look around the historic hall itself, hiring bikes to take out around the grounds, or taking part in a tractor trailer tour! There’s something for everyone. Plus, there’s a great beach nearby to relax by the sea. If the sun is out, what better way to spend your day? 

Kids will love Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure (tickets from £19.95) with its trails, indoor and outdoor play, secret animal garden and more. You might even catch sight of Dippy & Friends. And it’s open for the whole bank holiday weekend, so you can visit anytime that works for you! Much better than the school run on a Monday… 

Or why not let the kids get back to nature at Pensthorpe Natural Park (tickets from £11.95). The 700-acre nature reserve of Pensthorpe Natural Park is sure to give the whole family a day out to remember, with a huge range of flora and fauna to discover. 

BeWILDerwood is another great day out for a proper adventure (tickets from £13.50). Everything is included in the price of your admission, from face painting and crafts, to storytelling, den building, and an enchanted boat ride. It’s all very magical, and it really is a great day out for everyone. 

Stay 

Looking for a last-minute break in Norwich for the bank holiday weekend? There are so many delightful places to stay. Choose from Grade-II Listed Georgian luxury right in the centre with the Assembly House, the oldest hotel in the UK with The Maids Head, or a countryside spa break with Park Farm Hotels and Barnham Broom. Find out more here!