Whereas Suffolkโs seashores are at all times a implausible approach to spend a sunny day, Iโve spent sufficient wet days within the county to know youโll have simply as a lot enjoyable in Suffolk within the rain with youngsters.
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From some quirky museums to a royal burial website, animal sights and lots extra indoor household enjoyable, thereโs heaps to find throughout the county.
So whether or not youโre visiting Suffolk in winter, or dodging the showers in midsummer, listed here are my recommendations on one of the best issues to do in Suffolk within the rain with youngsters.
Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge
Itโs a narrative thatโs straight from a fairytale โ a king buried below a hill together with his treasure, undisturbed for hundreds of years. Till a small workforce of archaeologists found โthe discover of a lifetimeโ within the mounds at Sutton Hoo on the eve of the Second World Conflict.
Ultimate resting place of the King of the Wuffinga, Raedwald, King of East Anglia who dominated within the seventh century, his boat had rotted away however the treasured gadgets of his hoard survived, from jewelry to gold cash and an intricate steel helmet.
Thereโs a treasure path for teenagers, plus dressing up and you may stroll out to the burial mounds if the rain isnโt too unhealthy, in addition to visiting Tranmer Home, embellished as it could have been in the course of the Second World Conflict.
If you happen toโre visiting Suffolk in winter, itโs value understanding that there are restricted opening hours in the course of the winter months. Prebook tickets right here.
Learn extra about our go to to Sutton Hoo with youngsters
Ipswich Museum
EDIT: Quickly closed and reopening in 2026 The pure historical past part is the largest draw with youngsters at Ipswich Museum, however thatโs solely the beginning of what there’s to see for those whoโre in search of issues to do in Ipswich within the rain with youngsters.
You may uncover native historical past, in addition to taking a visit by way of time to find extra concerning the Iron Age, the Romans and the Saxons โ supreme for those whoโve additionally seen Sutton Hoo.
There are additionally shows on Historical Egypt, plus animals together with ย gorillas to lions and even a uncommon sub-species of giraffe within the Victorian pure historical past assortment โ and final however very positively not least, a mammoth.
Christchurch Park and Mansion, Ipswich
Constructed on the positioning of a twelfth century priory, Christchurch Mansion is implausible for those whoโre in search of a free day trip in Suffolk within the rain with youngsters, with a mix of historical past, museum and locations to play if the unhealthy climate improves.
You may discover rooms embellished in several kinds from the previous 450 years, starting from the Tudors proper by way of to the Victorians.
Thereโs additionally artwork on show, together with Gainsborough and Constable, in addition to different reveals, starting from ceramics to musical devices and toys โ the non permanent exhibitions have additionally centered on every thing from Ed Sheeran to the facility of tales.
Ickworth, Bury St Edmunds
The Italianate palace ofย Ickworth is named a lot for its stunning gardens and grounds as for the home, with its uncommon rotunda, however for those whoโre visiting on a wet day in Suffolk, thereโs nonetheless loads to see.
The constructing was meant to be as a lot gallery as dwelling, and thereโs nonetheless some spectacular artwork on present at Ickworth โ designed to encourage guests, there are sometimes household actions with the identical intention.
Thereโs additionally an opportunity to see how the servants lived, venturing into the servantsโ quarters, together with tales of a number of the most vibrant earls and marquesses whoโve referred to as Ickworth dwelling.
And for many who are decided to get exterior and never deterred by some drizzle, thereโs an all-weather path to find. Prebook tickets right here.
Mid-Suffolk Gentle Railway, Stowmarket
The Mid Suffolk Gentle Railway is Suffolkโs solely customary gauge heritage railway, with a museum for train-lovers in addition to an opportunity to make a journey on a steam practice.
There are occasions all year long, together with Middy within the Conflict Years, an opportunity to just about return to the Nineteen Forties, and Santa specials at Christmas.
Do test the timetable earlier than you flip up although because the trains donโt run every single day.
Ipswich Transport Museum
Discover over 100 autos on show on the Ipswich Transport Museum, all made or used within the native space over a interval of round 200 years.
So in addition to police vehicles and hearth engines, youโll discover bicycles, classic prams, lawnmowers and even a funeral hearse.
Thereโs additionally a mannequin railway, the place everybody can strive their hand at driving the trains, plus an exercise zone for teenagers โ a really enjoyable approach to spend a wet day in Suffolk with youngsters large and small!
The Meals Museum
The Meals Museum in Stowmarket is the one one among its sort within the UK, exploring every thing it is advisable find out about rising, making, and consuming meals.
An ideal place to get youngsters extra engaged with the place their meals comes from and the individuals who produce it, youngsters will love the various hands-on reveals and interactive shows across the museum, together with the chance to check out agricultural instruments.
There are additionally loads of enjoyable indoor actions for the entire household, similar to talks, excursions, demonstrations, meals tastings, and baking lessons.
The principle museum is about throughout 17 buildings and also youโll must go exterior to get between them, so ensure that to carry an umbrella/coat. The farm space and grounds arenโt significantly wet day pleasant. However tickets are legitimate for 12 months, so you possibly can at all times return one other day to benefit from the outside actions too.ย ย
Aldeburgh museum
Aldeburgh is one among my favorite locations on the Suffolk coast โ however ideally when the solar is shining. So for those whoโre in search of one thing to do in Aldeburgh within the rain, itโs properly value popping into the cityโs little museum.
Housed within the sixteenth century Tudor Moot Corridor, which remains to be used for council conferences, the museum relies downstairs, with a wildly eclectic assortment to find.
In addition to taking a look at a number of the cityโs with Roman and Anglo-Saxon finds, youโll see reveals from Aldeburghโs maritime previous and a few distinctly uncommon odds and ends, together with drawers stuffed with collected butterflies.
Lengthy Store Museum
Suffolkโs inexperienced fields are sufficient to make you overlook that the county has its personal industrial historical past as properly โ and the Lengthy Store Museum is the place you possibly can uncover it.
Making engines, machines and autos, the positioning has been transformed to a museum, with loads of quirky info and surprising reveals to carry every thing alive for households โ together with how deep the countyโs deepest properly is.
And together with dressing up, making sample moulds in sand and extra trails, youngsters can discover a van which staff generally slept in, in addition to tales together with that of Elizabeth Garrett, who was a relation of the manufacturing facility homeowners, earlier than happening to her personal inspiring achievements. Closed in the course of the winter months.
Lowestoft Maritime Museum
The Lowestoft Maritime Museum is an enchanting family-friendly museum that takes you on a journey by way of the maritime heritage of Lowestoft. Itโs dwelling to a big assortment of maritime artefacts, together with actual lifeboats, ship reconstructions, and an enormous scale-model boat assortment.
Youthful visitors might be given hats to put on as they enter the museum, with fisherman, captain, sailor, and pirate hats to select from.
The museum additionally has loads of partaking hands-on actions to maintain little ones entertained, together with a youngstersโs maritime identification path and a household play room with sea-themed jigsaws, puzzles, and kidsโs books.ย
The museum does shut briefly over the winter months, so ensure that to test the opening schedule earlier than your go to, however in any other case itโs a enjoyable choice for a wet day by the Suffolk coast.
Snape Maltings
On the financial institution of the River Alde, not removed from Aldeburgh, thereโs at all times one thing to find at Snape Maltings for households.
The transformed Victorian buildings now home artwork galleries, impartial outlets, a eating places and cafe, in addition to efficiency venues โ to not point out occasions and actions for teenagers, together with free toddler music periods, and seasonal enjoyable like Halloween trails.
Younger Harry Potter followers can benefit from the likelihood to go to Snape close by as properly โ and get a photograph with the signal if the rain isnโt too heavy.
Landguard Fort, Felixstowe
Who knew that Suffolk was the positioning of the final opposed seaborne invasion of England, the place the Royal Marines fought off the Dutch in 1667, of their first land battle?
When the battle befell close to Harwich Harbour, the present Landguard Fort hadnโt but been constructed, constructed within the 18th century earlier than extra work was carried out within the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when it performed an essential anti-aircraft function in the course of the Second World Conflict.
Disarmed in 1956, now you can discover the maze of tunnels, passageways and rooms inside the historic fort, with guided excursions alongside the shows, plus some particular re-enactments happening all year long
There are additionally particular household occasions which happen all year long.
Easton Farm Park, Woodbridge
Easton Farm Park is ideal in case your youngsters like to get arms on with the animals, with an opportunity to stroke and meet bunnies, pygmy goats, horses, donkeys and guinea pigs.
Itโs additionally an amazing place for those whoโre visiting Suffolk within the rain with youngsters โ as I can attest, having ended up exploring throughout a torrential summer season downpour โ with tiny tractors and play areas inside.
Or there are pony and tractor trailer rides when itโs dry, plus a path by way of the water meadows.
Take a look at my evaluate of a (moist) day trip at Easton Farm Park
Baylham Home Uncommon Breeds Farm, Ipswich
Excellent with youthful youngsters, you may get near pleasant livestock on the Baylham Home Uncommon Breeds Farm, with a free bag of feed to supply to cows, sheep, goats, alpacas, pigs, and poultry dwelling right here.
Because the title suggests, lots of the animals on this farm are uncommon breeds that you simply arenโt more likely to see in very many locations, and thereโs loads to study alongside the farm path. Donโt miss the possibility to cuddle a goat too!
No must e-book, and children get a free bag of animal meals on arrival. Inevitably you have to to stroll between the totally different barns and sheds, so do come ready with waterproofs and wellies although.
Jimmyโs Farm, Ipswich
Not removed from the border with Essex (we visited whereas staying in Mistley), itโs additionally straightforward to succeed in Jimmyโs Farm from fairly Pin Mill in addition to Ipswich. And with its farm and wildlife park, to not point out some excellent meals within the cafe and store, thereโs loads to maintain you entertained on a wet day trip with youngsters.
Together with the furred and feathered inhabitants, there are some nice indoor play areas too, together with tender play.
Plus you possibly can see over 80 totally different species of animals, so that youโll discover farmyard creatures (together with some uncommon breeds) but additionally meerkats and wallabies plus camels and crocodiles โ as above, youโll must stroll between a number of the lined areas, whereas some animals are outside, so itโs finest for a drizzly day relatively than in torrential rain.
Get Inventive at a Craft Cafe
For artistic youngsters, a craft cafe is a good way to spend a wet day in Suffolk with youngstersย โ and there are loads to select from.
If you happen toโre in Ipswich, Pennikity Pots Ceramics Cafe provides ceramics portray periods proper within the coronary heart of the town. Or Glass & Craft is one other craft centre round a 15-minute drive away, with glass and ceramic portray, clay moulding, bear making, sand artwork, mosaics, and extra.ย ย ย
Or head to the Wild Raspberry Ceramic Cafรฉ in Shotley. In addition to portray your individual ceramics โ with every thing from animal figures to souvenirs and plates โ there are a number of different workshops together with the possibility to strive printing, make mosaicsโฆ or slime.
The Craft Cabin & Tea Room in Glemsford has espresso and truffles in its cafe, in addition to a spread of enjoyable crafts for ages 2+, from portray pottery animals to colouring in and taking part in with loopy sand.
ClipโnโClimb
Lively youngsters can burn off some vitality at Clip n Climb, a big indoor climbing centre in Ipswich, with quite a lot of climbing partitions appropriate for various ages and expertise ranges.
There are many employees on the ground to ensure tools is safe and supply assist when wanted. Plus, actual daredevils also can try the exhilarating vertical drop slide and the thrilling leap of religion.
Common climbing periods are appropriate for teenagers 4 years and older. However for those who do have toddlers who’re too small to climb, the centre additionally has a tender play space and cafe the place you possibly can await the older youngsters to complete their climbing session.
Go Karting
Whereas Suffolk is dwelling to a number of implausible karting tracks, Anglia Indoor Karting in Ipswich is the countyโs greatest and finest indoor karting centre โ supreme when its trying slightly gloomy exterior.
The big karting centre has two principal racing circuits and a smaller household monitor, with particular karts obtainable for kids 5 years and above.
Children between 5-7 can benefit from the battery operated mini Kubz Karts, older youngsters (8+) can trip the 200cc engine Kadet Karts, whereas teenagers (16+) will love the speeds they will attain within the 270cc engine grownup karts.
Children can hit the tracks on their very own or mother and father can be a part of within the enjoyable too. Simply strive to not get too aggressive with the little ones!
Strive an Escape Room in Suffolk
An escape room is a good way to check your loved onesโs teamwork, problem-solving, and artistic considering expertise in an thrilling high-pressure setting.
Youโll all must work collectively in opposition to the clock to find clues, decode riddles, and clear up puzzles that will help you escape.
There are many thrilling escape rooms all throughout Suffolk, together with Cluetopia in Ipswich, Suffolk Escape Room in Saxmundham, EO Escape in Sudbury, and The Proof Room in Bury St Edmunds.
If you happen toโre staying close to the Norfolk-Suffolk border and in search of extra wet day actions, try my choose of one of the best issues to do in Norfolk within the rain with youngsters
Disclosure: This put up incorporates affiliate hyperlinks โ any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee
Christchurch Mansion/Ickworth/Rabbit/Climbing wall courtesy of Depositphotos, all different photographs copyright MummyTravels
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