Great Yarmouth: UNLONDON at the seaside
Greater Anglia to Great Yarmouth for a great time. Fun and frolics run through Great Yarmouth like lettering through a piece of seaside rock and most of it is focused on the magnificent Golden Mile of amusements, rides, shows and attractions. This is about as UNLONDON as you can get.
Buy yourself an ice cream or tuck into freshly-made donuts (impossible to eat without licking your lips – try it) and take a leisurely stroll to suss out all the great things to do.
Where is Great Yarmouth in England
Seaside Great Yarmouth is in Norfolk in the East of England, just 21 miles east of Norwich. London to Great Yarmouth by train is easy - you can travel to Great Yarmouth from London by train via Norwich in less than 3 hours.
What makes Great Yarmouth special?
Are you ready for the East coast’s premier seaside resort? If you’re after a traditional English seaside resort experience, Great Yarmouth is for you.
Time and Tide waiting for you
As well as the seaside, Gt Yarmouth is famous for its fishing industry. By the late 19th century the town was the largest herring port in the world and in 1913 1,163 fishing boats were operating out of the port – it’s said you could walk across the river boat-by-boat – and the herring were exported as far afield as Russia, India and Africa.
Learn more at the award-winning Time & Tide Museum, built in a Victorian curing house, and on board the Lydia Eva, the world’s last surviving steam-powered herring drifter that featured in the
Timothée Chalamet-led Wonka film.
Okay, so why is it really called Great Yarmouth? Simple… in 1272 it was called Magna (Great) Yarmouth to distinguish it from Little Yarmouth across the river Yare, a settlement now called Southtown.
What to do in Great Yarmouth?
Relive your childhood
There’s a kitsch retro feel to Great Yarmouth, a throwback to the bucket and spade beach holidays of your childhood. Ride the snails at Joyland, tee off at the Pirates Cove mini-golf, feel like a giant at Merrivale Model Village, go indoor bowling or play Space Invaders at the Wellington Pier, or spend a few pennies on the slot machines. Not only will you feel like a child again, you’ll feel a million miles away from London!
Play in the sand
The pinnacle of the seafront fun is at the Pleasure Beach with its wooden 1932 rollercoaster, known as ‘The Scenic’. It’s the only remaining ride of its kind in the UK, and one of only a handful in the world where a brakeman rides on board to control the train, as there are no brakes on the track. WOOHOO!!!
At the other end of the Golden Mile is the racecourse where the horses are considerably faster than the donkeys on the beach. Just remember these are not places to lose your shirt – save that for sunbathing.
Visit the unique Circus
You can’t miss a show at The Hippodrome, the country’s only remaining complete circus building. When it was opened in 1903 it was called ‘Undoubtedly the finest palace of entertainment in Great Britain’ and dubbed one of the ‘Seven wonders of the British seaside’. It plays host to shows throughout the year, all including the water spectacle that lays beneath the big ring floor!
UNLONDON to Las Vegas-on-Sea
Head down the Golden Mile at night, with the buzz, noise and flashing lights, and you’ll swear you’re in Las Vegas-On-Sea.
Great Yarmouth around the year
Great Yarmouth isn't just for the summer months – there's plenty going on throughout the year. Festivals such as Out There bring street arts, circus and outdoor performances to the town, while Vauxhall Holiday Park hosts a year-round programme of entertainment and events. The Hippodrome has a packed calendar of seasonal shows and special events. Whatever the season, there’s always something happening in Great Yarmouth!
Getting to Great Yarmouth by train from London
You can get to Great Yarmouth by train from London Liverpool Street station, the journey takes around 2 hours 42 minutes, and has 1 change at Norwich station. Our trains are accessible and feature free Wi-fi and plug points in-between seats. First Class and catering are available on most of our London to Norwich intercity services.
If you’re planning to stay overnight, you should check out our Weekender ticket, which lets you travel out on a Friday or Saturday, and return on a Sunday or Monday.
Getting to the beach
The beach is a 25-minute walk from the station, so it's recommended to take a bus or taxi. A special summer bus service called the Wherry 100 will be running to the beach and town centre daily from 6 July to 31 August 2025. The service provides regular buses between 9.45 and 18.15 and a single fare is £2. View timetable.
Book train ticket to Great Yarmouth
FAQs about Great Yarmouth staycation
Yes, fifteen miles of them, from Gorleston-on-Sea all the way to Winterton-on-Sea.
Yes, you can swim at all fifteen miles of Great Yarmouth’s beaches.
Yes, all Great Yarmouth’s beaches are dog-friendly, with exemptions on the main Golden Mile beach in summer.
Very much in Norfolk, but it’s quick to get to from Suffolk, being just two miles across the border and with its new south bridge, access to the seafront from Suffolk is easy.
Yes, if you want traditional seaside fun for all ages.
Photography courtesy of Visit East of England