When we visited the Norfolk Broads we came across this park in Oulton Broad near Lowestoft. It is a…read morelarge park that fronts the broads and is a great place to sit and watch the world go by. When we were there there was sailing going on and lots of Broads boats going up and down. There is a large children's play area which was very well equipped. There is a bandstand and during the summer concerts are held on Sundays. There are toilet facilities and there is a cafe. There is a lock at one end which opens to let boats com from the sea to the Broads and if you are lucky enough to be when that happens it is very interesting. There is a pub, The Wherry just outside the park which is great for an evening drink.

A fantastic park for adults and children, with a lovely play park, lots of lush grass to burn…read moreenergy on. A bandstand for music lovers. Buy some nuts and feed the many squirrels which bound about the park and if your lucky they feed from your hand .

Located 15 mins from Norwich in Poringland is the Playbarn. Young children will relish the delights…read moreof this place which has activities indoors and out. Some of the outdoor activities are only open Easter to October such as the small farm, pony rides and tractor trailer rides and maze. Other than that it is open most of the year but not on Mondays, or Saturdays when it has private parties. Indoors there is a small soft play area, with a separate area nearby for babies, the 'duck' pond (ball pit) area, a sandpit in the barn, and a book corner. There are also outdoor play areas when the weather's fine. The only problem I find when we go is that it can be hard to keep an eye on both children at once if they want to do different things because it's not altogether under one roof. Fantastic for little ones though - worth a visit!

fantastic day out for kids of all ages. lots of indoors and…read moreoutdoor activities to do - including ride on's, climbing, sandpits, maze and petting area.There's a great indoor soft plays area for the really small ones, and a cafe for tired parents. they do birthday parties too, where you can either mingle with the others or hire out the entire place - the rates are really reasonable considering what you get. Its a shame that there's no public transport links really, as you have to drive to get there. other than that, its fantastic.

Recently taken over and refurbished…read more Good quality equipment, and excellent prices which are affordable to everyone. Very popular with all ages, from young to old. Classes are also held by professionals in the evening, inc spinning, etc The squash courts could be spruced up a little, a paint, etc. Its nice to see it being used, and so busy.

I love taking a stroll round Waterloo Park as there is so much to see. I particularly enjoy it in…read morethe spring and summer when the flowers are in full bloom as it has the most stunning herbaceous border. It is so well maintained and its sheer length is impressive. There are lots of recreational activities too such as tennis, bowling and a putting green. My children love coming here too and will spend ages in the playground or sandpits and in the summer the paddling pool is open which is very popular. We have also attended the Kidz Zone summer events here which keep the children happy and occupied for hours!

Very nice gym, friendly staff. I used the outdoor track. It…read morewas very nice. They have a great looking climbing wall and a nice cafe. The locker rooms could be updated.

There seems to be quite a few negative reviews for the Sportspark, which surprises me somewhat as…read moreit's probably the best sports centre I've used. I was a regular user of the gym, on a £30 per month Gold Membership, which entitled me to use whenever I wanted it. I mainly use the running machines, of which there are 10-12, as well as cross trainers (same again) and rowing machines. I found I could get in after work and get on a machine mostly as soon as I arrived, which isn't too shoddy considering it's a well used gym. I also liked to use the weights machines, which if you chose tactically could provide a good workout. Sure, it gets busy, but compared to some London gyms I've been to where I've paid £40+ per month, it's positively breezy. As well as the gym, the Sportspark has a fantastic climbing wall, two 25m (or sometimes 1 50m) swimming pools, indoor games areas for badminton etc, a martial arts and dance studio, an amazing gymnastics facility, an outdoor athletics area and outdoor games area, squash courts and a neat little cafe/bar. Prices are good if you're a member and they often run introduction courses to activities which are particularly good value. There's also the popular free circuit training on a Monday and Tuesday lunchtime which is a fantastic little workout! I've used quite the place quite a bit, having used the gym and pool regularly, as well as going on squash and climbing courses (as well as subsequently using these facilities independently), done Taekwondo with the Saracens club, played badminton with friends, done athletics with the Circuit training people and I'm currently doing a gymnastics course at their new gymnasium (!). I've found the staff are courteous and eager to help, the wet and dry locker rooms have been clean every time I've used them and in general I've grown to love the place. I'm sorry that some people have had bad experiences, but in terms of value for money and facilities available, the Sportspark is amazing and I love that it's just a short cycle from my home.

If you have children up to the age of about eight I can bet that Pettitts will hit the spot for…read morethem! There are animals and fun rides such as the Flying Elephants (not real of course!), Spinning Teacups, a Pirate Ship, Merry-go-round, a mini roller-coaster, car and train rides, bouncy castle, crazy golf etc etc Our kids, aged 3 and 5 absolutely love it! It's their favourite place to go for a day out. There are a few animals to see, not loads but they do add another dimension. They usually have a petting session in the afternoon and our children have enjoyed bottle-feeding a calf and little goats, and handling a baby tortoise, lizard, snakes and ferrets as well as the more obvious choices like guinea pigs and rabbits. They also have shows in the theatre with Bubbly Bingo the Clown. May not be everyone's cup of tea but the kids are certainly entertained! Entry price is very reasonable and if you go at the beginning of the summer season then you can go again as many times as you like for the rest of the season and get in for half price (just hang on to your receipt!). After October half-term they are only open for weekends until Christmas but of course you do get to see the red-suited man himself and his reindeers! The best thing of all about Pettitts though is that there are virtually never any queues for the rides. You may have to wait five minutes in high season but that is all. Quite often my children have got off a ride, run round to the start and gone straight on again! Fantastic!

This is a great place for all the family from toddlers to the older members of the family. It is…read moreeasy to spend the whole day here and there is so much to do. There is a fair ground, a petting zoo, as well as a good selection of animals to look at. The price is very good considering how much there is to do here.

Riverside Swimming Centre is a no frills leisure centre but it is perfectly adequate and has been…read morethe place we have taken our children to for the last few years. There are two pools, a main pool and a teaching/childrens pool which is slightly warmer than the main pool and has a few steps leading down into it. They often have fun floats and woggles on the side for public use. My children loved us taking them here for a swim around and now that they are more confident in the water they have just started having lessons by themselves. They are in a group of no more than eight children and the lesson is taken by two instructors. They really look forward to this every week as the lessons are made quite fun and yet they are making good progress. You can watch them from the viewing area on the other side of the glass too. The only negative is that the changing rooms are quite cramped. There are a couple of family changing rooms if you can get one. These have got a shower in them and baby changing facilities, but the floor sometimes looks as if it could do with a bit of a clean. All in all though a reasonable pool.

Pensthorpe is a Waterfowl Park about five minutes out of Fakenham on the way to Norwich. It's a…read moregreat place to go with parents/grandparents in the warmer months (a bit cold and windy during winter) so have a walk and spot birds. They have lots of different types and it's nice to see many of them in such nice surroundings. There is also a café there and a rather nice gift shop. Sometimes they also have exhibitions on, it may be photography or wood turning. The staff have always been friendly when I've been there . It isn't that cheap though, so maybe just a destination for a special treat!