When you’re enjoying your leisure time on holiday, you don’t always feel like venturing all that far. You want to travel short distances and enjoy what’s local to you. So, with that aim in mind, we have compiled a short-list of the best things to do within a 30-minute drive of our Holiday Parks – in this case, Felixstowe Beach and Suffolk Sands.

Durations of these activities differ, meaning that you may be able to attend multiple activities in one day, and in doing so, double or even triple the fun on your trip!

Fun Activities

Congo Rapids Lost World Adventure Golf

26-minute drive

Fancy a jungle and dinosaur themed crazy golf adventure? If so, start your 18-hole escapade on a self-propelled boat across the water lagoon to begin. This is a truly immersive course, with life-sized dinosaurs, an erupting volcano and a jungle full of animals. Enjoy a panoramic view of the whole of the Congo Rapids Lost World course on the final hole.

Anglia Indoor Karting

24-minute drive

Come to a place where thrill and excitement is (virtually) guaranteed. Take to the road for go-karting on a multi levelled track and release your inner Lewis Hamilton! Relish in tight corners, tunnels and lightning fast straights as you put peddle to the metal. Take part in a Grand Prix to decide who really is the fastest in the family. Bet it’s Grandad! (as long as he is tall enough, minimum height is 1.27m)

Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club, Felixstowe

12-minute drive

Whether you are looking 18 or 9-holes, you will not be disappointed here. This Golf course was classed as a ‘Hidden Gem’ by top100courses.com, and in 2018 received the award of “Championship Venue of the Year” by England Golf. On the other hand, if you just simply want to hit some balls as far as you can, then there’s a new state-of-the-art driving range, with undercover and outdoor practice bays to help you work on your swing.

Manning Amusements

3-minute drive

Whether you enjoy amusements arcades, ten pin bowling, magical golf, funfair rides or classic old style amusements you are bound to find something to revel in at Manning Amusements. And if you dare, you can even get a tarot reading from Zoltar! This is fun for the whole family, and for something a little different, a Sunday market is held year round selling goods and local produce from the surrounding area.

Museums and Local History

Landguard Fort, Felixstowe

6-minute drive

This site is perfect for anyone interested in maritime history. The fort has a history spanning almost 450 years, and served as the last opposed seaborne invasion of England in 1667. It was also the location of the first land battle of the Royal Marines. The now Grade 1 listed fort was first designed to guard the entrance of port Harwick. The fort is now an English Heritage site.

Felixstowe Museum, Felixstowe

6-minute drive

Discover the past with the museum’s collection of military and social history items from Felixstowe. The building itself also has its own history, as it once housed a submarine mining establishment. This makes for an absorbing trip for the whole family, and for the kids there’s even a ‘Trewick Owl Trail’ to gather for fun throughout the museum. Can you find them all?

Ipswich Transport Museum, Ipswich

16-minute drive

If you are a transport buff, then we’ve got something for you! The Ipswich Transport Museum is home to over 100 major exhibits, all holding local connections, i.e. they were made or used in and around Ipswich. So whether you are interested in buses, lorries, bikes, cranes, cranes, carriages or social history, you will complete your trip full of local transport knowledge.

Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge

26-minute drive

Untouched for 1,300 years, an Anglo-Saxon King and his cherished belongings were unearthed days before the Second World War, changing perceptions of the past. Explore the ancient burial hills, see stunning replica treasures, as well as original finds, and a reconstruction of the king’s burial chamber. This is an ideal visit for any medieval history buff, as it sheds light on the period of English history that is divided between myth, legend and historical documentation. (Please note that this attraction re-opens Easter 2019 after a £4 million renovation)

Animals & Nature

Abbey Grove Woodlands, Felixstowe

10-minute drive

Go on a leisurely stroll through these four hector woodlands, which is home to eight types of tree species, and twelve species of butterfly. On your walks you will also come across bluebell, sorrel and wood anemone. The Abbey Grove Woodlands are also home to a very rare beetle, only found in these woods. Keep your eyes peeled.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Trimley Marsh Nature Reserve

11-minute drive

The Trimley Marsh Nature Reserve started out as a blank canvas in 1990, making it remarkable how rich with inhabitants the reserve is today. The sheer number of birds that are attracted to these marshlands is extraordinary, making it ideal for any observer. On your visit you are likely to see many species, including Wigeon, Teal, Brent geese and Redshank to name just a few. You may even see rafts of Ducks, colonies of Avocet, and even the razor-like wings of an airborne Peregrine.

Beaches, Castles and Beautiful Sights

Port of Felixstowe, Felixstowe

3-minute drive

Watch the boats come and go at the Britain’s busiest container port and is one of the largest in Europe. The port handles more than 4 million twenty-foot units and welcomes approximately 3,000 ships each year. Watch from a nearby café and marvel at the sheer size and continuous activity of the Felixstowe Port.

Ordford Castle, Ordford

23-minute drive

Come and visit Orford castle, built between 1165 and 1173 by Henry II. The castle’s unique polygonal-shaped tower remarkably remains intact, making it one of England’s most complete and unusual keeps.

On castle tours you will start in the basement and work your way through the lower and upper halls to the roof where you will find magnificent seaward views. There’s even a museum housed in the upper hall, so loads to discover.

Felixstowe Seafront Gardens, Felixstowe

7-minute drive

These tranquil gardens are situated between the town centre and beach. The Eight Grade II listed gardens are of significant historic interest and have given the town its title, “The Garden Resort of East Anglia”. The gardens were created over a hundred years ago as a result of the fashion in late Victorian times of visiting coastal locations (one that holds true today!). Today the eight interconnecting gardens stretch almost a kilometre along the promenade. To experience the full wonders of these gardens you can even follow the ‘Heritage Trail’.