What is there to see and do in Wells Next the Sea
Wells Next the Sea
Wells Next the Sea is an absolute gem. With sweeping sandy beaches, sand dunes, beach huts of all colours, a pine forest to wander through at your leisure and a compact town with shops, restaurants and takeaways.
Where is Wells Next the Sea
Wells Next the Sea is a bustling fishing port on the North Norfolk Coast of England in the UK.
Where to park in Wells Next the Sea
We always park at Wells Beach Car Park which is found on Beach Road and has a postcode of NR23 1DR.
Wells Beach Car Park is close to the beach and forest and right next to the Beach Café and car park toilets.
The Beach Car Park is a 1-mile walk to Wells Next the Sea town. Currently, there is a mini railway to cover this journey if you prefer or are unable to walk that distance. Holkham Estate who owns much of the land around Wells Next the Sea is exploring options for the future of the mini railway.
If you purchase an all-day parking ticket, it also allows free parking on the same day in Holkham Park (during visitor season).
The parking is not cheap, but in our opinion, it is well worth it for such a lovely, well-kept place to visit.
When we arrived just before 9am there was plenty of parking, but when we were leaving at 2.30, it was one in one out.
Parking Information | Visiting Holkham Hall | Days out in Norfolk
Our day in Wells Next the Sea
As always when we visit Wells Next the Sea for the day, we were parked up in the car park by 9am.
We usually bring our dog Archie with us on visits to Wells Next the Sea, but we decided to just go the two of us today, so we could have lunch at Sands Restaurant.
When we bring Archie, you have to bear left in the car park, to access the huge dog-friendly part of the beach, but as we didn’t have that restriction today, we took the path just after the fabulous Beach Café, just in front of the new Lifeboat Station that is being built.
This path took us to the beach beside the National Coastwatch kiosk. Wells-next-the-Sea | National Coastwatch Institution (nci.org.uk)
We then enjoyed a leisurely walk on the beach, then back through the pine forest before grabbing a coffee at the Beach Café.
We had to keep half an eye on the time as we had a lunchtime reservation at the Sands Restaurant. But we were fine. The walk into town is about 1 mile long, but there are lots of benches. As we were good for time, we stopped at many of them to chill and take in the fabulous scenery.
We had time to pop in a few shops before heading upstairs for our lunch with a view, at the Sands Restaurant. See more about Sands Restaurant below.
After lunch, we had a leisurely walk around town before the walk back to the car. A lovely day and lots of steps in the bag.
In my opinion Wells Next the Sea is a perfect day out for smelling the roses, relaxing and just enjoying the lovely unspoiled seaside town.
What is there to see in Wells Next the Sea?
- Wells Beach
- The beach is huge at low tide.
- Sand dunes
- Backed by the pine forest.
- Part of Holkham Bay
- BE CAREFUL YOU DON’T GET TRAPPED WHEN THE TIDE COMES IN!
- Beach Huts
- Often when in Wells town, we take a look at the estate agent windows and can’t believe the price of buying a beach hut, you could buy a cheap house (although probably not in Wells)!!!
- Wells Lifeboat Station
- Wells Pine Forest
- Wells Harbour
- Quiet when the tide is going out but comes to life at high tide.
- Fishing boats, visiting yachts and smaller boats.
- National Coastwatch
- Crabbing
- If you haven’t got any equipment, many of the shops in Wells sell it.
- Mini railway
- Shops
- Restaurants
- See below for some we have sampled.
- Amusements
- Art Galleries
- Boat trips
- Children’s play areas
- Public toilets
- Beach car park
- Next to the children’s paly area at the other end of Beach Road
- At the top of Newgate Lane
- As I write this the toilets are free of charge in Wells Next the Sea.
- Seating
- Wells has an abundance of benches and brick walls, for resting or chilling on.
Where is there to eat in Wells Next the Sea
Sands Restaurant
We ate at the Sands restaurant on our latest visit (and have done before), enjoying lovely fish and chips with a view of the harbour.
Be aware though if you want a window table, you do have to book well in advance.
I would highly recommend a meal at Sands Restaurant. Our batter was lovely and light and melted in our mouths. The service was excellent.
Beach Café
The beach Café is a regular haunt for us on our visits, whether for just a coffee, sausage or bacon roll, or delightful homemade sausage rolls or cakes to name just some of their offerings. Plus, they sell snacks and ice cream for dogs!
Dogs are welcome inside the café and in the winter there is a warming log burner.
The staff in the Beach Café are some of the most welcoming I have ever come across. They might even find a biscuit for your dog.
Beach Café | Places to Eat | Wells-next-the-Sea | North Norfolk (holkham.co.uk)
The Globe Inn
We enjoyed a lovely meal here a couple of years ago, as part of a group celebrating a friends 60th birthday.
The Globe | Wells Next The Sea | Official (theglobeatwells.co.uk)
French’s Fish & Chips
We have bought and enjoyed fish and chips from here many times over the years.
We either sit on the wall opposite or head to the picnic benches by the Harbour Office.
Where to stay near Wells Next the Sea
We have stayed in a caravan at Pinewoods in the past and it is perfectly close to the beach and forest.
On-site you will find holiday lodges and a variety of caravans. Plus, you can bring your own tourer or motorhome. Some of the lodges and caravans are dog-friendly. It would be perfect if the lodges had hot tubes!
You can also hire a beach hut from Pinewoods. They are equipped with 2 deck chairs and a windbreak, but there is no water, electric, or gas supply.
Is Wells Next the Sea’s beach dog friendly?
Absolutely and the main reason we keep going back although it is a 90-minute drive from where we live.
Dogs are able to run free on a huge golden beach, especially when the tide is out. We generally get there early when we take the dog, this allows him to run around off lead without another dog anywhere nearby.
What is near to Wells Next the Sea?
Holkham Park
- Walkable from Wells, on the beach, but a longish walk
- The Postcode is NR23 1RH
- Cycling routes
- Walking routes
- Deer
- Lake
- The Park | Visiting Holkham | Family Days out Norfolk
Holkham National Nature Reserve
- Found to the left of Wells Next the Sea beach.
- Miles of unspoilt scenery
- Visitor Centre
- Café
- Toilets
- Introduction | Holkham National Nature Reserve | North Norfolk
Sheringham
Here is my article with more information about Sheringham What is there to do in Sheringham? – Ears and Ideas
Sheringham is a 45-minute drive from the Beach Car Park at Wells Next The Sea.
Old Hunstanton
Here is my article, with more information about Old Hunstanton and also covers some information about Hunstanton Town What is there to do in Old Hunstanton? – Ears and Ideas
Old Hunstanton is a 45-minute drive from the Beach Car Park at Wells Next The Sea.
Here is our video on Wells Next the Sea
Ears and Ideas 