The Broads - For Families

If you're looking to give your kids an introduction to the countryside, the Broads National Park is a great place to start. The attractive waterways and rich wildlife population are likely to be immediately appealing to children, and the park's small size and flat landscapes mean that journeys of all sorts (on foot, by bike or in the car) should be fairly easygoing. Add in some top-notch family attractions and the chance to mess around in boats and you should have a winner on your hands.

Instilling a love of nature in children is important for the future of our countryside – if they understand the importance of conservation efforts and how they can play their part from an early age, that's likely to stay with them throughout their life. This article gives you ideas for the best places to take kids in the Broads, and some tips to create a trip that should inspire young minds.

Visitor centres and museums

Not sure where to start with your Broads visit? One of the park's visitor centres or museums makes a good first port of call, giving you some insight into the area's history and wildlife that will help you make the most of your time here.

Whitlingham Country Park Visitor Centre

First-time visitors of all ages are likely to benefit from a visit to Whitlingham Country Park. Otters, bats, swifts, herons, woodpeckers and kingfishers are among the animals that live here, and there are all sorts of plants and mushrooms around the park too. You’ll be able to learn all about them from the information boards around the park or the leaflets in the visitor centre. 

There are several short, easy walks to do in the park, with the main one being the 2.3-mile loop around Great Broad. If little legs require an incentive to get them moving, the promise of something sweet from the Flint Barn Café should do the trick.

Museum of the Broads

In the town of Stalham, the Museum of the Broads is packed with exhibits that will help you get to know the area's people, landscapes and wildlife. As well as having almost 6,000  items in its collection, the museum has several interactive areas specially designed for kids – there’s dressing up to be done, knots to be tied and a play boat to clamber across. Special events run on selected days through the year, and you can also board a boat trip here too.

The Museum of the Broads is not open every day, so it's worth checking current opening hours at its website.

Ranworth Visitor Centre

Overlooking pretty Malthouse Broad, this official national park visitor centre has lots of information boards to tell you all about the area, and is staffed by friendly volunteers who are on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Once you've explored the inside, take a short stroll along the boardwalk, passing through reedbeds and woods to reach the floating Broads Wildlife Centre. This is a great place to spot birds like cormorants, grebes and ducks, and handy information panels will show you what to look out for.

Walking and cycling routes

With flat terrain and well-marked paths, the Broads is a great place for a family walk or bike ride. There are lots of short, easy routes to choose from, but we’vepicked out a few that have been tipped as favourites by past visitors.

How Hill National Nature Reserve

How Hill is a great place to get to know the area's flora and fauna, with the chance to explore the ‘secret garden' and follow a 1.5-mile nature trail that’s got several information boards with fascinating facts and tips for spotting various birds. As well as your walk, you can also take a nature-spotting boat trip on the Electric Eel.

Bure Valley Railway Path

The lovely nine-mile Bure Valley Railway Path follows the route of the miniature steam railway that runs between Aylsham and Wroxham. The flat, well-made surface is easy to cycle along, and the path runs through the villages of Buxton and Coltishall, so refreshment stops are plentiful. Add in the chance to spot trains chugging along – or even board one for the return leg – and you've got a recipe for a great day out with older kids.

Weavers’ Way

It would be something of a brave soul that suggested dragging kids along the full 61-mile length of the Weavers’ Way, running from Cromer to Great Yarmouth. However, the trail has also been cleverly divided into a series of shorter sections and also forms the basis for a number of circular walks – all of them well-marked and most of them suitable for children. The 3.25-mile Thurne circular is a particular favourite because of its windmill, but there are plenty of options to choose from on the Norfolk County Council website.

Boating and water activities

Getting out on the water in some way is a fun way to spend some time in the Broads, and it gives you a chance to see both the scenery and the wildlife from a different angle. Kids of all ages are likely to enjoy a boat trip, while older children can have a go at canoeing or rowing their own boat. There are several places around the Broads where you can find boat trips or rent various vessels. A few of the best options are:

• Hickling Broad – The largest of the broads is a popular habitat for water birds, and you can set out to see them on a guided boat trip or by renting family-sized canoes to paddle yourselves around the water.

• Wroxham Boat Hire – Fancy being captain for the day? Wroxham Boat Hire has six-seater electric day boats for hire, so you can head off at the helm of your own vessel, perhaps gliding along to one of the riverside pubs close by.

• Salhouse Broad – The enclosed nature of Salhouse Broad means that there's little boat traffic passing through, making it an ideal location for beginner paddlers to try out their skills.

Educational activities and workshops

They may not be in the classroom, but there are still plenty of chances for kids to learn valuable information and skills while they're here in the Broads. They’ll pick up all sorts of interesting titbits from all the activities suggested in this page, but it's also worth looking out for dedicated sessions where they can focus on a particular theme, activity or skill. Below are a couple of good places to start.

• Norfolk Wildlife Trust– This organisation regularly hosts children's workshops in the school holidays at Hickling Broad, including dawn chorus walks, wild art sessions and minibeast safaris

• BeWILDerwood – The ziplines, woodland playgrounds and boat trips here make a great family day out, and in between all the adventures are chances to learn craft skills and join storytelling sessions with an educational slant (you don't have to mention this last part to the kids…)

Eating out

The success of a family holiday or day out often relies on eating well – even the best activities tend to lose their shine if everyone's getting a bit hungry and grumpy. Where possible it’s always a good idea to look out for independent cafés, restaurants and food shops – this way you'll be getting a real taste of the local area, and helping to support the businesses and suppliers that give the Broads their unique character. Most cafés and restaurants in the Broads welcome children, but here are a couple of our top picks.

• The Waterside, Rollesby – There’s a great selection of breakfasts, lunches, cakes, scones and other treats (including plenty of gluten-free options) at the Waterside, which has a terrace overlooking Rollesby Broad. The café also has boat tours, a mini golf course and a play area.

• Ferry Inn, Stokesby –  Everyone is welcome at this lovely riverside pub, including dogs and kids. It’s fully accessible for less mobile customers, and has a play area where the kids can have a good run around. The attached village store, bakery and chocolate shop are good places to stock up on picnic supplies and gifts.

Seasonal events and festivals

There's always something going on in the Broads, and adding a special event to your schedule is likely to make for a memorable family trip. You'll often find child-friendly events and festival popping up all over the Broads during May half term, on June weekends and in the summer holidays – along with special events for Easter (like the Hoveton Hall Easter egg trail), Halloween (like the lantern parades at Bewilderwood) and Christmas (like boat tours with Santa).

Keep up to date with all latest event listings at The Broads official website. 

Planning your trip

The Broads can get quite busy during the school summer holidays, so during this time it’s advisable to book your accommodation well in advance, and make reservations for restaurants, attractions and events if needed. 

Don’t forget, though, that East Anglia is usually the driest part of the UK, so it makes a good destination for an off-season break or a last-minute weekend escape. Travel outside of the main summer rush and you’ll usually find fewer visitors and cheaper prices, and you’ll be helping to sustain local businesses during their quieter times.

Despite the overall climate conditions, the weather can be changeable here – so whenever you’re travelling in the Broads with kids you’ll need to pack wet-weather gear and sunhats/sun cream to make sure you can enjoy the outdoors safely in all weathers.

The outdoors is usually a big focus for families visiting The Broads, and staying in a campsite or outdoor accommodation is a great way to add a bit more excitement to your open-air adventures – as well as being kind on the wallet. Have a look at all your options by browsing Pitchup’s collection of family-friendly Broads campsites.