Felixstowe

Felixstowe

Felixstowe is a well-loved, traditional seaside resort known for its Blue Flag quality sand and shingle beach, long promenade, perfectly kept seafront gardens and variety of seaside attractions.

The resort became a fashionable seaside retreat in the 1880s and has retained many of its attractive Victorian and Edwardian houses and hotels from that period. The seafront is over four miles long, with a wide promenade that stretches almost the entire length of the beach from Languard Point to Felixstowe Ferry.

The seafront has all attractions you’d expect from a traditional seaside holiday resort, with old-fashioned beach huts, fish and chip shops, a funfair, an amusement arcade, miniature golf, bowling green, cafés and restaurants, and more. Here are some of the highlights –

Felixstowe

The Alex, facing the seafront, is the perfect place to visit at any time of day. Stop by to sample some tasty offerings from the café such as coffee & cake or a light bite, share a jug of cocktail or enjoy a pint of Adnams at the bar, or visit the upstairs brasserie and choose from a wide menu of seafood, grills and other delights – stop by between noon and 6 pm for the set price menu. Find out more by clicking on the link above.

Mannings Amusement Park is a traditional Seaside Amusement Arcade with children’s rides, penny pushers, video games, casino areas, crazy golf, a Sunday market, bars, cafes and more! It’s located just yards from Felixstowe’s beach, so you can’t miss it.

Café Bencotto, Felixstowe

Felixstowe

Visit Café Bencotto for some delicious Mediterranean-style delights such as pasta, pizzas and grills from their open-plan kitchen! There are also many items that can be shared at your table. Open every day from 9 am (10 am Sundays) – please click on the link above for more information.

Felixstowe

Just along the promenade is the bustling Spa Pavillion Theatre, with lovely views across the ocean and two cafes/restaurants to choose from, it is an excellent place to spend an afternoon. The art deco auditorium hosts a varied programme of events all year round, from local theatre companies to big names and touring productions. See what’s on at Spa Pavillion Theatre

Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club was voted by Golf Monthly as one of the top 200 golf courses in the UK, so for those more interested in golf than crazy golf, this is the place to head. There is an excellent “Pay & Play” 9-hole course, and all are welcome – Tourists, Beginners, Golfers and Juniors.

One of Felixstowe’s claims to fame is that it is the home to the UK’s largest container port and Europe’s busiest. The viewing area at Landguard on the southern edge of the town offers great views of container and passenger ships coming into Felixstowe and Harwich harbours from all over the world. Here too, at the mouth of the River Orwell, are the Landguard Bird Observatory and the Landguard Peninsular nature reserves, significant sites for shore and migrant birds and rare shingle flowers.
If you’ve made it this far to Felixstowe, why not visit the Landguard Peninsula, which is just south of the town? There’s a range of things to do and see all in one place, including –

The John Bradfield Viewing Area
Landguard Nature Reserve
Landguard Bird Observatory

Landguard Fort is the site of the last opposed invasion of England in 1667 and the first land battle of the Royal Marines. Guided tours and audio tours of the fort are supplemented by a DVD presentation of the site’s history and by guided tours of the outside batteries.

The View Point Cafe is well worth the trip alone. Here you can sit outside (or inside if you prefer) and watch the enormous cargo ships go past while you enjoy a relaxing coffee and a tasty meal in the Cafe pondering on the exotic cargo contained in these vessels. The Cafe offers all-day breakfasts, fresh fish and chips, snacks, butties, salads, cakes, ice creams, teas and coffees.

Felixstowe

Also situated on View Point Road, at the John Bradfield Viewing Area, you will find the Harwich Harbour Ferry. This foot and cycle ferry has been running since 1912 and operates an hourly service between April and October. The crossing is popular for families, cyclists, dog walkers, ship spotters and everyone who enjoys being on the water. You can also enjoy close-up views of the massive vessels travelling to and from the container terminal at Felixstowe, as well as the hundreds of yachts sailing through the harbour to their marinas upriver. To find out more, see Harwich Harbour Ferry

Felixstowe

The Felixstowe Museum has fourteen display rooms of Felixstowe’s social and military history housed within the 1878-built submarine mining establishment.

Felixstowe

Further North of the town is the Six Martello towers, built to prevent Napoleonic invasion, which stands on Felixstowe’s coast going up towards Aldeburgh. Five of these towers are private and unused (one pictured above), and one has been converted into a private residence house. Please see our article on Martello Towers for more information on these strange buildings, and click here to book a Holiday in a Martello Tower through the Landmark Trust.

North of the town centre is the fishing village of Old Felixstowe and, at the mouth of the River Deben, the hamlet of Felixstowe Ferry with its gallery, golf course, cottages, boat yard and riverside inns. Here you can explore coastal paths, see the Martello Towers, pick up fresh fish at The Shed fish stall, enjoy excellent fish and chips at the Ferry Café and catch the small ferry boat across the estuary to Bawdsey.

Choose Felixstowe for a great family holiday!
Accommodation in Felixstowe

Eating Out in Felixstowe

Activities in Felixstowe

What do you like about Felixstowe? Please send all comments and reviews to [email protected].

If you liked this you may also like these

50 Best and Fun Things To Do In Lowestoft, Suffolk

38 Best and Fun Things To Do In Dorchester, England

28 Best and Fun Things To Do In Southwold, Suffolk