Banjos Backyard

Banjos Backyard is a proper local landmark just outside Lowestoft, the kind of place that wouldn't look out of place in a nostalgic British film. It's a working entertainment venue with character - think live music, outdoor spaces, and the sort of atmosphere where locals actually want to spend their evenings rather than somewhere designed by committee.

What you get here depends on when you visit. There's live entertainment on certain nights, and the backyard itself has that lived-in charm that chain venues simply can't manufacture. It's not a tourist trap dressed up to look authentic - it just is what it is. Families with older kids will find it more engaging than younger children would; this isn't a play park, it's a proper social space.

The real strength is if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Azure Seas Holiday Village is barely a mile and a half away, making Banjos a genuine local escape rather than a forced coach trip. Haven Wild Duck and Pakefield Holiday Park are equally within easy reach, so you can actually integrate it into a proper Norfolk break rather than treating it as a standalone day out.

I'd allow an evening rather than a daytime visit to get the most from it. Check ahead for what's on - the place lives and dies by its entertainment schedule. Not everything needs to be a major tourist destination; sometimes the best bits of a holiday are the unpretentious local spots where you feel like you've actually found something real.