Hunstanton Library

Hunstanton Library sits right in the heart of town, a proper local resource that punches above its weight for a seaside library. It's the sort of place you'd pop into on a rainy afternoon when the beach gets too blustery, not somewhere you plan a whole expedition around - but that's precisely its charm.

Inside you'll find the usual suspects: a decent fiction section, local history material about the Norfolk coast, and computers if you need to check emails. The staff are genuinely helpful and know the area well. There's a reasonable children's corner, so it won't feel like a punishment taking kids in for half an hour. It's free to use, naturally, and it's one of those community spaces that actually feels lived-in rather than sterile.

Where it earns its keep is during school holidays or when the weather turns. Hunstanton gets hammered with families staying at Parkdean Resorts Manor Park Holiday Park just down the road, or Searles Leisure Resort nearby. When you've done the amusement arcade and the seafront walk, a library break is oddly welcome. The local history section might even give you some context about the town's strange striped cliffs and its Victorian heyday.

Don't expect a destination visit. But if you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Manor Park, Heacham Beach, or Diglea further out - it's worth knowing about. Twenty minutes on a wet Tuesday afternoon, not four hours. Check opening times before you go.