Felixstowe Pier

The pier at Felixstowe is the real deal - a proper Victorian structure that stretches out into the North Sea like it's been waiting there since 1905 for people like you to walk its length. There's no pretence to it: you pay a small fee to enter, then you're out on the boards with nothing but sea air and the distant hum of the port behind you. It's not Las Vegas. There are no arcades screaming for your money, no helter-skelter or candy floss stalls. What you get instead is a straightforward seaside experience - the kind your grandparents probably had.

Walks the full length and you'll see fishing enthusiasts lined up along the railings, the occasional ferry coming and going from Harwich across the water, and on a clear day, views that stretch further than you'd expect for Suffolk's coast. The pier works best as part of a broader beach day - combine it with a walk along Felixstowe's promenade and a fish supper from one of the seafront cafes. Families with young kids will manage the walk fine, though there's not much to actually do once you're out there beyond pottering and spotting ships.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Felixstowe Beach Holiday Park is barely a mile away, Suffolk Sands even closer - it's an easy evening stroll. Don't expect theme park thrills. Expect instead the particular satisfaction of standing on old wood over deep water, watching the working coast get on with its business. That's its charm.