10 great places to visit in Suffolk on a rainy day including Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Newmarket and Sudbury
There are many brilliant spots to visit and enjoy across Suffolk but when it’s raining it makes it a bit harder to choose a place to go.
However, there are plenty of brilliant options still dotted around the county, including locations in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Newmarket and more.
So without further ado, let’s dive into this list of 10 places you could go.
Lavenham Guildhall
Frequently referred to as ‘England’s finest medieval village’, Lavenham is a beautiful area near Sudbury. One of it's best features is Lavenham Guildhall, a historic place that has been used as a prison, a pub and even a social club for US troops during WWII.
Once you're inside the building, which is considered one of the most impressive timber-framed buildings of medieval England, you can discover over five centuries of history and learn about a range of stories, characters and facts.
A special piece of trivia about the village is that its streets were used as a background for the scenes of Godric’s Hollow in the film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One, including the De Vere House.
Suffolk Regiment Museum
Established in 1935 to mark the 250th anniversary of the Suffolk Regiment, the Suffolk Regiment Museum in Bury St Edmunds displays its history through an array of interesting items.
Weapons, medals, uniforms, photographs and even personal memorabilia tell a story of the militia, volunteers, experience of individual soldiers and plenty more.
These past events include the surviving Roubaix Drum, buried in France at Dunkirk and retrieved safely after D-Day, and the Imperial German flag that was taken down from the German Governor's Building in Togoland in August 1914, which was almost certainly the first to be captured during The Great War.
Center Parcs Elveden Forest
A potentially rogue pick on this list, as Centre Parcs Elveden Forest is renowned for its numerous outdoor activities in the heart of rural Suffolk, about a 15 minute drive from Thetford and Mildenhall.
However, if you spend a weekend or a day at the nature-surrounded venue there is still lots to do indoors. The water park, called the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, is an absolute showstopper with a wave pool, wild water rapids, private cabana’s and more.
If it does stop raining, then you have the choice to go outside and enjoy an endless amount of sports, activities and new experiences as well.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral
If you’re in Bury St Edmunds, it’s cold or wet outside, and you haven’t been to St Edmundsbury Cathedral, then it should become a top priority for you.
The building has roots all the way back to the 11th century and has undergone a lot of changes since then and only actually become a cathedral in 1914.
With the addition of the Millennium Tower in 2005, the place has been restored and developed to make it the brilliant building it is today, with tours regularly available to explore its ancient past. You can then take just a five minute walk to Moyse's Hall Museum afterwards which also holds an important place in the town.
East Anglia Museum
If you’re travelling to Lowestoft or happen to be in the area, look no further than the only museum in East Anglia where you can ride on working trams, trolley buses and narrow gauge railway.
Formed in 1965, the East Anglia Transport Museum shows off examples of trams, trolleybuses, vintage cars, taxis and motor buses from various parts of England. There are exhibition halls, period street scenes and a cafeteria serving hot and cold snacks as well as a souvenir shop.
While it is a tourist attraction, there is also emphasis on it playing an educational role too, so it makes for a great visit for the family.
The National Horseracing Museum
Now moving over to the other side of the county, it is Newmarket’s National Horseracing Museum, which is a five acre site in the heart of the town.
Voted Suffolk museum of the year in 2017, the site is made up of three complementary attractions. The National Horseracing Museum in the Trainer’s House and King’s Yard Galleries, the Packard Galleries of British Sporting Art in Palace House, and the chance to meet former racehorses in the flagship home of Retraining of Racehorses.
An on site restaurant called The Tack Room and a bakery are both accessible to members of the public too.
Ickworth House
Ickworth House is a Georgian Italianate country house surrounded by a rolling landscape, miles of parkland and working farmland.
Located in Ickworth, the Rotunda forms the centrepiece of the estate. An architectural marvel that was commissioned by the 4th Earl of Bristol to house his priceless treasures collected on tours around Europe in the 18th century.
You can follow the Hervey family's history through outstanding portraits, as well as enjoy the exquisite craftmanship on show and experience 1930s domestic service in the restored servants' basement.
The Regal Cinema
There’s sometimes no better feeling than getting out of the rain and the cold to sit down, relax, and watch a great movie.
The Regal in Stowmarket is a top candidate for this. Loved by the local community, it is an independent three auditorium cinema with a new cafe bar as well.
With a host of great films coming out in 2023, it would be a perfect place to spend a couple of hours on a rainy day.
Christchurch Mansion
A beautiful Tudor mansion with over 500 years of history - sounds pretty good right?
Founded in the 12th century and suppressed by King Henry VIII, Ipswich’s Christchurch Mansion is built on the site of the Holy Trinity Priory.
Take the opportunity to wander through the period rooms from the Tudor kitchen to the Georgian saloon and the detailed Victorian wing. You can also admire the fine collection of art from Suffolk artists including the biggest collection of Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable paintings outside of London.
Kentwell Hall
Rounding off this list, is another Tudor-related spot in Suffolk, this time in Long Melford.
One of the finest moated Tudor houses in the country, Kentwell Hall is a timeless manor house set in acres of family-friendly gardens and parkland. It is a building that has undergone lots of renovation over the last 50 years to make it the place it is today.
Have a walk through the house and admire the classical elements, mixed with the owners' personal style. Pay attention to the tudor portraits, interesting artefacts and historic tapestries and definitely make sure you pay a visit to the Moat House which has an interesting past.
Which of these places will you visit this year on a rainy day?
