Hunstanton, Norfolk travel guide and Hunstanton information

Visit Hunstanton

Hunstanton is a town situated on the coast of north-west Norfolk to the north of Kings Lynn. During the end of the 19th century the original village (now known as Old Hunstanton) was surpassed by an adjacent major new development - 'modern' Hunstanton - purpose built at the time as a seaside resort, and very successful almost immediately.

Although no longer one of the more important British coastal resorts, it is still a popular local destination, especially for families and those on a day-trip to the sea-side

At Hunstanton you will find many of the attractions popular at seaside resorts: fairground, amusements, an aquarium, seal sanctuary, bowling, crazy golf, pony rides etc. and the well-maintained Esplanade gardens behind the promenade. There are also ample opportunities to buy your bucket and spades, candy floss and ice creams!

The beach at Hunstanton is very clean and well maintained - it has recently been awarded a Blue flag award for its quality backed by a popular promenade. As you will see when you stroll along the beach at Old Hunstanton, the cliffs above the beach have an unusual characteristic: they consist of a bottom layer of red rock (limestone) and a top layer of white rock (chalk) giving them an unusual attractive striped appearance.

Away from the sea-front Hunstanton is a pleasant town to explore, with much well preserved Victorian and Edwardian architecture to enjoy, with the traditional fishing cottages in Old Hunstanton standing in contrast to the grander buildings behind the promenade in Hunstanton itself. There are several places as you explore that you will see lovely views out to sea - head to the cliff-tops for more scenic splendours.

Within the town itself you will find a wide range of shops and cafes etc, while markets are held in Hunstanton each Sunday (the larger of the two weekly markets) and Wednesday.

Note: because of its position, although Hunstanton is on the east coast of England it actually faces west - so you can watch sunsets across the sea rather than sunrises!

You can find more local travel ideas in the Norfolk guide and the Norfolk guide.