Southwold and the surrounding area
Southwold is a charming market town that lies at the mouth of the River Blyth, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With its sandy beach and beach hut-lined promenade, Southwold Camping site offers a great base for holidays and weekends away.
You might not be able to fit everything into a single visit, but we’ve highlighted some of the great attractions and places to visit while on holiday at Southwold Camping and Caravan site.
Visit Lowestoft Beach
Lowestoft Beach is a wide sandy stretch, located between Claremont Pier and Pakefield. With a Seaside Award, recognising the high standards of beach management, cleanliness, and safety. Boasting several cafes serving seaside classics such as fish and chips, ice creams, donuts, and more.
It is a favourite with families as the beach is backed by a promenade with beach huts available for hire, making it the perfect base for a family day out.
Southwold Lighthouse
Southwold Lighthouse was built by Trinity House in 1887 as a coastal mark for passing shipping and as a guide for vessels sailing into Southwold Harbour. The lighthouse is situated near the centre of the seaside resort of Southwold and was first operated in 1889.
A few of you might recognise Southwold Lighthouse as a feature of the BBC children’s television series Grandpa in My Pocket.
Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum Trust
The Alfred Corry Lifeboat Museum is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the Alfred Corry lifeboat. The Alfred Corry was the Southwold No 1 lifeboat from 1893 to 1918 and her crew are credited with saving 47 lives.
The museum tells the story of the Alfred Corry and her crew throughout her RNLI career and her subsequent ‘adventures’. The displays are updated and changed on a regular basis.
Take a tour of the Adnams Brewery
Immerse yourself in an Adnams experience! Choose from a range of events across East Anglia. Led by an experienced Tour Guide, you will be immersed in all things Adnams and given an insight into what makes us so special. You will get to look behind the scenes in our brewery or distillery and follow the process from start to finish. You’ll explore Southwold’s rich heritage and see first-hand how we make our products today. Over 18s only.
Somerleyton Hall Gardens
Set in 12 acres of spectacular gardens, Somerleyton Hall Gardens is considered to be one of the finest gardens in East Anglia since the mid-17th century, and it continues to delight visitors of all ages to this day. The garden is slowly being re-imagined as a series of interconnected rooms with the West Front as the centrepiece.
Nearly all areas of the garden are accessible, although please be aware that some of the paths are uneven in places and tricky with small wheeled chairs. Opens from Easter to the end of October.
Africa Alive Zoological Reserve
Set in 100 acres of idyllic Suffolk countryside, Africa Alive Zoological Reserve is the perfect day trip for the whole family. From the Kingdom of the Lion and Lemur Encounters to our Farmyard Corner and Amazing African Animals presentations, immerse yourself into the world of Africa Alive Zoological Reserve. As a charity we’re dedicated to conservation and saving animals from extinction.
Scroby Sands Seal Watching
See the Scroby Sands seals on these seal-watching boat trips!
Departing from Lowestoft, you’ll head up the coast past Corton, Hopton Beach and Gorleston-on-Sea to then arrive in Scroby Sands. Your boat skipper and crew are all experts at seal spotting. They know these waters well and have a good understanding of how these animals behave. They also respect the seals and these trips are very much on their terms, so you won’t be disturbing the seal population.