Attractions Nearby Ipswich, Day Trips and Excursions

(Ipswich, Suffolk, England, UK)

Located in an especially appealing part of East Anglia and close to many surrounding attractions, visitors based in Ipswich will find that there are endless possible day trips to pencil in. Families often choose to base themselves in Ipswich and take regular excursions to the nearby seaside town of Clacton on Sea, where a long stretch of sandy beachfront draws the summer crowds.

The attractions of Clacton on Sea are just a 25-minute drive from Ipswich and tend to be related to the town's attractive coastline. Clacton Pier is one of the first places that most tourists head to and dates from 1871, now being home to a sizeable amusement park, complete with 15-metre / 50-foot helter skelter. Another popular beach is to be found at nearby Frinton on Sea.

General Information

For a little more in the way of sophistication and culture, the famous university city of Cambridge is just over an hour away from Ipswich and lies directly to the west.

The main attractions here range from punting on the River Cam and visiting the Cambridge Botanic Gardens, to taking sightseeing bus tours around the city and exploring the countless university buildings. Central Cambridge is full of character and is also a very good place for an afternoon's serious shopping.

The historical market town of Bury St. Edmunds is some 45 minutes to the north-west of Ipswich and makes for another good day out, with attractions such as the Abbey Gardens. Greene King Brewery Visitor Centre, Moyse's Hall Museum and St. Edmundsbury Cathedral.

Alternatively, do consider day trips to Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester, all of which lie to the south-west and within the neighbouring county of Essex. If you have enough time to travel further afield, then the attractions of London and Peterborough can be reached in under two hours, by road or rail. The city of Norwich is considerably closer to Ipswich and offers enticing boat trips around the famous Norfolk Broads.