Felixstowe Peninsula

The ideal place to watch the busy life and big ships of Harwich Haven and the Port of Felixstowe. Find a bench, a spot on the river beach or an Orwell-side seat on the café terrace and simply sit back and enjoy the spectacle of vast colourful cargo ships which dwarf the pilot vessels, ferry and sailboats going about their business. Be sure to bring your binoculars and join in one of the voted top 50 must-do things in Suffolk! Officially known as the John Bradfield Viewing Area, ‘The View Point’ s also the Felixstowe embarkation point for the Haven’s foot and bike ferry service to Harwich and Shotley.

Showcasing a variety of lowland habitats from ancient woodlands, heathlands to mudflats, this riverside nature reserve on the edge of Ipswich by the Orwell Bridge, lies within the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape.  There are four main areas – Piper’s Vale/Elm Hill, Bridge Wood, Braziers Wood/Meadow, Pond Hall farm/ Meadow/ Carr – all ideal for scenic wildlife walks, or accessible on one circular walk. Listen out for skylarks and nightingales, and be sure to bring the binoculars – you might sight a Golden Plover or even a Peregrine falcon!

Created in 1990 from former farmland, the Trimley Marshes 85 acre Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve comprises of grazing marsh and reedbed habitats. Bring your binoculars and follow the trails to view an array of wetland birds from geese to Godwits, or even spot marsh harriers circling over the reeds. The Visitor Centre and row of hides overlook the reservoir, whilst the walk to reach them delivers great views of the River Orwell and the mighty cranes of the Port of Felixstowe. Accessible on foot from Trimley railway station.

A unique, family-friendly, seafront ‘box park’ shopping and dining experience, created from Felixstowe’s own upcycled shipping containers! Located towards the south end of the seafront, close family fun activities and arcades, check out Beach Street for its independent shops and artisan producers, street-food outlets and a distinctly different café and restaurant culture.

Located alongside seafront gardens and Felixstowe’s famous ‘Dripping Pool’, the Spa Pavilion theatre dates from 1909. It offers a varied year-round programme of popular shows and entertainment, including musicals, seasonal pantomimes and live theatre, touring productions and children’s shows, concerts and much more.

Back by popular demand for the 2025 season, the ferris wheel on Felixstowe seafront (aka ‘The View’) is 34.5 metres high with 24 gondolas. Each gondola holds up to 6 people and has clear sides and an open top, delivering amazing views of the resort and surrounding area. An opportunity not to be missed!

Home to wild and precious plants, flowers, birds and wildlife, Landguard Nature Reserve on the southern tip of Felixstowe is a 33-hectare shingle spit, edging both the North Sea and the Orwell estuary. Its rare vegetated shingle habitat supports many fragile botanical species and ground-nesting birds and hosts some significant military archaeology . This designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a wonderful place to enjoy a mindful walk on the wild side whilst also enjoying magnificent views of the Haven and its big ships.

Felixstowe’s award-winning, volunteer-run museum located in the ‘Ravelin Block’ of a rare Victorian Submarine Mining Establishment at Landguard Point. Explore 14 rooms of varied and fascinating displays from military memorabilia and stories about seaplanes to the history of Felixstowe from fishing village to vibrant seaside resort. Look out for themed trails and activity sessions for younger visitors. Don’t miss the accredited museum’s inspiring temporary exhibitions, often showcasing work by local artists.

An awesome fortress, a maze of rooms, tunnels and passageways, engaging exhibits, plus panoramic Harwich Haven views – Landguard Fort has simply so much to explore! Look out for evidence of King Henry VIII’s original fortifications. Learn about a soldier’s life in Napoleonic, WWI and WWII and more recent times. Take a guided, roof top or behind-scenes tour to discover the centuries of drama locked away within the walls of one of England’s best preserved, Grade 1 listed, coastal defences.

The only ferry service connecting Suffolk and Essex, the 58 passenger foot and bicycle ferry operates a regular, daily service between Harwich and Landguard Point, Felixstowe via Shotley Gate. Crossing the River Orwell has to be the best way to experience the Haven, not only to recognise the sheer size of its ports and mega-ships, but to appreciate how the waterway is flanked by historic and military landmarks on both sides. The ferry service is seasonal and operates only in sage conditions. Booking recommended.

The recently restored Napoleonic Martello Tower ‘P’ is the backdrop for this modern seafront park which is a real hit with the little ones and a pleasant, grassy place for a stroll or to sit and watch the world go by. Wide, buggy-friendly paths link the children’s play areas which include a zip wire, climbing play equipment, a sand discovery ‘pool’ and a seasonal ‘splash pad’ water play area. Information boards along the path share the story of Felixstowe’s Martello Tower defences built 1805-1812.

Britain’s newest pier, with a long history is full of fun from arcade entertainment and mini-ten pin bowling to cafés, bars and eateries to enjoy all those ice cream and fish ‘n’ chip favourites and more. The original Felixstowe Pier was a timber-construction built in 1905 as a landing stage for ‘Belle’ paddle-steamers which operated up and down the East Coast. Then one of the longest piers in Britain, it had an electric tramway. This was demolished after the wars, reducing the pier to 136 metres. The Pier as you see it today was completed in 2017.

Eight historic gardens lining Felixstowe’s seafront have earnt the town a reputation as ‘The Garden Resort of East Anglia’. A pump room serving natural spring water and salt-water bathing were key to the original spa resort developing  out of a humble fishing village in Victorian times, but so too were pleasure grounds – places to enjoy a gentle seaside stroll and take the air. Recently restored, many of the Grade II listed gardens are terraced with charming viewpoints, colourful planting, mature trees, shrubs and gentle, accessible paths.