Norfolk is a big ol' place, so - as you'd expect - there's plenty to do. But we really love finding unique days out, that's why we've only gone and found you a whopping 27 unusual things to do in Norfolk.
We don't do anything by halves either - from rubber duck races to seal spotting and exceptionally small nature reserves, we've found a load of unusual places to visit in Norfolk.
For super easy parking in Norfolk try JustPark to find available spots (or even reserve the spot in advance!)
Did you know that Norwich was once much bigger under the ground than above it? We thought not, but these city crypts prove it. Concealed from sight, these historic crypts hold secrets and stories from Norwich’s past.
One of the most fun (and unique) things to do in Norfolk, this funky race sees 2,500 yellow plastic ducks race for a win. If you’re visiting the area in September, you’re in luck – watch as they float down the Yarmouth Waterways, all in the name of raising money for local charities.
This historic site (we’re talking 2049BC) is another great unusual place to visit in Norfolk. Seahenge is a Bronze Age circle made up of 55 timber posts surrounding an upturned tree root – strange, right? This stunning sight was hidden by the North Sea for some years, before it was revealed by low tides on Holme Beach in 1998. Since it’s no longer traceable at Holme Beach, you can see the original timbers on display at Lynn Museum in King’s Lynn.
The name alone sounds bizarre for this spot, but this is definitely one of the most unusual places to visit in Norfolk. Find yourself obsessed with the mystery – why is the pool an almost-perfect circle? And how does it fill and empty randomly, regardless of the weather?
As a county, Norfolk is known for being notoriously flat, so you may as well visit one of the highest points about. While it’s definitely no Ben Nevis, visiting Beacon Hill will still give you some pretty fab views of the North Norfolk coast.
Home to a pretty awesome Seal Rescue Centre, visiting SEA LIFE Hunstanton is another fun thing to do in Norfolk. Meet the super cute residents of the aquarium who’re receiving life-saving care – they've been able to save 50 seals in the last 12-months alone. Get your SEA LIFE Hunstanton tickets here!
This stunning beach is the perfect place to set up and enjoy the view in Norfolk. The beach itself is vast, so even during the busy summer months you’ll be able to snag a space on this awesome beach. There’s plenty of exploring to be done in the town itself too, Holkham Hall is a stunning 18th-century Palladian structure worth visiting while you’re in the area.
Based in Thetford Forest (also home to the Devil’s Punchbowl), Grime’s Graves is a series of 400 flint mines dating back over 5,000 years. If you’re feeling brave enough to tackle this unusual place to visit in Norfolk, you'll have to descend 9-metres into the depths of the Neolithic pits - it's well worth it.
We’re firm believers that a trip to Norfolk is simply incomplete without a boat trip of some sort. And a great spot to visit has to be the Norfolk Broads. Getting about in a car can prove difficult around the Broads, so the Reedham Ferry (East Anglia’s only working chain ferry, by the way) really comes in handy.
It’s not all boats, boats, boats either, hop on the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway for another fun day out. Definitely one of the most unusual things to do in Norfolk, this quirky railway is known as the world’s smallest public railway. Take in the sights as the tiny train takes you across the North Norfolk coast – between Wells-next-the-Sea and Walsingham (as the name suggests, duh).
Now you’re thinking about normal things made tiny, it’s probably a good time to introduce you to the Wroxham Miniature Worlds. Another impressive title too, this attraction is hosted in the UK’s largest indoor modelling attraction – now that’s an unusual place to visit in Norfolk. The 10,000 square foot site is filled with model railways and themed settings, from countries to cartoons and toys.
As opposed to being one of the worlds or UK’s largest anything, this cluster of green is Britain’s smallest nature reserve. And if you’re looking for the specifics, this little spot spans about 0.062-acres – see, it's tiny, tiny. Wondering what could possibly be planted in a nature reserve so small? One single tree, dating back to the 13th-century, sits peacefully in Hethel Old Thorn.
This fab aquarium has over 1,5000 cool creatures to feast your eyes upon – that's a lot of looking to be done last time we checked. And if you’re visiting with a kid who just loves to ask questions, this is the place to be, the staff at SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth are equipped with the answers to all your burning questions. Get your SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth tickets here!
The ultimate adventure day, this is the best family fun thing to do in Norfolk – and we really mean it. From face painting and crafts to den building and an enchanted boat ride, you could easily spend a whole day exploring the wonders of BeWILDerwood Norfolk.
Not quite as tall as the Nelson’s Monument you’ve probably seen in Trafalgar Square, this stunning column still does Norfolk’s famous ‘son’, Horatio Nelson, justice. This stunning monument stands tall on Yarmouth seafront and is worth stopping by if you’re in the area.
One of our favourite unusual things to do in Norfolk, Plantation Garden is an amazing 3-acre, Grade II-listed Garden hidden behind Norwich's Roman Catholic Cathedral. Based on a plot which was formerly a chalk quarry, this haven is tucked just 500-metres away from the bustling city centre. This is the perfect spot for a weekend tea and cake stop.
Another particularly unusual thing to do in Norfolk is to come face-to-face with the iconic West Runton Mammoth – the almost complete mammoth skeleton was discovered by residents back in 1990. Found in the cliffs of West Runton, the bones belong to a steppe mammoth that roamed Norfolk up to 866,000 years ago – now that's impressive.
FYI Due to the size of the skeleton, it has been split up between three different museums: Norwich Castle Museum, Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, and Cromer Museum – so, it’s pretty easy to see from no matter where you are in Norfolk.
If you thought Hethel Old Thorn was the only famous tree in Norfolk, you’d be sorely mistaken. Kett’s Oak, in Hethersett, is linked to the famous Kett’s Rebellion in 1549 – and it supposedly where Robert Kett gathered troops to protest land closures.
In the market to see some seals in the wild? Horsey Beach is the place to go. This unusual thing to do in Norfolk is a pretty typical sight for most locals, the sea creatures inhabit the beaches of Norfolk from November to January and really make themselves at home.
P.S Be respectful! Give these lovely creatures plenty of space.
You could argue that this funky-shaped church resembles a plethora of things – a wedding cake, pile of building blocks or even an upside-down ice-cream cone – but we can all agree it looks a little odd (in the best way possible, of course). Hence how it made out list of top unusual things to do in Norfolk.
Are you tormented by your lack of knowledge on how exactly they make little shapes inside of a stick of rock? Well, that’s about to change at Docwra’s Rock Factory. The shop has been around in Great Yarmouth for over a century (so, they really know what they’re doing) and sells all kinds of treats you’d expect from a seaside holiday.
If you’re exploring the Northern coastal towns of Norfolk, be sure to stop by Heacham – and more specifically, check out their village sign. An unusual place to visit in Norfolk, but not one you’d wanna miss out on. The cutesy sign tells the story of one of Norfolk’s most famous past residents, Pocahontas – so it’s a must-visit for Disney Princess fans.
If you’re visiting Norfolk in April, you’re in luck. Be prepared to see a hundreds of stunning and colourful tulips. Norfolk Tulips is organised by Belmont Nurseries and grows 37 beautiful varieties of the flower and is the largest grower of outdoor tulips in the UK.
P.S Tickets sell out FAST for this one, so be sure to book in advance.
As if Great Yarmouth didn’t already have enough to visit, the Hippodrome Circus is an added bonus. Built way back in 1903 – aka the Circus heyday – the Yarmouth circus has been entertaining families for generations. Oh, and super-fun fact, this is one of three circuses in the entire world that has a circus ring which floods to become a swimming pool – now that sounds cool, right?
Norwich is a city filled with pubs – you could probably find a new pub everyday for a looong time in the city. And because there’s so many pubs, there’s also a lot of pub tours going on – but we’d recommend this one because you’re guided round by a local (aka they know the best places to go). This particular tour involves walking between six historic public houses in a mile.
Paul Dickson’s Norwich Historic Pub tour is another great, more affordable option.
If you’re travelling through south-east Norfolk, why not hop over the border to Suffolk for spooky tale? A particularly unusual thing to do near Norfolk, learn all about Black Shuck, a huge black dog that roamed Norfolk and Suffolk back in the day. It’s said that in 1577, a loud clap of thunder was followed by a massive creature bursting through the doors of Holy Trinity Church – killing two people and making the steeple collapse. Catch a glimpse for yourself on a trip out to the iconic church.
So, we’ve told you about Norfolk’s smallest nature reserve, here’s an absolutely massive one. The 700-acres of Pensthorpe are the perfect unusual place to visit for a Norfolk day out. Whether you’re an animal lover who’s in it for the Nature Reserve, a keen gardener wandering the Pensthorpe Gardens or you’re in the market for a family fun day out, we promise there’s plenty to do.
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