A day out in Lowestoft with a 1-3 year old

Lowestoft Beach

Golden sand, a promenade behind it, and nothing to break. South Beach holds a Seaside Award and is recommended by the Marine Conservation Society, and the two stretches either side of Claremont Pier are the kind of place a one-year-old can simply sit down in. A boardwalk gives pushchairs better access across the sand. There is a children's play area near the Royal Green with water fountains for cooling off in summer, plus public toilets and showers along the promenade, and cafes and kiosks for ice creams and snacks. Beach huts, including accessible huts with level access, and beach wheelchairs can be hired through the Lowestoft Beach Office — a hut is a genuinely useful base with a small child. Lifeguards patrol from May to September, and dogs are not allowed on the beach over those same months. A new seafront complex at Jubilee Parade is under construction, so expect some temporary disruption.

Broadland Sands Holiday Park

A short drive up the coast to Corton, and the right place to be when a toddler has had enough wind. The indoor pool is beach-themed and heated, with a shallow shoreline entry that suits a child who wants to paddle rather than swim — the 45-metre slide is for older siblings. The restaurant and bar serve food with takeaway available and outdoor seating if the weather holds, and dog-friendly seating. There is an amusement arcade, an outdoor playground, Dino Golf and a climbing wall for bigger children, plus free daytime kids' clubs in season. The park is cashless, so bring a card, and some activities carry an extra charge or only run at peak times.

Somerleyton Hall

A short run inland for twelve acres of formal gardens laid out as connected rooms — the parterre with its great sundial, the sunken White Garden, the walled garden, the arboretum. For a toddler it is a series of gateways and paths to run between, which is better than one big lawn. The yew hedge maze, planted in 1846, works if you carry or hold on; it is not a place to let a two-year-old out of sight. Parkland beyond the gardens has cattle, wild ponies and deer. The Somerleyton Tea Room does light lunches and cream teas if the morning ran late. The hall opens for guided tours on selected days, which is a poor fit for this age group. It opens seasonally, April to October.

Kensington Gardens (Lowestoft)

Back on the Kirkley clifftop, free, and the gentlest ending available. A Victorian seafront park with a boating lake, a Peter Pan statue unveiled for its centenary, bowling greens and tennis courts. The tearoom overlooking the greens has indoor and outdoor seating, and an ice cream kiosk opens in summer. Canoes can be hired on the lake in the summer months.

If the day sours, drop Somerleyton — it is the longest stop and the furthest from the sea. If it rains, lengthen the middle: the indoor pool and restaurant at Broadland Sands will hold a toddler far longer than a wet promenade will. Kensington Gardens costs nothing to skip, so treat it as the reward for a good afternoon rather than a fixture.