Ha'penny Pier & Visitor Centre

Ha'penny Pier is one of the few surviving wooden working piers in the country, dating from 1853, and it stretches out over the Harwich harbour mouth. The original ticket office now houses a visitor information centre run by the Harwich Society, with a free exhibition on Harwich's links to the Mayflower and early voyages of exploration. Families can watch ships moving in and out of the estuary, including container ships, cruise liners and ferries, and the pier is popular with crabbers and fishermen. A small café and seafood kiosk sit on the pier, and a foot ferry runs between Harwich, Shotley and Felixstowe in the summer months. Free guided walks of old Harwich set off from the centre on summer Saturday afternoons. The visit suits older children with an interest in history and the sea, and a relaxed stroll along the quayside.