Cromer
This town is as popular with modern-day holidaymakers as it was for Victorian and Edwardian tourists.Cromer’s famous pier houses the town’s lifeboat, and families crabbing along its deck while fishermen cast long lines from dawn to dusk.
There are plenty of fish and chip shops, a wonderful beach and small independent shops, a cliff-top putting green as well as 2 museums covering local archaeology, geology and history.
Sheringham
Once a small fishing community, Sheringham became a prime holiday destination at the end of the 19th century with the arrival of the railway.This boom in the Victorian and Edwardian years is reflected in the town’s architecture, combining fin de siècle styling with traditional Norfolk flint.
There areindependent shops, cafes and restaurants in the warren of streets that unravel towards the seafront.The town has a museum focused on the fishing and lifeboats history and the Sheringham Little Theatre offers plays, concerts, films and art exhibitions throughout the year.
The famous North Norfolk Railway leaves from the centre of town offering steam train trips on the heritage Poppy Line across a scenic coastal and heathland route to Holt.A short walk from the railway is the Reef Leisure Centre offers all-weather family swimming.
Mundesley
This villages popularity as a holiday destination dates to the Victorian age, with a parade of brightly-painted beach huts along its front, Mundesley’s wide stretches of sandy beach and shallow pools are an ideal playground for children, while sea fishing provides good sport whichever part of the year you choose to visit.
Overstrand, Walcott, Waxham, Sea Palling
Places to enjoy a quieter visit to the seaside,these all offer access to lovely sandy beaches with car parking, refreshments and toilet facilities nearby.
Cley, Blakeney, Burnham-overy-staithe, Morston and Brancaster
These provide access to the wild area of estuaries, creeks and marshes in north Norfolk that are famous for the wildlife they attract and the beauty of the wide landscape. This area forms the largest coastal nature reserve in England and Wales with terns, oyster catchers, avocets and marsh harriers are among the species which make this part of North Norfolk a prime site for birdwatching. There is a Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centre at Cley offering views over the marshes and guided trips through Eventbrite.
Wells and Holkham
The harbour at Wells is overlooked by an imposing granary (dating from 1904), with its gantry stretching across the street to the quay. From the harbour, narrow lanes with chic shops, eateries and art galleries lead towards the Buttlands, a large town green surrounded by majestic lime trees and elegant Georgian houses, whose name suggests it may have been used for archery practice in the Middle Ages. There are wonderful sandy beaches accessed through pine trees and dunes a mile from town,with convenient refreshments and facilities at the car park.
Holkham beach at low tide stretches for miles and miles and you can walk in an unspoilt landscape of just sand, sea and sky.As part of Holkham National Nature Reserve the beach is home to large flocks of wintering and breeding birds. On hot days the pinewoods provide some welcome cool shade but there are no facilities near the beach, just car parking.