Cromer

The scent of salt and samphire hits you before you even reach the clifftops. Cromer's red brick pier cuts a Victorian line into the North Sea, while fishing boats still haul in the sweetest crab you'll taste anywhere on the Norfolk coast.

This proper seaside town does things right. No plastic arcades or garish neon - just honest fish and chips, proper crab sandwiches, and that magnificent pier theatre where summer shows have been packing them in since 1905. The beach stretches wide at low tide, revealing rock pools that keep children occupied for hours.

Venture inland and you'll find Felbrigg Woods carpeting the countryside in ancient beech and oak. The National Trust estate here is well worth the short drive, particularly in autumn when the colours are spectacular. East Runton Village Sign marks another slice of Norfolk character just down the coast.

Climbing the church tower rewards you with cracking views across to Sheringham and beyond. The lighthouse, now a museum, tells tales of countless rescues from these treacherous waters. Henry Blogg, Cromer's legendary lifeboatman, saved 873 lives from this stretch of coast.

Getting here is straightforward enough - the A149 coast road connects Cromer to Norwich in about 45 minutes, while the railway line brings you straight from the city centre. Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like West Runton Camping & Caravanning Club or Beeston Regis Holiday Park puts you within easy reach of both the coast and the Broads. You're also perfectly placed for exploring the string of traditional seaside villages that dot this stretch of Norfolk's finest coastline.