Hemsby: the perfect base for exploring Norfolk
Hemsby is a thriving village on a beautiful stretch of sandy beaches, just north of Great Yarmouth. From Gorleston to the south to Cromer and Blakeney further north, Norfolk’s 90-mile coastline has everything for your holiday: seaside towns, amusements, safe sea-swimming, dog-friendly beaches and a multitude of pretty coastal villages. Whether you like windswept dog walks or building sandcastles there’s something for every holiday.
Hemsby itself
The inland part of Hemsby is a lovely Norfolk village with green spaces, a post office and a friendly pub. As you get closer to the sea though, the sparkly lights of a good old-fashioned seaside holiday greet you!
Beach Road, the main street, leads you past amusements, fish and chip shops, crazy golf, bingo, packed gift shops, clubhouses and takeaways. Keep heading towards the sea and you’ll find picturesque dunes ahead of you, and the famous Lacon Arms pub for a pitstop before you head onto the beach. As you walk through the gap in the dunes the long, golden sandy beach will open up before you!
Great Yarmouth, holiday capital of East Anglia!
Great Yarmouth has been a seaside destination for over 250 years, with its ‘Golden Mile’ of safe sandy beach and its many attractions. Its biggest lure is perhaps its two, yes two, funfairs. The Pleasure Beach is full of thrill rides and fun, and a still-brilliant wooden rollercoaster that is nearly a hundred years old. It’s perfect for older kids who love more adventurous rides. Just down the promenade is Joyland, a smaller fair perfectly suited to little ones. Its famous Snail Ride is a favourite for every Norfolk child.
If you prefer a more sedate day, Merrivale Model Village on the seafront even has its own Banksy. Further along there’s the Venetian Waterways, recently restored and a lovely place for a picnic. Time & Tide museum in town is an interesting look at Yarmouth’s history, And if good grub and a beer is more your thing, The Empire is the coolest place to eat. Housed in a cinema built in 1911 but still featuring some of the fittings from when it was a nightclub in the 1990s, it serves fabulous street food.
Norfolk beaches
As well as Hemsby and Great Yarmouth beach, there are many others to explore. Some quiet, some buzzing with families, they’re even beautiful in the worst of weathers.
Winterton, less than two miles away, is a beautiful beach and in the winter months it’s home to newborn baby seals and their parents.
If you fancy going a little further afield, try Happisburgh, Sea Palling, Cromer or Runton beaches. If you don’t mind driving a little further, Holkham beach is a vast sweep of sand oftern used in films, and a favourite with the royal family!
Norwich and The Broads
Norwich is a beautiful city, a bus ride away from Hemsby. It’s famous for its history and fantastic old buildings like Elm Hill, the cathedral or the Castle Museum, but it’s also got modern charms. There’s lots of excellent shopping including some great one-off shops, and enough bars, pubs and restaurants to guarantee a good time.
Between Norwich and the coast lies the Broads Nationa Park, a series of lakes or broads and waterways, surrounded by stunning countryside. You can hire boats, bikes, canoes and even paddleboards to explore this truly beautiful area.
And for younger visitors....
If you have littluns to entertain, Norfolk has it covered! As well as Great Yarmouth and Hemsby, Cromer and Sheringham are lovely seaside towns with good old-fashioned attractions like Cromer Pier or Sheringham’s steam railway.
You could also try some of these Norfolk favourites:
- Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure is a great day out for small paleontologists
- Pleasurewood Hills is a local theme park loved by Borfolk kids for over 40 years
- Banham Zoo is a slightly longer drive into Norfolk but worth it to see young tigers and hand-feed pygmy goats
- Bewilderwood is a magical wander through woods occupied by mythical creatures and friendly fairies