Lowestoft guide

Enjoy fantastic food, grab a drink and take in the sea views at Lowestoft’s latest good times spot. Brilliantly redesigned within a stunning Victoriana-style glass pavilion overlooking the sea, East Point Pavilion offers everything from drinks and dinner to live music, yoga, film screenings and markets.

The venue is fully accessible and is home to 1 disabled toilet and 1 Changing Places space, as well as separate Men’s and Women’s toilets. These are public toilets, and so you don’t need to buy anything in order to use them.

For those outdoor and active types why not book a horse ride along the beach with Pakefield Riding School! One of the oldest and best-known horse riding centres and stables in East Anglia.

Situated close to the countryside and Pakefield beach, in Lowestoft, the Riding School offers a wide range of activities to novices, experienced and advanced equestrian enthusiasts, including lessons for all abilities and any age from two years upwards, hacks and beach rides.

The gateway to the Broads National Park, Oulton Broad offers year-round water sports, cute cafes, riverside restaurants and bars and an Edwardian Park; Nicholas Everitt Park.

Explore the river yourself by taking out a self drive boat from Oulton Dayboats.

A unique feature of the town, The Scores are a series of narrow lanes created over the years by people forming paths in the cliff as they travelled between the historic High Street and the Beach Village. Spend an hour or two walking The Scores trail to understand Lowestoft's history and it's long relationship with the sea. Every year in September, hoards of runners assemble in the historic high street for the annual Scores Race. The 4.75 mile race runs up and down the historic scores, with a total of 401 steps and passageways!

Whilst here, you can also enjoy a walk through the Sparrows Nest Gardens and check out the Lowestoft Maritime Museum to learn about the town's long history with the sea.

With some of the UK's rarest birds being spotted on Pakefield beach, and Oulton Broad the start of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, Lowestoft and the surrounding area is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and those who enjoy exploring the great outdoors.

In the neighbouring village of Carlton Colville, you will also find Carlton and Oulton Marshes; a Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve. Here you can spot Marsh Harrier, Bearded Tits and Snipes.

Awarded a Seaside Award in 2023, Lowestoft beach is a favourite amongst families and is said to have been the inspiration for Benjamin Britten's first masterpiece. With wide golden sands, beach huts, a pier and toilet and shower facilities its perfect for swimming and paddling, building sandcastles and enjoying a walk along the prom.

With two wide, sandy stretches either side of the Claremont Pier, this beach is ideal for families, sea swimmers, paddle boarders and windsurfers.

To find out more and plan your visit to Lowestoft Beach, check out our Lowestoft Beach Guide.

Lowestoft beach is now more accessible, with a boardwalk that provides year-round access on to the beach for people with disabilities, particularly wheelchair users, Changing Places facilities at East Point Pavilion, accessible beach huts and and beach wheelchairs available to hire. The wheelchairs are free to hire and have large pneumatic wheels which just can be used to help you access the sandy beach and shoreline at Lowestoft South Beach. Booking in advance required, to enquire about availability and arrange to hire, contact the Beach Office on lowestoft.beach@eastsuffolk.gov.uk or calling 01502 586167.

Please note that you must be able to transfer yourself from your usual wheelchair onto a beach wheelchair as we do not have a hoist available. The chairs are supplied with a chest strap but do not have a head support. The maximum weight is 25 stone (350 lbs / 158kg). Children should be at least 3' (92cm) tall to fit in the chair.

Check out AccessAble's detailed access guides to Suffolk and work out if a place is going to be accessible to you.

The access guides cover multiple locations and venues across Suffolk, including places to stay, attractions, places to eat, stations, shops, trails and more. 

The access guides are 100% facts, figures and photographs, checked by AccessAble's trained surveyors in person, people who know everyone's accessibility needs are different and understand how important it is for information to be detailed and accurate.

Free WiFi is available within the town's WiFi zone, making it easy for you to get online during your visit.

See maps of where it is available in eleven East Suffolk towns, as well as instructions on how to access the free WiFi here.