All the best places to go and where you can stay when you get there. The nicest sites and some great places to eat along the route. A 7 – 10 day itinerary all detailed – so you don’t have to do the planning for it. Take ours and follow it – or tweak it to suit your needs.
Obviously not everyone wants to go to Pleasurewood Hills in Suffolk, so we give many suggestions for each day to cover many bases.
Suffolk is Damo’s home county. All of the places here we have been to – and as we live in a van, we have done both small camping sites and wild camping in all of the places too.
Some are complete favourites that we visit time and time again and do not get bored of. Fabulous walks and hikes and plenty of places to park up and get our bikes out to ride to the coastal areas. So good for our health too!
Top Sights to Visit
- Southwold
- Lavenham
- Dedham Vale
- Framlingham
- Bury St Edmunds
- Orford & Orfordness
- Aldburgh
- Dunwich
Top Places to Eat
- Pea Porridge (1*) Bury St Edmunds
- Maison Bleue, Bury St Edmunds
- Hintlesham Hall
- The Felixstowe Fishmongers (fantastic take outs!)
- The Ship, Dunwich
- The Swan Hotel, Southwold
- The Swan Hotel, Lavenham
- Brundenhall Seafood & Grill, Aldeburgh
Top Cultural Visits
- Latitude Festival, Southwold
- Castle Trails (All)
- Ipswich Museum
- Somerleyton Hall, Lovingland
- The Guildhall Museum, Lavenham
- Ickworth House
- Flatford Mill, Dedham Vale
- Sutton Hoo
Top Activity Visits
- Quad Biking, Sudbury
- Archery, Dunwich
- Suffolks’ Circular Coast Route Cycle Ride
- Pleasurewood Hills, Lowestoft
- SUP or Canoe Hire, Snape Maltings
- River Trips, multiple places
- Punting on Thorpeness Mere
- Africa Alive, Kessingland
Suffolk Road Trip Itinerary
You could combine this with elements of the Norfolk Road Trip and do the best of both counties.
If you do join this trip up, the exit of Norfolk Road Trip is Thetford and from there, you will drive to Bury St Edmunds, which is 25 minutes drive.
If you want to link this up to the Essex county road trip, you will link in from Dedham Vale or Lavenham (depending on which itinerary you take) and drive down.
There are two different schedules depending on the length of road trip. One goes all the way round the Suffolk Coast line right from the top at Kessingland – perfect if you have kids or like theme parks as you take in Pleasurewood Hills or Africa Alive. The second shoots more towards Southwold, missing out that most easterly point.
The routes are logical in days – so you could extend some and miss out others as nothing is really too far away. Your longest drives are from Bury St Edmunds on the western boarder to Southwold or Kessingland, You could reverse the trip and go from Bury to Dedham and upwards – its only 40 minutes drive. The from the top of Suffolk at Southwold or Kessingland, you could join the Norfolk Road trip in reverse. SO MANY OPTIONS.
There is so much to do in Suffolk. You may prefer to have a less active holiday and scour the endless quaint sea side villages and towns and take a boat cruise down the many rivers available, people watching as you sit in the numerous pubs, coffee shops and cafes. Or you can be more active, undertaking those river trips through your own steam by kayak, canoe or paddleboard. Perhaps you have bikes that you take with you, meaning you can cover a lot of the stops from a single park up, enjoying the sometimes bleak and wild areas of Suffolk. With adventure parks, AONB’s and National Trusts for people to visit – there really is something for everyone.
Suffolk Highlights Road Trip in 7 days
Day 1
Enjoy the cultural delights that the historical market town of Bury St Edmunds has to offer. Although a town, it has a magnificent cathedral to visit. It also has the last remaining regency theatre in Britain along with the smallest pub! Take a visit to Ickworth House, just outside Bury and end the day with a top class evening treat at Pea Porridge – Suffolk’s only Michelin restaurant.
- Bury St Edmunds
- Ickworth House
Day 2
Lavenham really must be the most beautiful village in Suffolk. It is an absolutely stunningly preserved medieval village. Go for a wander down the high street, be sure to see the GuildHall and Little Hall and just take turning after turning to see the beautiful village cottages. Be sure to go to the Blue Vintage Tea Rooms to have an authentic tea with the gramophone playing.
- Lavenham
Visit the home town of Ed Sheeran. Go to the ‘Castle on the Hill’ made famous in his hit record. Parking in the carpark is £3.00 for the day – so you can go round the castle, take a nice long walk round and up through the town, stopping at the Dancing Goat, before walking past the lovely church to get back to the carpark. From there, drive for 35 minutes to Southwold – home of Adnams brewery and Gin, take a walk along the beach to the pier.Photograph the gorgeous beach huts and buy fresh fish landed that day, from the fish shacks in the harbour.
- Framlingham
- Southwold
Day 4 & 5
Dunwich is in an AONB which runs down the coast of Suffolk. A great place to walk, cycle, stroll to the beach with a picnic packed. You could bike the 7.5 mile (mostly) off road track from Southwold and have a great lunch at The Ship, which serves brilliant food. Just 2 miles down the road is Minsmere – one of Europe’s top bird sanctuaries. It is well worth looking for events of interest that are on – it caters for all the family.
- Dunwich
- Minsmere
- Aldeburgh
A visit to Snape Maltings is a definite. Some wonderful little shops and galleries in the old maltings and a put and riverside café where you can stop for snacks and coffees. Rent a canoe and take a trip up the river Alde before moving on to Orford and Orford Ness. It is the spit that links to Aldeburgh. You should visit the wonderfully preserved castle here, stroll down to the quay and take a boat trip – or more canoeing if you are still feeling energetic. For the food, I would recommend stopping at the Pump Street Bakery and Pinneys smoke house (fabulously fresh oysters) and enjoy some delicious food in your motorhome that evening.
- Snape
- Orford & Orford Ness
Day 7
Dedham Vale is also known as Constable Country. It is where some of Constables famous paintings were created. You can go on a walk, where the key spots are highlighted – so you can stand and see the same landmarks that he saw. You can take a nice leisurely circular walk (about 2 hrs) along the River Stour, through the picturesque village of Dedham, with stopping places for coffee or tea and admire the views before heading back to the National Trust. Its the perfect day to end your trip with. Beautiful Suffolk countryside,
- Flatford Mill
- Dedham Vale
There is quite a difference in the order between the 7 and 14 day road trips in Suffolk. The 7 day trip does Lavenham on Day 2 where as the 14 day trip does Lavenham on day 14.
Suffolk Leisurely Road Trip in 14 days
Day 1
Enjoy the cultural delights that the historical market town of Bury St Edmunds has to offer. Although a town, it has a magnificent cathedral to visit. It also has the last remaining regency theatre in Britain along with the smallest pub! Take a visit to Ickworth House, just outside Bury and end the day with a top class evening treat at Pea Porridge – Suffolk’s only Michelin restaurant. Yes – the food is divine.
- Bury St Edmunds
- Ickworth Hall
Day 2
Head from Bury to Kessingland so that you can visit Somerleyton Hall – an absolutely splendid victorian stately home. Regular events are held so be sure to check that out. You could visit Lowestoft for a ‘bucket and spade’ holiday resort, where they have the most fantastic beaches – best to go just outside of the main parade, where you will avoid the hoards. 1 3/4 hrs driving. If that’s not your style, you have the Pleasurewood Hills theme park or Africa Alive to visit.
- Kessingland
- Lowestoft
Southwold – home of Adnams brewery and Gin,. You could do a brewery tour, or take a ‘gin making’ tour – but don’t expect to drive afterwards! You get 10 plus shots of gin to try before you make your own bottle. I felt quite tipsy!! To clear your head take a walk along the beach to the pier. Photograph the gorgeous beach huts and buy fresh fish landed that day, from the fish shacks in the harbour. Catch a ferry to Walberswick where they used to hold British crabbing competitions. You can’t eat them though. Southwold would make a good base for 3 or 4 days if you want to get on your bikes, tow a car or drive the moho. Day 4 – 7 can be reached easily from here.
- Southwold
- Walberswick
Day 5
Dunwich is in an AONB which runs down the coast of Suffolk. A great place to walk, cycle, stroll to the beach with a picnic packed. You could bike the 7.5 mile (mostly) off road track from Southwold and have a great lunch at The Ship, which serves brilliant food. Just 2 miles down the road is Minsmere – one of Europe’s top bird sanctuaries. It is well worth looking for events of interest that are on – it caters for all the family.
- Dunwich
- Minsmere
Day 6 & 7
Ye olde seaside villages! Spend the morning on Thorpeness Mere, punting and enjoying a lazy morning or be a little more active and hire a Canadian canoe, kayak or paddleboard. You could walk down the coastal route for just 2 miles to visit Aldeburgh – another gorgeous costal village. Unlike Southwold’s sandy beaches, Aldeburgh is a shingle beach, with fish shacks on the beach to buy delicious seafood for your evening meal. There is a lovely Thai takeout here, which is also a pub – the food is really good.
- Thorpeness
- Aldeburgh
A visit to Snape Maltings is a definite. Some wonderful little shops and galleries in the old maltings and a put and riverside café where you can stop for snacks and coffees. Rent a canoe and take a trip up the river Alde before moving on to Orford and Orford Ness. It is the spit that links to Aldeburgh. You should visit the wonderfully preserved castle here, stroll down to the quay and take a boat trip – or more canoeing if you are still feeling energetic. For the food, I would recommend stopping at the Pump Street Bakery and Pinneys smoke house (fabulously fresh oysters) and enjoy some delicious food in your motorhome that evening.
- Snape
- Orford & Orford Ness
Day 9
You could walk to Shingle Street from Orford, so you could have a static base again for days 8 – 10. Shingle Street is tiny little hamlet in Suffolk with an amazing stony beach, keep your eye on the tides as you get some massively strong currents here and rip tides. The Suffolk Coastal path starts in Shingle Street – you can walk part of it to Butley (about 3 hours). You can pop into the pub in Butley before hand, lock your bikes round the back. Drive to Shingle Street, do the walk back, have lunch and bike back to the motorhome. A great healthy day out.
- Shingle Street
- Butley
Day 10
The estate of Sutton Hoo (National Trust) is home to one of the most important archaeological finds every made, a ship. Stop for lunch at the Unruly Pig in Bromeswell (super gastro pub) before moving on to Woodbridge, where you can take a boat trip, stroll around the harbour and riverside walks to see the working mill – one of only two in the country.
- Sutton Hoo
- Woodbridge
Get a picnic from the Felixstowe Fishmongers from this Victorian beach resort. They do an amazing afternoon tea! We go here especially for the fish shop when we are in the area. You can spend the afternoon here after leaving Woodbridge, enjoy a coffee sitting on the bench in the gardens overlooking the sea on the way to the fishmongers. It has a great sandy beach lined with lovely beach huts. If you go slightly down the coast, to Old Felistowe, you can catch a ‘water taxi’ over to Bawdsey, which is a lovely place that we spent many of our early days, but has dreaded height barriers on the carpark.
- Felixstowe
Day 12
If you want to visit Ipswich – now is the time. The places that I would say are worth a look are Christchurch Park and Museum and also Ipswich Museum. An alternative stop on the way from Felixstowe would be to stop at Levington for a nice circular walk taking in the Orwell estuary, woodland and wildlife.
Jimmys’ Farm (of TV fame) is on the way to Dedham Vale and a great stop. A working farm and wildlife park. They do ‘experiences’ at the farm, but they cost extra. Finally the farm shop has delicious bits of food which can form your dinner when you park up this evening hear Dedham Vale
- Ipswich or Levington
- Jimmys Farm
Dedham Vale is also known as Constable Country. It is where some of Constables famous paintings were created. You can go on a walk, where the key spots are highlighted – so you can stand and see the same landmarks that he saw. You can take a nice leisurely circular walk (about 2 hrs) along the River Stour, through the picturesque village of Dedham, with stopping places for coffee or tea and admire the views before heading back to the National Trust. Its the perfect day to end your trip with. Beautiful Suffolk countryside,
- Dedham Vale
- Flatford Mill
Day 14
Lavenham really must be the most beautiful village in Suffolk. It is an absolutely stunningly preserved medieval village. Go for a wander down the high street, be sure to see the GuildHall and Little Hall and just take turning after turning to see the beautiful village cottages. Be sure to go to the Blue Vintage Tea Rooms to have an authentic tea with the gramophone playing.
- Lavenham
Motorhome Highlights 1 Week Trip
Day 1
Enjoy the cultural delights that the historical market town of Bury St Edmunds has to offer. Although a town, it has a magnificent cathedral to visit. It also has the last remaining regency theatre in Britain along with the smallest pub! Take a visit to Ickworth House, just outside Bury and end the day with a top class evening treat at Pea Porridge – Suffolk’s only Michelin restaurant.
- Bury St Edmunds
- Ickworth House
Day 2
Lavenham really must be the most beautiful village in Suffolk. It is an absolutely stunningly preserved medieval village. Go for a wander down the high street, be sure to see the GuildHall and Little Hall and just take turning after turning to see the beautiful village cottages. Be sure to go to the Blue Vintage Tea Rooms to have an authentic tea with the gramophone playing.
- Lavenham
Visit the home town of Ed Sheeran. Go to the ‘Castle on the Hill’ made famous in his hit record. Parking in the carpark is £3.00 for the day – so you can go round the castle, take a nice long walk round and up through the town, stopping at the Dancing Goat, before walking past the lovely church to get back to the carpark. From there, drive for 35 minutes to Southwold – home of Adnams brewery and Gin, take a walk along the beach to the pier.Photograph the gorgeous beach huts and buy fresh fish landed that day, from the fish shacks in the harbour.
- Framlingham
- Southwold
Day 4 & 5
Dunwich is in an AONB which runs down the coast of Suffolk. A great place to walk, cycle, stroll to the beach with a picnic packed. You could bike the 7.5 mile (mostly) off road track from Southwold and have a great lunch at The Ship, which serves brilliant food. Just 2 miles down the road is Minsmere – one of Europe’s top bird sanctuaries. It is well worth looking for events of interest that are on – it caters for all the family.
- Dunwich
- Minsmere
- Aldeburgh
A visit to Snape Maltings is a definite. Some wonderful little shops and galleries in the old maltings and a put and riverside café where you can stop for snacks and coffees. Rent a canoe and take a trip up the river Alde before moving on to Orford and Orford Ness. It is the spit that links to Aldeburgh. You should visit the wonderfully preserved castle here, stroll down to the quay and take a boat trip – or more canoeing if you are still feeling energetic. For the food, I would recommend stopping at the Pump Street Bakery and Pinneys smoke house and enjoy some delicious food in your motorhome that evening.
- Snape
- Orford & Orford Ness
Day 7
Dedham Vale is also known as Constable Country. It is where some of Constables famous paintings were created. You can go on a walk, where the key spots are highlighted – so you can stand and see the same landmarks that he saw. You can take a nice leisurely circular walk (about 2 hrs) along the River Stour, through the picturesque village of Dedham, with stopping places for coffee or tea and admire the views before heading back to the National Trust. Its the perfect day to end your trip with. Beautiful Suffolk countryside,
- Flatford Mill
- Dedham Vale
Suffolk’s Leisurely 14 Day Road Trip
Day 1
Enjoy the cultural delights that the historical market town of Bury St Edmunds has to offer. Although a town, it has a magnificent cathedral to visit. It also has the last remaining regency theatre in Britain along with the smallest pub! Take a visit to Ickworth House, just outside Bury and end the day with a top class evening treat at Pea Porridge – Suffolk’s only Michelin restaurant. Yes – the food is divine.
- Bury St Edmunds
- Ickworth Hall
Day 2
Head from Bury to Kessingland so that you can visit Somerleyton Hall – an absolutely splendid victorian stately home. Regular events are held so be sure to check that out. You could visit Lowestoft for a ‘bucket and spade’ holiday resort, where they have the most fantastic beaches – best to go just outside of the main parade, where you will avoid the hoards. 1 3/4 hrs driving. If that’s not your style, you have the Pleasurewood Hills theme park or Africa Alive to visit.
- Kessingland
- Lowestoft
Southwold – home of Adnams brewery and Gin,. You could do a brewery tour, or take a ‘gin making’ tour – but don’t expect to drive afterwards! You get 10 plus shots of gin to try before you make your own bottle. I felt quite tipsy!! To clear your head take a walk along the beach to the pier. Photograph the gorgeous beach huts and buy fresh fish landed that day, from the fish shacks in the harbour. Catch a ferry to Walberswick where they used to hold British crabbing competitions. You can’t eat them though. Southwold would make a good base for 3 or 4 days if you want to get on your bikes, tow a car or drive the moho. Day 4 – 7 can be reached easily from here.
- Southwold
- Walberswick
Day 5
Dunwich is in an AONB which runs down the coast of Suffolk. A great place to walk, cycle, stroll to the beach with a picnic packed. You could bike the 7.5 mile (mostly) off road track from Southwold and have a great lunch at The Ship, which serves brilliant food. Just 2 miles down the road is Minsmere – one of Europe’s top bird sanctuaries. It is well worth looking for events of interest that are on – it caters for all the family.
- Dunwich
- Minsmere
Day 6 & 7
Ye olde seaside villages! Spend the morning on Thorpeness Mere, punting and enjoying a lazy morning or be a little more active and hire a Canadian canoe, kayak or paddleboard. You could walk down the coastal route for just 2 miles to visit Aldeburgh – another gorgeous costal village. Unlike Southwold’s sandy beaches, Aldeburgh is a shingle beach, with fish shacks on the beach to buy delicious seafood for your evening meal. There is a lovely Thai takeout here, which is also a pub – the food is really good.
- Thorpeness
- Aldeburgh
A visit to Snape Maltings is a definite. Some wonderful little shops and galleries in the old maltings and a put and riverside café where you can stop for snacks and coffees. Rent a canoe and take a trip up the river Alde before moving on to Orford and Orford Ness. It is the spit that links to Aldeburgh. You should visit the wonderfully preserved castle here, stroll down to the quay and take a boat trip – or more canoeing if you are still feeling energetic. For the food, I would recommend stopping at the Pump Street Bakery and Pinneys smoke house and enjoy some delicious food in your motorhome that evening.
- Snape
- Orford & Orford Ness
Day 9
You could walk to Shingle Street from Orford, so you could have a static base again for days 8 – 10. Shingle Street is tiny little hamlet in Suffolk with an amazing stony beach, keep your eye on the tides as you get some massively strong currents here and rip tides. The Suffolk Coastal path starts in Shingle Street – you can walk part of it to Butley (about 3 hours). You can pop into the pub in Butley before hand, lock your bikes round the back. Drive to Shingle Street, do the walk back, have lunch and bike back to the motorhome. A great healthy day out.
- Shingle Street
- Butley
Day 10
The estate of Sutton Hoo (National Trust) is home to one of the most important archaeological finds every made, a ship. Stop for lunch at the Unruly Pig in Bromeswell (super gastro pub) before moving on to Woodbridge, where you can take a boat trip, stroll around the harbour and riverside walks to see the working mill – one of only two in the country.
- Sutton Hoo
- Woodbridge
Get a picnic from the Felixstowe Fishmongers from this Victorian beach resort. They do an amazing afternoon tea! We go here especially for the fish shop when we are in the area. You can spend the afternoon here after leaving Woodbridge, enjoy a coffee sitting on the bench in the gardens overlooking the sea on the way to the fishmongers. It has a great sandy beach lined with lovely beach huts. If you go slightly down the coast, to Old Felistowe, you can catch a ‘water taxi’ over to Bawdsey, which is a lovely place that we spent many of our early days, but has dreaded height barriers on the carpark.
- Felixstowe
Day 12
If you want to visit Ipswich – now is the time. The places that I would say are worth a look are Christchurch Park and Museum and also Ipswich Museum. An alternative stop on the way from Felixstowe would be to stop at Levington for a nice circular walk taking in the Orwell estuary, woodland and wildlife.
Jimmys’ Farm (of TV fame) is on the way to Dedham Vale and a great stop. A working farm and wildlife park. They do ‘experiences’ at the farm, but they cost extra. Finally the farm shop has delicious bits of food which can form your dinner when you park up this evening hear Dedham Vale
- Ipswich or Levington
- Jimmys Farm
Dedham Vale is also known as Constable Country. It is where some of Constables famous paintings were created. You can go on a walk, where the key spots are highlighted – so you can stand and see the same landmarks that he saw. You can take a nice leisurely circular walk (about 2 hrs) along the River Stour, through the picturesque village of Dedham, with stopping places for coffee or tea and admire the views before heading back to the National Trust. Its the perfect day to end your trip with. Beautiful Suffolk countryside,
- Dedham Vale
- Flatford Mill
Day 14
Lavenham really must be the most beautiful village in Suffolk. It is an absolutely stunningly preserved medieval village. Go for a wander down the high street, be sure to see the GuildHall and Little Hall and just take turning after turning to see the beautiful village cottages. Be sure to go to the Blue Vintage Tea Rooms to have an authentic tea with the gramophone playing.
- Lavenham
Where to Stay
Places to park up at night are very much a personal things.
You may wish to ‘wild camp’ or ‘wild park’ and be off grid for everything as you go round. This particular method is our chosen method – with an occasional stop in a smaller CL site if we need to change black waste or get water. Often if you need to do this, you can call into a site as you travel and if you offer a £10 note, they will let you use the facilities and you can be on your way again.
Maybe the smaller sites are more your thing (CL sites), where places are limited to 5 or 10 motorhomes/vans or caravans. Facilities tend to be less, but you can hook up or just park up – but know you can get water or empty black/grey waste. You may be on grass or hardstanding – and you may or may not have electric (EHU).
Independent sites can be found quite easily – facilities may or may not be limited – depending on size.
Finally you could stay at large ‘Club’ sites where they have all the facilities and even onsite entertainment for you to enjoy. You use this as your base and drive, cycle or walk to the places that you want to visit in the surrounding areas. I have researched these – but not stayed.
I have split this into smaller and large sites which would suit the Suffolk Itinerary that has been given.
**Larger Locations
- Kessingland *C&C Site (doorstep for Africa Alive)
- Applefields, Leiston
- Sutton Hoo Holiday Camp, (working farm)
- Wantisden Park, Butley
- Moat Barn Touring Park, Wickham Market
- Willowmere Caravan Park, Sudbury
**Smaller Locations
- Mill Farm, (independent site) Bury St Edmunds
- Arbons Barn, (CS site) Bury St Edmunds
- Jubilee C&C site (CL site), Southwold
- East Bridge Farm (No EHU), Saxmundham
- Tomcat Farm, Ipswich
- Cross Vale Farm (actually in Essex, but great for Dedham Vale)
*Camping and Caravan Club Sites (require membership)
**Not all sites are open all year round.
Motorhome Parking in East Suffolk (5.5m and 8m)
- The Grove, Felixstowe, IP11 9GA
- Garrison Lane, Felixstowe, IP11 7SH (in designated coach bays).
- Manor Terrace, Felixstowe, IP11 2EN
- Clifflands, Felixstowe, IP11 9SJ
- Sutton Heath Picnic Area, Sutton Heath, IP12 3TG
- Upper Hollesley Common, Upper Hollesley Common, IP12 3HU (caution advised due to low tree canopy)
- Slaughden, Aldeburgh, IP15 5DE
- Thorpe Road, Aldeburgh, IP16 4NR (in southern half only, as signed)
- Belvedere Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0PR (in designated coach bays)
- Nicholas Everitt Park, Oulton Broad, NR33 9JT (in designated coach bays)
- Harbour Quay East, Southwold, IP18 6TA
- Southwold Pier, Southwold, IP18 6BN (in designated motor caravan bays).
As you can see, there is so much to see and do in Suffolk, with some absolutely stunning places visit.
A range of activities for all ages – so whether you are motorhoming as adults or taking the children or grandchildren with you – there is so much to keep everyone occupied.
I really hope that you have found this road trip itinerary useful. It will stand alone as a road trip to enjoy Suffolk’s beauty, or you can combine it with our Norfolk Road Trip itinerary or our Cambrigeshire Itinerary.
Happy motorhoming!
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