7 Great Outdoor Days Out In Norfolk

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Before moving to Norfolk I can honestly say I really wasn’t much of an outdoorsy type. I would have much preferred to stay inside, in the warm, and watch a film or read a book. Norfolk is such a beautiful place though and especially since having Erin, we have tried to get out and about a lot more. If you’re looking for something to do in Norfolk here are some ideas for outdoor days out:

Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Park

Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Park had been somewhere I wanted to take Erin for quite some time because I’d heard great things about it. Here you will find an indoor soft play area, outdoor play areas, a splash park, animals and of course… dinosaurs. There is so much to do at Roarr! that spending the whole day here is easy. You can buy food in a couple of different places but you can also take your own.

Tickets can be bought online at Roarr’s website, at the gate or you can purchase a season ticket.

BeWILDerwood

Someone I used to work with also worked at BeWILDerwood and she made it sound magical. We took Erin when she was 2.5 and I was a little worried that there wouldn’t be enough for her to. I was so wrong!

BeWILDerwood is an outdoor adventure filled with tree houses, den making, bonfires, wobbly wires, slipperly slopes and so much more. There was only 1 or 2 small areas that were too big for Erin so this is somewhere suitable for the whole family. Things like storytelling sessions and face painting are included in the admission price and a visit will take up a whole day. Food is available to buy but picnics are welcome too.

Tickets can be bought online at BeWILDerwood’s website, at the gate or you can purchase a season ticket.

Wroxham Barns Junior Farm

Somewhere that is always a hit with small children is somewhere with animals. Wroxham Barns Junior Farm is one of the cheaper places to visit in Norfolk with ticket prices between £6.50-£8 (correct March ’19). The Junior Farm has animals such as chickens, goats, sheep and pigs, feeding opportunities and petting times AND a small soft play area. There is a lot for young children to do here and it’s a really lovely day out.

Wroxham Barns Junior Farm is actually part of a larger place to visit just called Wroxham Barns. However, we have only ever been to the Mini Farm so I’m unable to comment on the other areas. I do know that there are shops for local sellers, a restaurant and cafe and a fun park. At certain times of the year there’s also a mini circus!

Tickets can be bought online at the Wroxham Barns website, at the gate or you can purchase a season ticket.

Amazona Zoo

When Erin was really young (6+months) I wanted to go for days out without going anywhere too big. Amazona Zoo in Cromer is a small zoo not too far away from us and the prices are really reasonable. A season ticket costs under £30 for a year for adults and £20 for children over 4. It’s certainly worth buying a season ticket straight away because you only need to go once more in a year to make it worthwhile.

Along with animals like big cats, monkeys and an indoor tropical house, Amazona Zoo has it’s own soft play (included in the season ticket) and a great cafe! A trip will probably take you a 2-4 hours, depending on your children but it;s a great place to visit if you’re local.

Tickets can be bought at the gate or you can purchase a season ticket. Find out more on the Amazona Zoo website.

Banham Zoo

Unlike Amazona Zoo, Banham Zoo is a much larger attraction and has more of the animals you would expect to see.

During our last visit we made sure to see the giraffes being fed and listened to a talk at the same time. You can see the birds of prey, a 30 minute live animal demonstration and talks about other animals throughout the day. Banham Zoo is home to over 2000 animals and is set in 50 acres of land so it’s a full day out for the whole family.

Tickets can be bought online, at the gate or you can purchase a season ticket.

Sheringham Park

Sometimes all you need is a walk in a beautiful area rather than a big day out somewhere. Sheringham Park is a National Trust location but you only need to pay for parking (free to NT members). There are regular events at Sheringham Park too and it’s also home to a regular Park Run.

When we planned our first trip to Sheringham Park we thought we were just going for a walk in some woods and park land. We were so wrong! Sheringham Park has a number of colour coded walks, with some suitable for wheelchair and pushchair users, so you can walk as much or as little as you want to. There is a den building area for children, as well as wooded tunnels to explore. There are benches dotted around the paths so you can take a break when needed or just take in the gorgeous views.

Sheringham Park is one of my favourite places and it’s easy to spend hours there exploring!

Pensthorpe Natural Park

Pensthorpe Natural Park is another place to visit if you just want to discover the great outdoors, although there is also more to it than that.

Pensthorpe is a 700 acre nature reserve with woodland, wetland and garden areas to explore. There are different paths set out depending on where and how long you want to walk for, as well as walks suitable for families and those with pushchairs or wheelchairs. Of course, the ground can change depending on the weather!

For children there is also both a large indoor and outdoor play area which is just amazing. Children can go on swings and slides, paddle in a lake, play big musical instruments and crawl through tunnels.

Pensthorpe is great to visit during at season, even winter!

Find out more on Pensthorpe’s website