Review: Great Yarmouth - a Great British seaside holiday for families

Whatever you imagine about a trip to the seaside in the UK, or in fact remember from childhood holidays, you are sure to find at this Norfolk resort.  

Every cliche imaginable is here, from deckchairs to arcades, funfair rides or a miniature village, sandy beaches and good times, the town seems to have made its name as the best and the biggest British resort a few decades ago – and it is determined to keep it.  

We checked into Cherry Tree Holiday Park in nearby Burgh Castle for the weekend to explore what the town has to offer.  

Cherry Tree is a Parkdean site a few miles out of the town. There are static homes of all grades making a holiday affordable to all. Plus a holiday home on one of their sites is great for a family, everything you need under one roof, and no fear of annoying guests in the next room if your kids are a little on the noisy side like mine.  

As it’s part of the chain there’s lots to do here, plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied – from hover archery, crafts, pottery painting, a large indoor and outdoor swimming pool – it's almost enough to stay on the site the whole trip.  

One of the best bits about Parkdean is the kid’s disco – huge cartoon characters called the Starland Crew grace the stage each night in a whirlwind of flashing lights and super sweet storylines. The routine has been tried and tested on thousands of families, and both my kids are fans.  

Parkdean also has a restaurant/bar/clubhouse, handy for getting a full English breakfast – well a Great British break wouldn’t be complete without a good start. Or for dinner if you’re too tired after a packed day exploring.  

And there’s much to explore in Great Yarmouth. To keep Dad happy, we head straight to the Lydia Eva, a steam drifter, probably most famous for its appearance in the film Wonka, which is moored on South Quay, Great Yarmouth. 

Run by volunteers, who all share a passion for the ship, the Lydia Eva is packed full of history. Built in 1930 and based in Great Yarmouth, Lydia Eva fished along the East Coast and North Sea for nine years. The Royal Air Force bought her in 1939, using her in a variety of roles, until she was laid up in 1969. She was acquired by the Maritime Trust in 1971/2 and restored as a floating museum in Great Yarmouth. 

After our tour, we are still on the history trail, and stop in at National Trust property the Elizabethan House Museum, opposite the Lydia Eva on South Quay.  

A fabulous house, with an interesting children's nursery, it gives a glimpse at Great Yarmouth’s incredible history and the town’s grandeur.  

If history is your thing, around the corner you can find Time and Tide Museum, in Blackfriars Road, which tells the story of Great Yarmouth from its ice age origins to the present day.  

It also houses the UK’s best-preserved Victorian herring curing works. It’s interactive too, so there's plenty to keep the kids occupied, and visitors can explore the original smokehouses where the aroma of smoked fish still lingers.  

Also, an interesting Great Yarmouth fact is that fish fingers were invented here. Learn all about it at the museum.  

After all that history and heritage – a surprising amount for a seaside town – we head off to the main attraction - a day spent along the prom and on the beach.  

It’s Sunday so we fuel up with a huge carvery from HMS Hinchinbrook, a restaurant on Marine Parade. It’s a delicious feast, with a giant Yorkshire pudding on top.  

Then it’s off to Merrivale Model Village, in Marine Parade, a wonderland of miniature, everything about the English countryside in tiny size. It has its own busy town centre, a perfectly kept village inn, farm, travelling fair, sports stadium, zoo, holiday park, country club, castle, and cottages.  

There is just enough time for a quick game of nine-hole crazy golf course, before a trip down memory lane in the vintage arcade.  

The big finish though, for any family with young children is the Pleasure Beach.  

There are more than 20 rides, an exciting mix of wild knuckle and child-friendly options including the Freefall Tower, classic dodgems, a Haunted House, a monorail, the Big Apple roller coaster, a cups and saucer style ride and the classic “Twister” experience.  

After all that fun, it’s time to wind down with a gentle donkey ride, and a stroll along the shoreline – complete with Mr Whippy. Great Yarmouth has certainly lived up to its name, and is by far the best Great British seaside resort that we’ve visited.  

Fact box  

For more on staying in the town, check out visitgreatyarmouth.co.uk or facebook.com/VisitGreatYarmouth 

Short breaks at Cherry Tree Holiday Park start from £129, go to parkdeanresorts.co.uk/ 

Lydia Eva is open Wednesday to Monday, 10am until; 4pm, check details on lydiaevamincarlo.com