An Hour From Norwich Is A Charming Coastal Town With Gorgeous Beaches, Pier Fun, And Award-Winning Craft Brews

From Viking visitation to dystopian displays in honor of former resident George Orwell, Southwold in Suffolk County on England's northeast shores has seen many transitions over the centuries. Now, visitors can casually stroll down the 623-foot Southwold Pier or along the beach before grabbing an award-winning pint from Adnams Southwold. This underrated town is a year-round Suffolk Coast destination for sea-seekers, outlined by colorful beach huts and Victorian terrace houses, with a working, 100-foot lighthouse at attention amidst them all. 

A whimsical vibe takes over the Southwold Pier, in part thanks to the creative, interactive inventions of engineer and cartoonist Tim Hunkin. One of them is the attention-grabbing Water Clock that he, along with Will Jackson and Jack Trevellian, crafted as a water-recycling demonstration. They reused old copper hot water cylinders and sculpted them into a creation depicting gentlemen who, well, piddle every 30 minutes. Meanwhile, hands-on fun awaits in the pier's Arcade, where you can practice your prowess tossing a basketball through a hoop, playing Pac-Man, or rolling a bowling ball and earning prizes.

England's most underrated coastal destination is a district full of quirky beach towns like Southwold. Here, two sandy beaches along the North Sea invite different activities. Southwold Pier Beach to the north is home to the pier and a promenade, while Southwold Denes Beach less than a mile to the south is a bit more blustery and beloved by kite-flyers and windsurfers. From May to September, a lifeguard watches over the northern beach while snacks, drinks, and restroom facilities can be found on the pier. Denes Beach lies in front of sand dunes and marshland, which provide habitat for flowers, wildlife, and birds. 

At Southwold Beach, rent a vibrantly hued beach hut steps from the sea. These mini-homes, some with quirky names like Seas the Day and Jabba the Hut, offer sanctuary from the sun, a place to store beach essentials, and sometimes places to prepare food. This beach has received Blue Flag awards for its cleanliness and high environmental standards, an honor only bestowed on 63 beaches in all of England. 

Stretch your legs on the 120-year-old Southwold Pier that has seen a few rebuilds since its first construction. Nearby, you'll find restaurants serving everything from fish and chips to coffee and cakes. Boutiques offer housewares, clothing, accessories, and souvenirs. Interact with Tim Hunkin's array of nearly 20 contraptions at the Under the Pier Show, where you can "Whack a Banker," witness undersea marvels in the Bathyscape, or virtually experience the life of a fly. "Truly wonderful and whacky!" one Tripadvisor reviewer shared. "Some of the references a little dated but adds to the charm. British eccentricity at its best."

Southwold Pier is a bit more eccentric than England's other piers that are adored for their ocean views and seaside fun, but that's a huge part of its intrigue. Once jaunts along the pier or .1-mile promenade above the beach are complete, head to Adnams Southwold for a refreshment. Just over 300 feet from the Southwold Lighthouse that was built in 1887, Adnams has been a site of beer brewing since 1345. This brewery's hoppy, malty concoctions have won numerous accolades, including the Star of Excellence in 1953, and it also distills vodka, whisky, and gin on-site. 

Take a tour of the brewery or distillery, both of which happily culminate in tastings. Adnams also offers tours of the neighboring lighthouse, rising high above the seaside and providing some of the area's most picturesque vistas. One Google reviewer shared, "We had a brilliant brewery tour with Julia, very informative and charming. There's lots of delicious beers to taste and Julia introduced us into every secret of hops and malts." They also recommended combining the lighthouse tour with the brewery tour to take up the entire afternoon in Southwold. 

Southwold is less than an hour from Norwich, England's "City of Stories" and a medieval charmer with UNESCO status, and the Norwich International Airport (NWI). London is 120 miles away, with transportation to Southwold available by train if driving isn't preferred. Once there, choose from a variety of lodging options including a pub, inns, cottages, or the historic Swan Hotel that's stood in Southwold since the 1600s.