Top 10 Family Days Out In Ipswich

Ipswich is a vibrant, historic, country town in Suffolk and there are plenty of fun things that families can do here.

Ipswich is actually one of the oldest towns in the UK and it's buzzing with culture, beautiful greenery, history and even go karting! From climbing walls, to historic houses and farm animals, it is a great place to spend the day.

If you're looking for more adventure, why don't you check out great family walks and beaches in Suffolk?

This is one of our favourite days out in Suffolk, its a great and fun way to explore Ipswich with the family. The Orwell Lady originally cruised the River Thames in London before making its way to Ipswich, Suffolk. The river tour enables you to experience the wonders of the River Orwell and Stour estuary. The River Orwell is considered one of the most scenic, beautiful and historic rivers in the country so this is not one to miss!

The Orwell Bridge cruise lasts approximately one hour, making it ideal for families with young children. Due to COVID-19, there is limited capacity, and tickets must be pre-booked. There are hand sanitiser stations, staff will be wearing masks and gloves and food will be pre-boxed.

Parking is available in the Pay and Display car park in Duke Street. There is food available to buy onboard. There are toilet facilities, but these are not accessible for disabled people and there is no stated baby changing facilities.

Ipswich Waterfront is great for a breakfast or coffee break stroll. It has a beautiful view, perfect for a nice hot day when the breeze is brushing past your face. It is also a point of interest for historic landmarks in Ipswich, and has many restaurants nearby where you can stop for food and make use of toilet and baby changing facilities. People often say how clean it is here and that it feels almost like you are abroad - the perfect little escape from all the action that Ipswich, Suffolk has to offer. There is parking nearby.

You can explore Ickworth's stunning country estate by walking and cycling. The estate was created from a wonderful and passionate vision of classical Italy. Enshrouded in layers of history, culture and greenery, you can explore, enjoy and discover this parkland's hidden gems and breath-taking views. By taking their family cycle trail you can enjoy and discover lots efficiently and experience Ipswich town to its fullest.

The park and garden at Ickworth have already reopened, and you’ll need to book your tickets by 3pm the day before your visit. The Porters Lodge outdoor cafe is open serving takeaway drinks, hot and cold food, sandwiches and pastries, it is open 10am-4pm daily.

You can get there by car, train or even cycling. There is parking on site, as well as baby changing facilities and toilets.

Christchurch Park was the first park in Ipswich, Suffolk, opening in 1895! It has over 33 hectares of beautiful grounds and is situated in the heart of Ipswich town. It's great for picnics and cute family days out. The kids can enjoy the vast green hectares as a play area and enjoy the sun.

Christchurch Park offers a variety of facilities including,  a children's play area, tennis courts, table tennis table, bowling greens, public toilets (no baby changing facilities), and refreshment kiosks. Social distancing must always still apply when using facilities.

There is parking within a ten-minute walk from the park. Also, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes within a short walking distance just outside the park.

Jimmy started his rare breeds farm in a bid to create a magical place for families to have fun whilst at the same time learning about farming, food and nature. At the moment, you must book in advance due to restrictions on the number of visitors at any one time. A one-way system has been put in place to keep people socially distanced.

Jimmy's farm offers a variety of great-tasting food, The Field Kitchen is open all week, with Snack Shack and Coffee Cabin open on weekends too. On-site stores such as Clarkes of Walsham, The Potting Shed and Piggies are open and ready for (contactless) business. Hand sanitiser is available and staff will be wearing PPE equipment. The wooden play area is disinfected twice daily, and limited numbers are permitted into the area at a time. The bouncy pillow will remain closed until government guidelines for use are outlined.

Close to the A12 and just a five-minute drive from the A14, Jimmy's Farm is in Wherstead near Ipswich. With free parking, it’s a great destination for a fun family day out. Offering mobility scooters and baby-changing facilities, it has everything you might need!

Wild Raspberry is a creative studio within Jimmy's Farm, bursting with fun creative activities for the whole family to enjoy. They offer a calming setting within the farm, near the Restaurant and the Round House. Why not get involved in Ceramic Painting and Decopatch whilst you are here?  They offer workshops in a variety of things including vinyl bag printing; Indian block printing and mosaic making.  They even do adorable baby foot and handprints! As it is located within Jimmy's farm, the facilities for food, toilets and parking are all the same.

With indoor racing karts and exhilarating adrenaline-filled circuits, the thrills of racing in Ipswich are greater than ever here. With easy to drive vehicles (just brake or accelerate, no gears) kids won't be confused and will be able to focus on having fun!

All activities including the Arrive & Drive (8+ years), Cadet club and Kubz club (5+ years) need to be booked in advance. Customers need to wear a face mask and gloves whilst in the centre and every driver is offered a freshly laundered suit. Anglia Indoor Karting is open from 9am until at least 8pm every day.

Drinks and snacks are available but hot food is not currently being served. There are no baby-changing facilities but there is free parking on site.

Now open on weekends, you can go tobogganing, ski & board practice and private ski lessons here. This is a great chance to learn how to ski close to home in Ipswich, there's no need to get on a plane to the Alps!

Booking is strongly advised. Social distancing rules must be followed and there will be limited food and drinks on offer. There is free parking on site but no baby changing facilities.

Here in Suffolk, you can experience fantastic indoor fun at Superbowl UK Ipswich, open from 1 August! There are 12 fabulous ten pin bowling lanes with bumpers, ramps and a great scoring system. This is an easy and simple way to have a blast in this classic game on your family day out.

There's even more on offer when you visit, including a jungle-themed soft play zone for toddlers and a Ninja tag course for older kids. There's even an arcade zone. With an onsite restaurant and cafe, you can spend the whole day here if you wish!

There is parking onsite, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. Social distancing rules apply, there will be hand sanitiser stations and clearly marked signs and routes throughout the venue.

Enjoy a fantastic visit and make lasting memories whilst learning at Ipswich Museum.  Find animals from around the world (including gorillas, lions and a rare species of giraffe) in the Victorian Natural History Gallery. Or, why not rewind 70 million years with your kids in the Geology Gallery? The Ipswich Story is another exciting and educational exhibit where you can see how Suffolk has changed since the Stone Age.

The museum is operating a system of timed entry slots. Pick a time between 10am – 4.30pm (Tuesday – Saturday) and 11am – 4.30pm (Sundays) and book online. There is regular cleaning and a simple one-way system around the displays to keep your family safe during your visit. There are hand sanitising stations and some seating has been removed to allow more space for social distancing.  

There is no parking on site but as it is in the town centre, there is parking and plenty of places to buy food nearby. The baby changing facilities are operational, but at reduced capacity, so bear this in mind.