Gorleston has a long sandy beach with a children's splash pad which is open in the summer and boat pond. Excellent walks for dogs along the beach and esplanade. Lighthouse View is 5 minute walk from this beach.
The Pier Hotel is right on the beach, lovely fish and chips and lots of other food, including coffee and cake, wine, beer etc. You can sit inside and outside and watch your children mess about on the beach while you enjoy lunch etc. You may have seen the movie "Yesterday!" - this was filmed in Gorleston and the concert was filmed on the balcony of the Pier Hotel - 6000 of us watched and cheered the main character as he sung "Help" from there!
Right next to the beach are a bucket and spade shop, a restaurant (called The Fig) with an open roof space (gorgeous in the summer, but the restaurant is open all year so also gorgeous in the winter!). Next door is a fish and chip, sausage, egg and bacon bap etc cafe. They also sell lovely ice creams in lots of flavours and fresh ring donuts made to order. And then there is the favourite arcades. There is another arcade nearer the harbour. My grand children love to spend my money (2p a go) in the machines and then getting sweets as their "earnings!".
Lots of nearby pubs, restaurants, hotels, soft play (in Englands Lane - 5 minute walk from the house) and a fairground for littlies near the harbour in Pop's Meadow (open in the summer and key other dates like Easter).
Another favourite is The Cliff Hotel. it's only a 3 minute walk from my house. A great, large terrace overlooking the sea (it has glass surrounds to protect you from any wind but allows you to see for miles). Dogs are welcome on the terrace. It has a restaurant inside and an area at the bar for eating, drinking etc.
Gambas is a lovely restaurant on Beach Road - great prawns and nice atmosphere (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).
The Shed is right next to the harbour - for something a bit different their food is tapas. Long bar and friendly service.
SW1 on the way to the harbour is a popular restaurant - booking needed. Downstairs they are open for breakfast during the season.
Margo’s is a delightful eatery, light lunches, scones, cakes etc. Its design theme is Margo’s lounge in “The Good Life”.
There is a Weatherspoons on the High Street in the town. There are lots of other eateries and pubs very close to my house.
For dog owners there is the Doggy Diner - behind the Pier hotel - fresh bacon butties etc and free treats for dogs. They also sell paintings and bits and pieces. The Sea Breeze cafe, on the way to the beach at the bottom of the Cliff shoreline steps, does fish and chips etc and dogs are welcome.
In the park which is near the beach, there are two ping pong tables (bring your own equipment) plus a band stand. In the summer there are often live acts which are watched from the grass surrounds while eating ice creams!
Ten minute walk from the house along the esplanade is a pirate ship climbing frame play park and swings etc. The refurbished tennis courts, basketball courts and bowling green are all available to visitors. Just call to book.
Tennis contact: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/GorlestonClifftops/Booking/BookByDate#?date=2025-01-23&role=guest
Bowls Contact: Ken M Tickner
Tel: 01493 304343
Mobile: 07885 165017
Email: villageph@aol.com
Website: www.gorlestonlinksbc.leaguerepublic.com
A 15 minute walk from my house is JayJay's Beach Cafe. You can walk there from the upper esplanade, the lower esplanade or the beach. The Beach Cafe sells lunches, cakes and coffee and lots more. Large portions so you might like to share. Seating inside and outside. Outside is good for keeping an eye on the little ones playing in the sand or the dogs roaming around or swimming in the sea!
The pavilion theatre (near the beach front) has regular shows. It has traditional Victorian seating - round tables with 6 seats. You can buy a bottle of wine or other drinks for your table to enjoy while you watch the performance.
A park run is held every Saturday (for adults) and every Sunday for children (14 and under I think). It starts at 9 am and runs in all weathers!
Further afield there are the seals (30 min drive from Gorleston). Well worth a visit to Horsey Gsp. They are always there but from November onwards they have pups so the beach is full of seals of all ages. Lunch on the way back at Nelson’s Head, traditional pub grub and worth a visit. Best to book as some days it gets full!
There is a lovely links golf course in Gorleston - it is a club but you can pay to play.
Not too far away is Great Yarmouth with a great aquarium and modern swimming pool with slides etc. the golden mile has many rides and arcades. Try The Empire Night club and eatery - street food and very interesting decor! Open weekends mostly - and done weekdays during the summer. Check out opening times at: https://www.theempiregy.com/
The hippodrome in a Great Yarmouth has a fantastic circus show - well worth a visit for all ages. Owned by Peter Jay of the Jaywalkers who refurbished the Victorian building. See: https://hippodromecircus.com/pirates-live
There are greyhound races (see: https://yarmouthstadium.co.uk/ and horse racing in Great Yarmouth (see: https://www.greatyarmouth-racecourse.co.uk/)
There’s a bus to the centre of Great Yarmouth (as well as Gorleston town centre) that goes from Avondale Road near the Cliff Hotel. It’s about a 20 minute walk to the sea front.
THE NORFOLK BROADS
Not far from Gorleston are the famous Norfolk Broads which offer boating day trips. If you are interested in bird life this is essential, but also a great day out for the family. See: https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/
In Accle there is Pettitts Adventure Park. Reedham, Norfolk. Ages 0-12. Great fun for children. Also 20 minute drive from my house.
More kiddie fun at BeWILDerwood Norfolk - see: https://bewilderwood.co.uk/
THE HOUSE
The house sleeps 11 plus 2 babies (I supply 2 travel cots and 2 high chairs). Stair gates also supplied.
The house has five large bedrooms. On the first floor the main bedroom (with king size bed) has an en-suite and a great view of the harbour. You can watch from your bed the large ships arriving and leaving! The second bedroom has twin single beds. The third is what we call the Kiddie Room with a set of bunks and a day bed. These three beds are full size single beds perfectly fine for children or adults. There are lots of kiddie books and soft toys in this room. The top floor has a large bedroom (with king size bed) facing the harbour (again a lovely view) with a dressing table and desk for those working from "home". And behind this room is the 5th bedroom which has a king size bed and dressing table.
All the bedrooms have a cupboard (with wooden hangers) with drawers and bedside tables with drawers.
I supply all bedding as well as a bath towel and hand towel for each guest. I supply a sheet for the travel cots.
There are 2 shower rooms with toilet and basin (one is the ensuite mentioned above), and there is also a bathroom which has a shower and basin and right next door to it is a toilet. So in total three toilets, three showers, three basins and one bath. Please note all of these are on the first floor.
There is a kitchen with another room next to it which has a table for 6 for those early morning snackers or coffee drinkers and paper readers (we call this room the snug). The sitting room/dining room (large dining table seats 12). In the snug there is a large cupboard which houses masses of crockery for adults and children. There is also a fridge (with a small freezer) in this room. The kitchen has another under-counter fridge, as well as a Haier washing machine and a dishwasher. I try and supply all the cleaning materials you will need, as well as dishwasher tablets and washing machine tablets. There are dish cloths as well as bin bags and compost bags. I also supply masses of cutlery, and other cooking essentials. Just check the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen.
In the garden is a lovely large hot tub which is emptied, cleaned and refilled for each arrival by a specialist hot tub expert called Gareth!
There is a rotary washing line kept in the garden (or down the side of the house depending where it has been put). There is a hole for it in the grass area. The grass is also a putting green - balls and putters supplied.
There is a dart board and darts hanging outside on the wall of the house. And a table and chairs for 11 people to enjoy your barbeque! There is also a barbeque supplied (and you will probably find some charcoal at the back of the garden).
In the box, outside the kitchen door, are buckets and spades etc. for the beach. We also supply wind breaks, beach chairs and sun umbrellas. There are also a few bikes at the back of the garden.
Our private parking is at the back of the house in Drudge Road (the house spreads from Cliff Hill to Drudge Road). To help you find the parking there is a sign on the back gate "18 Cliff Hill". This is also where we keep all the dustbins. There is a gate to the garden here.
You can park in any of the nearby streets for free.
At the front of the house there is a small garden where we keep a table, bench and two chairs. This area gets all the morning sun so it's nice to sit there with your morning coffee.
There are two fish and chip shops about a 5 minute walk from the house. there are also two convenience shops that sell nearly everything on Bells Road which is at the back of our house (a couple of streets away). There is also a Tesco Express a 10 minute walk away. There is a Morrisons Supermarket (also about 10 minute walk but you might like to drive if you are doing a large shop) for all your normal supplies.
Finally there is speedy WIFI in the house and Sky TV.
Entry is via a key safe in the front garden. I will send details a few weeks before you arrive.
