Places to eat and visit with dogs

Heacham 

🐾⭐️ Modern Story cafe

Modern Story offers a welcoming, dog-friendly café where well-behaved pups can join their humans indoors. Enjoy a selection of homemade light lunches, cakes and scones, including vegan options. After your meal, browse their eclectic range of vintage and handcrafted homeware.

Address: The Old Bank, Lynn Road.

Also dog friendly in Heacham: The Lavender Lounge and The West Norfolk.

Hunstanton

🐾 Em’s Den Café 

Friendly humans, super dog-friendly vibes and pawsome doggy biscuits. Humans get to enjoy delicious cakes with plenty of vegan options —tail wags all around!

Address:  Beach Road, Hunstanton.

Also dog friendly in Hunstanton: Ski Café & Bar, The Golden Lion, The Marine Bar and the Wash N tope.

Old Hunstanton – Our Favourite! 

🐾⭐️ The Old Town Beach Café 

Right on the year-round dog-friendly beach at Old Hunstanton, this café is a pup’s dream! Fresh water on tap, tasty doggy snacks and super comfy vetbed seating for four-legged visitors. Wet and sandy pups are welcome inside too! Humans get to enjoy a fab menu including gluten-free and vegan treats —lucky them!

Address: Sea Lane, Old Hunstanton.

Also Dog Friendly In Old Hunstanton: The Lodge and Caley Hall.

Shouldham 

🐾 The King’s Arms 

Lots of space to stretch out, with a covered outdoor area for rainy days. Dogs are welcome inside too, and there’s always plenty of fresh water on hand!

Address: The Green, 28 The Green.

Thetford – Elveden

🐾 The Dog and Scone

The Dog & Scone is a cozy spot where pups are welcome and water bowls are always ready. Humans get tasty treats while we relax and enjoy the smells!

Address: London Road

Also dog friendly in Thetford: The Bell Hotel, Thetford Garden Centre, The Albion.

Beaches for dogs 

Norfolk is a doggy paradise, with miles of sandy beaches perfect for running, splashing, and sniffing to your heart’s content!

🐚 SNETTISHAM

At a glance: Peaceful and natural.  Shingle beach with wide mudflats and amazing birdlife.

This is the first beach you reach coming from King’s Lynn — calm, unspoilt and pawfect for a quiet walk with your human. The beach is mostly shingle, and when the tide goes out it reveals miles of mudflats (Don’t venture too far out as it gets sticky and boggy!).

Snettisham sits beside the RSPB Nature Reserve, a top spot for birdwatching. From late summer onwards, you can see thousands of wading birds take to the sky during the Whirling Wader Spectacle — it’s truly pawsome to watch.

Restrictions:
From 1st April to 31st August, please remind your human to keep you on your lead so you don’t disturb the beach-nesting birds. Look out for signs and cordoned off areas — they’ll tell you where the feathered residents are nesting and where paws shouldn’t go.

Nature Reserve:
We dogs are very welcome at the Snettisham RSPB Nature Reserve, but this is definitely a good dog on lead zone. Be on your best behaviour and enjoy the sights and smells of nature responsibly.

HEACHAM

At a glance: Two beaches — North and South — both with parking, snacks and loos. West-facing, so paws down, without doubt one of the best spots for sunsets! 🌅

Heacham has two lovely beaches. Both have car parks, snack bars and toilets — handy for humans. Being on The Wash, the tide goes out a long way, leaving some gloriously squelchy mud, so don’t wander too far or you might need a paw wash afterwards!

A concrete promenade links Heacham North Beach to Hunstanton (about 3.6km). It’s a flat, easy stroll for all paws — even those riding in strollers. Perfect for a leisurely walk with sea breezes and the odd whiff of chips.

Restrictions: On South Beach, from 1 April to 31 August, birds nest on the upper part of the beach. Stay on the lead and watch for signs and cordoned off areas — we don’t want to ruffle any feathers. North Beach is dog friendly all year round!

🐾 HUNSTANTON

At a glance: Busy resort beach with sand and pebbles, plus quieter North Beach with rock pools, cliffs and fossil hunting. Great for sunsets! 🌅

Hunstanton is the only east coast resort town that faces west, making it pawfect for watching the sunset — no wonder it’s called Sunny Hunny! The main beach is busy with attractions and a mix of sand and pebbles, ideal for humans but a little crowded for zoomies.

Head to North Beach and you’ll find the iconic stripy cliffs, made of Norfolk carrstone and chalk. They’re a stunning backdrop for holiday snaps and totally unique in the UK. This area is great for paddling in rock pools, spotting fossils and maybe even checking out the wreck of a 1907 fishing boat used in WWI & WWII — history sniffing is fun! 🐾

Restrictions: Humans prefer we avoid the town beachfrom 1 April to 31 October. That’s the section from the end of the promenade near the cliffs to the power boat ramp. On-lead walks along the promenade are allowed all year.

Beaches north and south of the restricted section, including under the cliffs, are open for paws and zoomies — plenty of space to run and explore!

🐾 OLD HUNSTANTON

At a glance: Sandy, uncommercial beach with a superb dog-friendly café and plenty of space to run.

Old Hunstanton is a lovely sandy beach — perfect for sniffing, digging and zoomies! There’s a dog-friendly café where you can find fresh water and even some tasty treats for pups.  Plenty of room for paws and tails to have fun!

Restrictions: NONE – Dog friendly all year round.

🐾 HOLKHAM

At a glance: Vast, sandy, dog-friendly beach with lots of space to run, café and toilets. Wildlife areas have some seasonal on-lead zones.

Holkham is a huge, sandy beach — there’s room for everyone, so it rarely feels crowded. One of Norfolk’s crown jewels, it even appears on lists of the best beaches in Britain — how pawsome is that! Movie fans might enjoy knowing that scenes from Shakespeare in Love and The Duchess were filmed here.

The Holkham Nature Reserve stretches from Burnham Norton to Morston, covering around 1,000 hectares — that’s roughly 2,500 football fields in doggy language! Most of the area can be explored via footpaths, perfect for sniffing adventures.

Restrictions: Dogs are welcome all year but from 1 April to 31 August some areas require dogs on leads to protect wildlife. These zones are clearly signed and highly sensitive areas have roped-off cordons to protect ground-nesting birds — please stay out of these. Even during these times, about 70% of the beach remains open for off-lead walking under close control.

🐾 WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

At a glance: Decorative beach huts, sandy beach, dog-friendly café and paths to Holkham.

Wells beach is famous for its colourful beach huts — you’ve probably seen plenty of photos! We pups love to wander, but my humans make sure we don’t join in with human picnics… too tempting! Away from the huts, there’s a lovely path along the pine forest that leads to Holkham, perfect for sniffing adventures. Facilities include a pay-and-display car park, toilets and a dog-friendly café.

Restrictions: Dogs are not permitted on a section of the beach from the eastern entrance, but the west end (near the car park) is free for paws. Assistant dogs are always welcome in the no-dog zone.

During bird nesting season (1 April–30 August), signs along the path to Holkham will show where you need to stay on lead to protect wildlife.

Days out with dogs 

Whether it’s train rides, boat trips, museums or doggy swimming pools, we’ve got Norfolk’s best dog-friendly adventures all in one place!

🏰 COUNTRYSIDE ESTATES & HERITAGE

Blickling Estate
Parkland, woodland and several trails, including 4 mile multi-use to explore. There is livestock in the fields so watch out for signage. Dogs welcome in the barn, café and bookshop. Only guide dogs allowed in the house.

🐾 Woof tip: follow our pawprints on this visit.

Castle Acre
Pretty village with a Priory, Bailey Gate and 12th-century Castle to visit. Countryside walks nearby.

Felbrigg Hall
A 17th-century estate with 520 acres of woods and way-marked trails. Dogs welcome in grounds, tearoom and shop but not the house.  Stay on leads 1 March–31 July during the bird breeding season.

Holkham Hall Estate
There are several trails from 1–6 miles, including a lakeside walk. Lots of deer and other wildlife. Dogs  welcome in the shop, walled garden, Holkham Stories Experience and Courtyard Café. The Hall is off-limits for pups.

Merrivale Model Village (Great Yarmouth)
Seaside model village.

Oxburgh Hall – (King’s lynn)
Moated country house built c.1482. Dogs welcome across the estate, including tea room and gift shop. No doggy entry inside the house.

Sandringham Royal Park
A 243-hectare Royal Park; dogs welcome in the courtyard, shop and designated restaurant areas. We are not allowed in the house or gardens. Dogs can attend craft fairs, flower shows and are allowed to visit the parish church.

🌸 GARDENS & PARKS

Bawsey Country Park (King’s Lynn)
Lakes, woodland, picnic areas and four marked walks (0.5–1.5 miles). Some slopes and steep bits; perfect for a paddle.

Drove Orchards (Thornham)
40+ acres of orchards with 160 varieties of apples and pears.  The humans can pick their own fruit and then explore dog-friendly shops and eateries. Free parking.

Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden – (South Walsham)
130 acres of woodland and water trails with lovely views over the private Broad.

Gooderstone Water Gardens
6.5 acres of water gardens and nature trails.

Holt Country Park (Holt)
Way-marked woodland walks. Be aware of wild ponies and livestock.

Priory Maze & Gardens – (Beeston Regis)
Woodland, water and meadow gardens with benches and Norfolk’s only hedge maze. Café off-limits.

Sheringham Park
National Trust landscaped park with gardens and 1–5 mile trails. Keep on leads 1 March–31 July during the bird breeding and around Courtyard Café. Adders may be present Feb–Nov. Assistance dogs only in Bower Gardens.

Stody Estate – Stody Lodge Gardens – (Melton Constable)
Open on select dates in May for rhododendrons and azaleas.

Thetford Forest Park
UK’s largest lowland forest with 18,730 hectares to explore. Stay under control for wildlife safety.

Gardens

🖼️ MUSEUMS

Charles Burrell Steam Museum (Thetford)
Exhibits include steam engines and Dad’s Army memorabilia. Dogs allowed in outdoor areas, the indoor museum and café area.

Dad’s Army Museum (Thetford)
Recreation of TV show locations with memorabilia displays. Guided tours available.

Museum of the Broads (Stalham)
Learn about the Norfolk Broads history; dog life jackets available for boat trips.

RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre
Learn about the airbase and World War pilots.

Strumpshaw Steam Museum
Steam engines, narrow-gauge railway, fairground and memorabilia. Countryside walks nearby.

🚂 RAILWAYS & HERITAGE TRANSPORT

Bure Valley Railway (Alysham)

9-mile narrow-gauge steam railway from Aylsham to Wroxham. Dogs welcome in public areas including the café. Footpath along the line for stretching paws.

Mid-Norfolk Railway (Dereham–Wymondham)
Heritage line with standard trips allowing dogs for a small fee.

Poppy Line – North Norfolk Railway (Sheringham–Holt)
Diesel and steam trains between Sheringham and Holt. Doggies are welcome in the seating area of the buffet at Sheringham only, not at Weybourne or Holt buffets.

Whitwell & Reepham Station (Reepham)
Restored station with steam and diesel engines, small museum and dog-friendly café. Dogs welcome in most areas.

The Wells & Walsingham Light Railway (Wells-next-the-Sea)
Miniature steam line with countryside views. Dogs travel free — a real treat for tail-waggers.

🐦 WILDLIFE & NATURE RESERVES

RSPB Snettisham (Snettisham)
Coastal reserve.  Rare birds and wildlife.

RSPB Titchwell Marsh (Tichwell)
Dogs must be on leads and stay on the dog-friendly routes only! Shop with water bowls.

Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve (Knettishall)
Six trails from 1–2.5 miles; all-access trail around river. Dogs on leads. Ponies and cattle grazing!