Felixstowe Things to Do

Maybe if the weather is inclement, then a visit to the Museum may be a good idea.

The Museum is housed in 1878 Submarine Mining building at Landguard Point.

There are12 exhibition rooms which include RAF Felixstowe and aircraft development , HMS Beehive and Coastal forces, Roman and medieval Felixstowe, The pleasure steamer era, local, social and military history of Felixstowe, and Submarine Mining history.

There are extensive collections of model aircraft, ships, tanks, photographs and local maps.

Opening hours are 13.00 - 17.30.

Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays,
Easter - end of October.Wednesdays from June - end September.

Admission Adults £1.00 hildren 50p. Under 5's Free.

There are many walks in and around Felixstowe, along the promenade, cliffs, at Landguard Nature Reserve, around the golf course, The Grove and along the Rivers Deben, Stour and Orwell. Various walking maps and suggested routes are available at the Tourist Information Centre, 91 Undercliff Road West, Felixstowe IP11 2AF (01394)276770

The first ship called at Felixstowe Dock in 1886. Now the Port of Felixstowe is the UK's largest container port and one of the busiest in Europe. As well as playing a nationally important strategic role, it is also a major local employer. Over 2,500 people are directly employed at the Port, with thousands more in port-related industries.

The Port's newer Trinity Terminal has 26 quayside cranes and spans over 2 km. along one of Europe's longest continuous quays. The a maximum depth of 15 metres alongside, Trinity Terminal is able to accommodate the latest generation of large container ships. The Port's Landguard Terminal came into operation in July 1967 as the first deep-water facility for container ships serving the UK.

Plans are underway to modernise Landguard Terminal and bring it up to the standard of Trinity Terminal.

The The John Bradfield Viewing Area adjoining Landguard Terminal was provided by the Port in 1992 and has become one of the most popular places for local people and visitors alike along the Suffolk Coast

The Fort, owned by English Heritage, has a very interesting history and dates back to the 16th Century.

The guns of Landguard Fort have guarded the entrance to the Rivers Orwell and Stour from attack since the 16th Century.

It is the site of the last invasion of England where the Dutch were repelled by the garrison in July 1667.

It is open 7 days a week between April and October, with audio-guided tours

An annexe to the Fort houses the FelixstoweMuseumand the later batteries are in the occupation of the Landguard Conservation Trust.The Victorian left battery has recently been excavated.

For more information, dates of events, times of opening etc., and an indepth write up of the Fort, please visit the website.

If it is raining and you want something to do, why not try the Palace Cinema in the town centre.

Programme details are available from the Tourist Information Centre on the seafront

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There are numerous attractions for the children down by the Leisure Centre/Pier end of the promenade.

There is a small trainride Wild West Style, the boating lake, (at time of writing 2006 £3. per boat up to two people).

Charles Mannings Amusement Park is open at weekends and school holidays from Easter until the end of September, and features indoor mini golf, a mini bowling alley as well as a junion outdoor theme park.

What caught my eye was the Fire Department game with water cannon. It is the first one like this I have seen. 50p. a go. picture shown here

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It's a-shame that this place is only open for a few days during the summer. Felixstowe fotr was origonally built in 1540 to stop the Dutch invasion and has had parts added to it up until the second world war. When the fort is open for show they usually have a flypast of a few jets. However if you are unfortunate enough to visit on a day it is closed, you can still look around the nature reserve where there are a few pill boxes that you can go in (beware they stink!) and you can get a close look at the ships as the arrive and depart from the port.