Norfolk and Suffolk

There are other travel guides available - Rough Guides have a whole book dedicated to these two beautiful counties: https://shop.roughguides.com/book/the-rough-guide-to-norfolk-suffolk/9781839059070

You are spoilt for choice if you like historic houses and gorgeous old buildings. Long Melford and nearby Lavenham are lovely. Lavenham has some extraordinary old buildings, including the -Guildhall here the kind of buildings that are so old they’re on a slant.

Bury St Edmunds is a very attractive slightly bigger town with one of the (maybe THE) oldest historic theatres still in regular use, and a network of old Tudor streets at the heart of town.

I also suggest you have a good look at the National Trust’s properties in the area. Oxburgh Hall is particularly fine. And if you head slightly west into Cambridgeshire, Audley End is the country estate par excellence (can’t remember if it’s National Trust or English Heritage, but it’s well worth a visit)

Great Yarmouth is a fascinating place. A little run down in parts, but some great old seaside architecture and a wonderful theatre building.

You also have the Norfolk Broads nearby. This is an area where the land and water just seem to meld into one, and there’s a lot of boating. There are also the remains of an old Roman fort at Burgh Castle, which might be a bit too ruined to be classed as a castle in the normal sense but is steeped in history.

Then further south near the Suffolk Coast you have Sutton Hoo, if you’re at all interested in archeology and/or saw the film The Dig.

The whole area is just lovely and serene and quite undiscovered by overseas tourists. Beautiful towns with attractive half-timbered or pink plasterwork houses. Every bit as lovely as the Cotswolds and I’m quite glad it’s not in the Rick Steves’ books… ;-)

I will visit Suffolk in a few weeks. For this purpose, I ordered from Amazon UK the following books which have helped me tremendously in planning;:
The Rough Guide to Norfolk & Suffolk
Slow Travel Suffolk

Maybe you can find them online used via the web. If you order them right away, you'll likely receive them from Amazon UK in 1 week.

Oh thank you for the information, I’m so excited! I found mention of all that you were talking about but not a lot of information on any of the sights. Will definitely order your recommended suggestions. Have been wanting to visit this area for a while ! Thank you so very much !

Also excited that the area is not super touristy. Both of you have been so helpful ☺️

wpack44 will you have a car?

Do either of you have any interest in wildlife or boats?

Audley End is a gem. English Heritage.

Felbrigg Hall and Blickling Estate (both National Trust) are in the northern part of Norfolk and also gems. Everything you could ask for.

Horsey Windpump (National Trust) is in the Broads and iconic. 5 flights of stairs to the top (the cap is currently closed but may reopen).

Blakeney Point in the west of northern Norfolk (National Trust) for the seals and boat trips out to see them.

This is why I asked if you will have a car.

Daughter - adult or child? Interested in steam trains?

just by the way, I haven't even mentioned Norwich or any of the hidden treasures in Suffolk and Norfolk. There is plenty to do in such a rural area.

Beautiful. (less than 2 hours from me)

Yes, I was assuming you will have a car. I’d say it’s pretty much essential to enjoy the area.

I'd mention the very enjoyable tween novels We Didn't Mean To Go To See, Coot Club, The Big Six, and Secret Water, by Arthur Ransome. They are set in the area, plus Essex. They are widely enjoyed for adult reading, as well.

Edit: All four involve fact-based material on boating and wildlife. We chartered a small sailboat (with owner-crew) to retrace the route of Secret Water, from Pin Mill. It was a (reader's thrill) to pass the "Beach End" buoy that figures in the North Sea storm section of We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea.

Look into East Anglia Life history museum, nice outdoor section as well as indoors.

My husband is quite interested in both boats and wildlife

Nigel our daughter is an adult and I so appreciate all your information !

We will have a car and my daughter wants to see Sandringham but is it worth spending the time. We only have 6 days.

Sandringham wouldn’t be in my top 10 East Anglian houses to visit, but I guess the royal connection might make it special. I’d go to Oxburgh, Blickling, Audley End and Holkham Hall in preference but if Sandringham is where you particularly want to go, it’s very pleasant and also not far from the beaches of Heacham and Hunstanton if the weather’s nice.

I love visiting the Sandringham estate. It is about 90 minutes by car from me, just far enough not to be able to spend a lot of time, but close enough for a once in a while.

I've never tried for a house tour, although based on the very high standards elsewhere on the estate I expect it to be excellent.

I love watching the wildlife and enjoying the woods. The place is huge, make sure you don't wander into closed areas.

It isn't clear when "a couple of weeks" is, but just a reminder that this weekend and next have bank holidays attached and folks will be heading to East Anglia. There's one at the end of May too.

Also, when driving in East Anglia, take an extra spoonful of patience. Most roads are one lane each way, there are lots of trucks and farm machinery, and East Anglia has no motorways. A couple of dual carriageways (predominantly A14, A12, A47 (eventually)...

Even the M11 up from London to Cambridge is a second rate motorway with poor services, not enough lanes, and too much traffic.

So just take it easy, and Keep Left.

I realize that classical music is not a major interest for everyone. But on one of our multiple visits to East Anglia, we went to Aldeburgh, to see the paths of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. While the original Snape Maltings concert hall burned down (what hasn't, in Europe!), and is only open seasonally, we were very glad to walk around. There are river boat rides and similar touristy options. PBS broadcast a memorable "Peter Grimes" (of which Leonard Bernstein conducted the 1946 American premiere ... ) from a stage on the beach, with the sea behind the action. https://youtu.be/0zeH1OyunWc

For additional travel book data, look for Lonely Planet UK/England in your library.

Appreciate all the suggestions, will be there second week in May and think we will try for time at the waterways and coast as well as historic sites. My daughter is 30 and fascinated with English history since her first visit at age 5, suspect she will adore the suggestions. Can’t wait to explore this area! Have been to the UK more than 20 times and can’t believe we never made it past Cambridge previously 🤨

I hope all three of you have a great time....

Have a GREAT time!!! Nigel, thanks for the driving suggestions. I, too, will pack my patience for driving in Suffolk. I'd rather deal with farm vehicles on the road that a crush of cars and lorries.

You have had some great suggestions for the area. I just wanted to also suggest Lavenham. It is lovely just to walk around and see all the old timber buildings. You can park on the main street or by the Guildhall. Cavendish is also not far from Long Melford (opposite direction) It has a nice green with pink thatched cottages. (4 miles on the A1092 between Clare and Long Melford). You could use this route to get to Audley End House. To get there, you would actually venture into North Essex. There are some lovely villages along the way, Finchingfield, Thaxted, and Saffron Walden come to mind, although some of these would be on a less direct route but only a few miles out of your way.

In the other direction, I do enjoy going to Southwold, Aldeburgh, (Suffolk), and Wroxham (Norfolk) - where you can rent a boat and take on the Norfolk Broads. It has been years since I have visited Great Yarmouth. It was always a bit gritty. (A holiday destination or a day trip for us locals in the late 70s before the cheap flights to Spain came along). I would not venture down to Clacton, Frinton, or Walton on the Naze, in Essex. Stay around Suffolk and Norfolk for places to visit on the coast they are Much nicer.