Suffolk is a county in the east of England and offers a large stretch of often undisturbed coastline bounding the North Sea. Historically, Suffolk was the closest seaside destination for Londoners and has remained a popular place for those wanting to escape from the stress of urban life. Its delightful coastal towns, open sandy beaches and windswept romantic skies can offer you a fabulous spot for a holiday.
Whatever the time of year, you'll find something to love about Suffolk's ancient seaside towns and villages. Discover Southwold with its famous pier and colourful beach huts, the artists' haven of Aldeburgh or the golden sandy beaches of Lowestoft.
For nature-lovers, you'll be hard-pressed to know which way to look, so abundant is the choice! Some of the country's rarest wildlife can be found here on the Suffolk coast. Soak up the charm by taking a stroll on one of the many wide open beaches, where in Spring in particular the whole area is bursting with new life.
Walking, cycling and sailing are all popular pastimes and with the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths being a designated Area of Natural Beauty, the largely undeveloped beauty of this part of the country can be explored on foot, on a bike or by taking to the waters!
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 13 beaches in Suffolk, or have a look at our list of Suffolk dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
Suffolk Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- Christchurch Mansion is a stately home within Christchurch Park. A Grade I listed building, the mansion houses a collection of pottery and glass, a contemporary art gallery and a collection of paintings by artists including John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough. There are rooms preserved as past inhabitants would have known them, complete with original items of fine clothing.The house sits within a 70 acres (280,000 m2) public park which features many beautiful trees, rolling lawns and ponds.
- Sizewell beach is a pebble/sand beach backed by grass, dunes and nuclear power stations. Sizewell is a small fishing village and fishing boats operate from the beach. The beach has a monument to the Dutchmen who tried to escape to England by kayak during World War II to join the Allied Forces. Eight of them reached the English coast. The monument consists of a pair of crossed kayak paddles and a broken paddle that represents those that didn’t make the trip. Facilities at the beach include car parking (pay and display), tearoom and toilets.
- Dunwich Heath is an area of coastline on the Suffolk coast near to Saxmundham. Rich in wildlife, you can explore the sandy cliffs and beach as well as the heath which bursts into colour during the summer months, The heath is home to several rare species including nightjars, woodlark and adders. Here you can really escape from it all as it is haven of peace and tranquility and offers stunning views. For visitors to this beautiful stretch of Suffolk coast, there are heathland marked nature trails to go on, or take a picnic to the family-friendly Dunwich Heath beach. The coastal centre is run by the National Trust and has parking (for a fee), a shop and a tea room; www.nationaltrust.org.uk
- At Pakefield the wooden groynes stop and the beach has more shingle/pebbles than the pure sand of Lowestoft. Cliffs and beach attract fossil hunters. A Waveney District Council/KiteboardingUK.com approved Kite Zone that starts at the last wooden groyne at Lowestoft and goes onto to Kessingland beach. Facilities include car park and small selection of shops in the village.
- Orfordness Lighthouse, in Suffolk, is situated at the end of a 13 mile spit which runs parallel to the coast. The dangers of this area (swift tides, banks and shoals) although not immediately apparent have long been notorious. On one night alone, in 1627, thirty-two ships were cast up on Orfordness with scarcely a survivor amongst their crews.
- The Claremont Pier South beach, also known as Lowestoft South beach, is a sandy beach backed by a promenade. Facilities at the beach include car park, summer lifeguards, shops, food, toilets.
- Felixstowe Pier is a wooden pier built in 1905 and designed by the Rogers Brothers. The pier extended to a length of 2,640ft (800m) and was little more than a promenade deck, with railings along the entire length, and a T-shaped landing stage at the head. A large pavilion was at the shoreward end. The pier deck had an electric tramway takeing passengers and luggage to the steam boats. The pier was partly demolished for safety reasons and due to lack of funds looks set to disappear in the near future. Note that due to the lack of development plans the state of the pier could change. If anyone has an update please leave a comment.
- Southwold pier was built in 1900 and was 810 feet (250 m) with a T-shaped end. The pier end was practically destroyed by a gale in 1934, with the T-shaped end being swept away. A series of events during the Second World War and a further major storm in 1979 reduced the pier to approximately 100 feet (30 m). The pier was bought in 1987 and over a period of 15 years has been refurbished and even has a T-shaped pier end. The pier is still less than the originalone at 623 feet (190 m).
- Felixstowe has a five mile coastline on the Suffolk North Sea coast, between the estuaries of the Rivers Deben and Orwell. This stretch is sand and shingle beach gently sloping to the sea within a sheltered bay. The beach is backed by a promenade and then behind the promenade you have Edwardian gardens. Felixstowe is popular with families due to it’s size and location within the town. The main stretch of beach is either side of the Pier and this is where you will find most of the facilities. Parking, pier, promenade, beach huts, arcades/amusements, bars/pubs, kiosks along the promenade, shops, and restaurants, cafes and fast-food outlets.
- Aldeburgh beach is a quiet and unspoilt shingle beach with some sand exposed at low tide. The beach shelves quite steeply to the sea and has a wide promenade running alongside it. Fishing huts, sheds and working boats are dotted along the beach with freshly caught fish sold daily. Just south of the beach at Aldeburgh is Orford Ness, which can be reached by a track leading from Aldeburgh, which is popular with people sea fishing. Facilities in nearby Aldeburgh.
- The beach to the North of Claremont Pier is a sandy beach with zones in place for watersports. Facilities include beach chalet hire, summer lifeguards, toilets, shops, food, parking
- Kessingland beach is less popular and more barren than the nearby Suffolk beaches at Lowestoft and therefore is less popular with families but attracts sports like kitesurfing, buggying and landboarding. A WD Council and Kiteboarding UK’s approved teaching/ kite zone with strict rules, the buggy area is located a short distance away from the kite zone. Facilities at the beach include toilets, cafe/restaurant, pub, Caravan park and campsite. The car park is a little back from the beach in the village and if you have a lot of kit it is best to drop off and then go and park the car.
