Fun things to do in Southwold: 17 fun attractions and activities

A quintessential British seaside town with lovely Victorian pier, colourful beach huts, a working lighthouse. Excellent high street with very nice eateries. Home of Adnams Brewer. Would highly recommend you visit if your in the area.

A lovely Smallish Victorian pier with easy parking nearby (pay by app is available and it supports a number of different parking apps, this will avoid the queues for the cash payment ticket machine). Entry to the pier is free and there’s a number of small eating establishments on the pier. SO if you fancy the smell of the sea, it’s highly recommended. It’s a bit of a walk into the town after though

Although a bit chilly and windy we had a lovely walk on Southwold Pier. At the very end you can have your picture taken as a pirate and watch the fishermen. Had an excellent coffee and pecan pie in the cafe, which is dog friendly too!

Lots of fun. Quality food and drink and eccentric fun on this well kept pier. Makes a change from the tat you often find on seaside piers. Do try the quirky arcade cum art exhibition for fun. Also don’t miss the cheeky water sculpture.

View from our beach hut rented for the day. Lovely albeit small beach, with plenty of toilets and facilities. Pier is upmarket and well looked after. Small amusements but not dominating. Nice small town centre. Great for a day trip but imagine busy in the summer.

A well kept and upbeat pier. Some wonderful mechanical things - the clock and the sign for ‘Southwold Pier’. Had delicious fish and chips. A windy day but lots of sunshine.

Lovely little pier with lots on it, a gift shop, multiple places to eat and drink and a great view back over the town at the end. Seating booths all along to protect from the wind which is great. Only thing putting me off was how expensive the restaurants were and how busy the arcade was. It's such a beautiful spot though so the busyness was to be expected.

Excellent tour guide, who was interesting, enthusiastic, and informative. Amazingly clear views are seen from the top of the lighthouse of the town and coastline. Narrow and steep steps have handrails but are not recommended for those who have mobility, heart, or breathing problems ( the guide is a trained first aider) Nice touch at the end of the tour with an Adnams beer or soft drink voucher to exchange at their Sole Bay Inn situated directly opposite.

Fantastic knowledge of the history of Southwold and other Trinity lighthouses by Martin (our Adnams tour guide). An enjoyable hour well spent.

If you are visiting Southwold this tour is must do. Currently booked through Adnams brewery tours. The tour of the lighthouse has 113 steps, glorious views of Southwold and the coast with a bit of history thrown in. Our guide Bev gave us lots of information and facts about the lighthouse and the various lamps used over the years to keep the light shining. The story of the bakers boy who noticed the light was out and raised the alarm which led to the discovery of the keepers being too ill with Spanish flu to keep the light burning which led to him and his dad keeping the light burning while they recovered. We had amazing weather when we visited so got some lovely views of the town and the sea.

113 steps, glorious views and a bit of history all thrown in. The best story was of the bakers boy who found the light had gone out, discovered the keepers were down with Spanish flu and so with his dad kept the light burning whilst they recovered. We were very lucky with the weather and so got glorious views of the town and sea.

Fantastic tour run by Adnams, lots of history and an incredible view from the top, well worth a visit.

Loved our tour Saturday 24th june. I can't remember our tour guide but he was good and explained everything in detail. The tour lasts about 1hr to 1.5 hrs. The steps may sound a lot but it's really not that bad to get to the top and once you're up there you get brilliant views all round.

Absolutely loved the tour! The guide was fantastic, and the whole experience is great value for money. I was surprised that I found climbing the stairs far more scary than I anticipated!

Chance to see a lifeboat whose crew were responsible for saving 48 lives. The lifeboat is beautifully restored, and this small museum tells its story very well. Please make a donation to the RNLI when you leave.

We love visiting & exploring, this place is full of facts & history that everyone enjoys learning about. Absolutely brilliant, welcoming to all ages with a fun interactive pack for the younger members. We have learnt so much about the history by visiting. With welcoming, friendly people running it. We highly recommend visiting if in Southwold.

Great fun for the kids, we did the quiz and learnt about the village and their fishing history. The old boy that was manning the museum was so knowledgeable and friendly. Plus it's free entry, of course did give a donation, was great.

A small but well presented museum. Extremely informative and well worth the visit. Volunteer staff are really helpful and happy to chat and answer any questions.

A great glimpse into the past. Lots of information and some great pictures too. Well worth a visit.

Dropped in here on way back from Walberswick as it was open and had always wanted to go in. Free entry but donations appreciated. Well worth it! Volunteers were very polite and helpful,gave my kids a quiz to do around the museum (answers were easy to find). Lovely use of an hour.

Lovely museum, well worth a visit

Very interesting museum, but you have to catch it at the right time as its only open between 2pm and 4pm. Run by volunteers, it's free but donate to keep it going!! Lots of history and artifacts. It'll keep you occupied for an hour... At least.

Nice little museum and interesting. Dolls house was presented by the Runnicles ,may be related to a school friend

Great little museum packed with interesting stuff. Particularly liked the Mammoth teeth and Viking ship rudders! A really good way to spend an hour or so on a rainy day.

My husband and I went there yesterday and the lady there was very friendly and helpful. The museum is bigger than it looks from outside and if full of amazing artifacts and fossils. We really enjoyed going and looking at all the exhibitions. There were interactive displays for children and even a costumes cupboard that children could try on. There is no fee to enter, you put in a donation in one of the boxes. It was really good, we highly recommend a visit if you are in Southwold. We will be visiting there again.

Fantastic hidden gem behind the high street! Full of incredible history and artefacts. Free admission however donations are welcome.

A perfectly formed small museum focused on Southwold history. Would recommend a visit.

What a gem of a museum - it’s a small room but crammed full of goodies. Easily spend an hour or more rummaging around.

First reaction was that there was plenty of (paid) parking but disabled (blue badge) did not exempt. Drove on to find a space on the prom but sadly too far to walk back. Had a nice drive all round the town. Had an excellent lunch at the Crown, very friendly courteous staff (a little pricey but where isn’t) was very lucky with the parking here with a few spaces almost opposite. Pretty town but not much for you if you have mobility issues.

What an outstanding place Southwold is to visit and when the sun is shining, it’s top our list, every time. The lovely sandy beaches, the light house, the pier and lots of shops to spend a few pennies. And not forgetting the excellent pubs and restaurants for a drink or a nibble. There is lots of free parking available, if you get there early. So much to explore, you will not be disappointed.

Lovely place nice walk along the prom and a walk along the pier when into a lovely little cafe for a coffee and a cake

Great safe beach, if you read the lifeguards information. Good sandy beach seat for kids, lots of space, beach huts line the promenade some available for hire either on a daily or weekly basis

Beautiful seaside town Beach is delightful, lovely soft golden sand, perfect for castle building. Huge stretch of beach with plenty of space for everyone. Colourful beach huts line the front. The pier has some little shops on and restaurants/cafes although abit pricey. The gelato at the start of the pier was delicious with a big variety. Nice walk into the town with loads of pubs and shops.

Lovely sandy beach with good walk. Way along the front good distance good beach for swimming as, well

Southwold beach is excellent especially for children all sand and flat, the pier is lovely to take a wonder around, the water clock was not working which was disappointing, the view from the pier looking towards the lighthouse and the beach huts is amazing. Would recommend a visit.

Cosy little venue with a nice friendly atmosphere. Staff are very welcoming. A well priced bar, soft drink bar, and ice creams, which are always popular. Seating is a little bit snug but comfortable. Sound could be better but as funds have been raised for a new ceiling that will improve. Wednesday afternoon cinema is amazing value for £5 Inc. tea and cake! Have seen some really good musical acts(most recently The Alter Eagles)and will be looking to book again soon.

Great acting, set, lighting. One actor didn't speak loud enough for the older audience to hear but the main characters projected well. Rom com we saw was fun. Thank you

This is my new favorite place for entertainment. We've enjoyed the comedy club nights where they attract good headliners like Troy Hawke, Arthur Smith and Gary Delaney. There's a really good mix of music and theatre as well. The volunteers who staff the venue are friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is always good. Highly recommended.

Great venue for plays and live music . Bar raked seats and warm

Such a great find. Love the feel of the place. Came to see The ELO Encounter. If the show is anywhere near as good as the sound check we'll have a great night. Many thanks to Tasker I believe who made me a lovely mug of tea. Now we've found this place we will be back again soon.

Had the most amazing day here as part of the Slaughter in Southwold Literary Festival. It was my first such event and first visit to the arts centre and it was just wonderful! The authors were so very enthusiastic about their craft, their books and their encouragement regarding others starting out with their writing was inspiring! A very special thanks to the ladies who worked so hard with teas and coffees, lunch and the sales table. A really first class service. All in all, a special day we were delighted to be part of. Thanks to all involved!!

Great little theatre, went to an afternoon show whilst on holiday.

Tiny, quirky, beautiful. Volunteer run Cinema showing eclectic mix of films. Has a bar and a mid film interval complete with organist who rises from the floor. A compare introduces the film. Totally fabulous experience.

This is Southwold's only cinema, run by a charitable trust set up to give people in the 21st century an idea of what it was like to go to the cinema in the 20th century. Having worked in a cinema in the 20th century myself, they more or less have got it spot on but it does more modern features. There's a digital projector and modern surround sound for showing the films, the auditorium is more 20th century with traditional cinema seats. They do have a break in longer films with an organ coming out of the stage. Tickets are very reasonably priced though you do have to buy membership which still turned out to be cheaper than chain cinemas. Food and drink is Reasonable. Only open on Friday and Saturday evenings during schooltimes. Seating is limited to 70 so book in advance. My opinion is that this is a traditional take on old cinemagoing with a modern twist.

What a super little bit of retro cinematic recent history! An absolutely wonderful experience; from reserving your ticket (no card payments, of course), to being greeted by Fred the commissionaire, and entering the red plush auditorim. Absolutely everything is perfect, always a double billling and always a packed house so absolutely essential to reserve tickets in advance. Mini-Wurlitzer rising from the stage, usherettes with icrecream and the National Anthem... it has everything!

What a lovely place to watch a film. Perhaps pretending to be Edwardian, including the organist rising from the stage, the compere introducing the film, the usherettes serving snacks during the interval, the provision of drinks from the bar and singing of the national anthem at the end of the main feature. These all contribute to a quirky and enjoyable night out.

An absolute gem. We visited last night and was blown away by the charm of the place. We saw Le Mans 66 but as good as the film was it took second billing to the experience of the cinema itself. From the lady welcoming us into the cinema, the organ player entertaining us during the interval (a rarity in itself) and the playing of the national anthem at the end, it was all just a delight and very, very British! Can't wait to return.

Fantastic, tiny cinema seating around 40, staff really friendly, comfortable, tickets are great value, good selection of ice cream, confectionery and drinks at very reasonable prices. Lots of atmosphere, lovely decoration from a bygone era. A really enjoyable evening with the organist coming out of the floor during the interval and the national anthem at the end of the show. Looking forward to going again.

Uniquely idiosyncratic and excellent. I have no doubt that I will return to this review time and again, to polish and revise, as my experience at this remarkable pint sized cinema was so rich, so rewarding, so enjoyable, that trying to set it all down in one sitting seems more than a little taxing. So, here are the basics so that you can at least judge whether it is worth a visit. Most importantly, this is a real cinema, showing real films, a mix of recent first run and rep. It's small, 70 seats, so try to book in advance of your visit. There is a bar - huzzah! - as all good cinemas should have. The seats are comfortable. The staff are polite. The evening's entertainment is run as a programme, with an introduction, main feature (and sometimes a short feature too) and, at the end, you all rise for the National Anthem which, far from being anachronistic ideological move, in fact adds a touch of flair and ritual that finishes the event of watching together in the dark by bonding the audience together. Oh, just go, it's amazing.

Great venue for plays and live music

It isa lovely old fashion threatre... We have been a few times when we go for a holiday

This is a Southwold landmark, it is also a quiet place to retreat to from the hustle and bustle of Southwold daily life during the summer. There's lots of pictures on display of people who used to live in Southwold and some historical events, plus model ships, newspaper cuttings, stuff normally associated with a small museum in a small seaside town in Suffolk. I come here regularly whenever I visit Southwold, as there is a free local newspaper and a copy of the times that's left for visitors to read. You can make a donation towards the upkeep of the reading room, I recommend you do that as I would like this place to stay open. From a nostalgic point of view my dad used to play snooker in the back room of the building when he was growing up.

A must see for WG Siebald fans. Papers, armchairs, seafaring memorabilia but sadly not salty sea dogs.

Haven of tranquility from the bustle of Southwold's seafront. Unchanging, fascinating displays of ship models and old photographs. Photography is not permitted, not is food and drink.

When you walk through the door from the hussle and bussle of the street you are met with complete calm, a very strange but pleasent experience. Although only one room, there is so much to read and look at it takes a while to do it properly. Even games on the table should you wish to play. Sadly no photos allowed without permission but well worth going to see it for yourself.

If you've an interest in local Maritime history, then this is the place to linger for a while. For me, the best things are the Figureheads and the Ship models and dioramas. Photos abound, and perhaps one of the old salts could be an ancestor ? It's also just around the corner from the Nelson pub.

It's charming in itself, full of interesting curiosities, but if I'm honest the thing I use the most are the benches outside. These are by far the best place to enjoy a pint from the Nelson.

The Southwold Sailors’ Reading Room was built in 1864 as a refuge for fishermen and mariners when not engaged at sea, as an endeavour to keep them out of the pubs and encourage them in Christian ideals. Displays of a seafaring nature line the walls and fill glass cabinets. Pictures and portraits of local fishermen and seascapes, model ships and maritime paraphernalia offer a fascinating history of Southwold’s connections with the sea.

Love it, had the fortune to share it with an influx of Ladybirds. I don't know why but Walberswick really does float my boat so to speak.

Nice place to visit if your near by, mainly for crabbing with the kids. They sell all you need in the local shop including bait buckets ect if you do not have anything. The main car park is Ringo, was cheap at £1 and hour. The little town has a gift shop, cafe, pub , toilets, places to get a coffee and there was a little beach side ice cream truck and shop too that also sold crabbing bits. We had great fun for a few hours crabbing with our little boys. A lot less busy than Southwold, completely different feel. There is a little boat that you can pay to cross the river , think it was £6. On the Southwold side your find fish shops and chips shops. Funny as not many come here for the beach but mainly for the crabbing. If it's a beach day then I would recommend going to one of the other beaches near by or the 20 mins drive back round to Southwold.

A lovely beach with fine views out over the North Sea and along the coastline. The beach consists of a combination of sand dune, shingle and sand. Access to it may, therefore, cause difficulty for anyone with mobility issues. The beach was very clean and quiet on a sunny Sunday afternoon in late February. There is plentiful parking close-by. The beach and village are also accessible via a bridge or boat from Southwold. This beach is definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.

This beach is stunning. We parked at the car park £1 for an hour which isn't bad at all. Had a nice walk along the beach and had a look at the groins which are now fenced off. A good 20 years ago I used to play on these as a child. Really open spaces here, nice vast landscape. The little ice cream truck in the car park sells crabbing things as well which is cute.

A stunning walk south from the car park with a nature reserve to your right and the beach to your left. Well recommend.

This beach is fab! You have sand and stoney sections, a higher section with grass amongst scattered sand pits. There are secluded area for picnics. The river entrance to the north side. The are exception Suffolk views all around the little village with an ice cream shop, coffee shop and two pubs. All small local businesses, none of the highstreet chain garbage. Worth a trip and don't forget your crab lines!..

Beautiful place to visit. Great for crabbing, nice reasonabley sandy beach, ok parking and reasonably priced. Only thing I would say is it needs more food outlets ( like way more). Went to the nearest pub and was told food would be an hour!!. Bring a packed lunch.

We have just been on the half and half tour and couldn't recommend it enough. Everyone from point of booking have been brilliant. The tour in the first half was full of interesting local knowledge and the second half fast around Sole Bay was an absolute thrill. Thank you Coastal Voyager for a wonderful trip out on the water.

Yet another great day with Matt, we have done the coastal blast as family and now have done the seal and wind farm trip! It’s all been great! We saw hundreds of seals that came swimming out to us….. made social distance…. Also to my dad which made him remember when he was on his police boat in that area! Thanks Matt! Twice we have booked, and I am sure we will be booking again! Cheers Chris.

I cannot recommend the sea blast trip enough. My family all had a great experience courtesy of the skipper Maddie who was making waves. The team were all friendly and welcoming 🤩

Loved it felt safe . Excellent skipper good around experience

Fantastic If you like being strapped to a inflatable rubber dingy with about a thousand horsepower, this is the place for you!

Fabulous experience.. the guys go out of their way to make your day a real blast !

Brilliant birthday treat, lots of thrills, a Southwold must do!

A great beach for walking the dog on. Flat, clean and sandy for the pooch to run around and enjoy.

I tend to stick to the part of teh beach which is between the town and the ferry/harbour. It is beautiful sand (extremely fine), and has some lovely dunes. It tends to get somewhat busy, with a number of dog walkers, and others. But there is nearly always somewhere to park yourself, in space, and maybe fly a kite. It is lovely !

Lovely sandy beach. Dog friendly all year round

Amazing beach on the outstanding Suffolk coastline and it's a sandy beach protected by groynes in a traditional seaside town and it was high tide still plenty of room on the beach it's only a 5 mins walk from town centre and pier I visited today and went on the beach twice and had a long paddle in the sea the waves were moderate which was grest and closest toilets are next to the pier I pretty much had the whole beach to myself too and also a iconic lighthouse next to the seafront too the sun was shining whilst we were here

First time visiting here, large ample parking that is close to beach, there is quite a steep climb so may not be suitable for those with disabilities but there may be a place further along. Beautiful sandy beach. We came here as they are dog friendly.

Beautiful even on a windy and cold October day. We love visiting Southwold and our dog loves the sandy beach. So many dogs around , this is one of the best places for a day out with your dog.

We loved our day out here. We parked on ferry road which got busy quickly. After a short walk over the dunes you arrive to a beautiful beach. It was clean with no litter. The tide comes in but there is plenty of beach left to enjoy. There are toilets at either end which are clean and well maintained. I loved the space available to enjoy with family and friends.

This is bizarrely uncanny and intriguing arcade created by the Mastermind Tim Hunkin himself is quite the impressive display. Each machine is a satirical and entertaining display of real life tropes presented in a practically ingenious way. It speaks for itself, it's cheap and entertaining.

Absolutely amazing, odd as could be. Coin operated machines built by a Cambridge student with a mad sense of humor. Hard to imagine a better £15 afternoon for a few appropriately-minded adults. Recommended date location. Maybe would be good for kids too. Really must experience if you're in the area.

After watching Tim Hunkin on the TV in the 1990s, and more recently his series on YouTube, it was wonderful to finally visit his exhibition on Southwold's pier. And it didn't disappoint! I loved the arm-chair holiday....! The fact that I watched YT videos about how some of the games worked made it all the more interesting. It was a shame that the water-clock had been dismantled - but great to see it getting that level of maintenance. If you go to Southwold you MUST visit!

Beautiful old pier that has been maintained in character from bygone years. Shops , food and amusement arcade all been retained tastefully ( you wont find a clone Costa-ploppy-coffe here ! ) food and shops all very reasonably priced and all staff practicing social distancing very well .We were even luck enough to see a seal swimming off the end of the pier a real treat ! Well worth a visit we will return as soon as we can :)

The Under The Pier Show is great fun! Some very imaginative interactive games to play, some of them are hilarious, some are plain weird! Everyone should go, even if it's just to have a look.

My daughter loved this and wanted to play every machine in there. She particularly enjoyed walking the dog!

Brilliant fun from the ever talented, Tim Hunkin! A great attraction for the whole family!

Came for one of the summer open days. Volunteers very knowledgeable. Had a ride on the miniature railway, paid £6 for 2 adults/2children, train does 2 laps of the track. There is also a shop,cafe and a few other exhibits that have been restored by the volunteers or waiting restoration. Lovely to see it open,look forward to going again in future and seeing the progress.

Great afternoon at the Southwold Railway Trust. We spent a lovely hour here with our 2.5yo, had a ride on the miniature train and you can climb inside one of the steam engines in the driver’s cab too, which was a great experience for children. Lovely cafe too and the volunteers were extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

Fantastic little attraction run by wonderfully friendly volunteers. With train rides, a cafe, a tram, engine shed and lovely little gift shop it's a MUST for anyone interested in railways.

Excellent work at rebuilding narrow gauge railway

The photos were taken at Blythburgh Station. A part of the same project. Restored engine shed. Excavated booking office. Explanatory signage.

A great place for light and narrow gauge enthusiasts. Very friendly staff, with a cafe and a great book collection shop.👍

A great place for an enthusiast! Firstly we had a ride on the simple little electric train, mostly for the sake of the 2-year old in our group (£2 per head). I then spent some considerable time in discussion with some of the affable and knowledgeable volunteers about their achievements and ambitions in bringing the Southwold Railway back to life. This included a trip into the engine shed, to see work on restoring a loco, and to inspect historical photos and a map of the old route... Heaven - for me. I was prised away by the rest of the family, who I think, had spent a happy period in the cafe! No entry fee, but donations are willingly accepted.

Nice place for fish and chips and to view the harbour and chill

Great for crabbing at high tide.

Great facility. Free of charge.

Nice boating pond if that's your thing