It was summer 2012. I was driving my little old Renault Clio, the one with the leaky sunroof. For reasons I cannot remember, my mum and I decided it would be a good idea to go away together. Just the three of us. We found this cheap and cheerful holiday park on the East coast, a short drive away from Great Yarmouth.

Now I had driven to Devon before on holiday. However, Great Yarmouth was new to me. Would it work out driving over 6 hours with my mum and Olivia, who was 6 at the time? Well, the drive went smoothly, and the holiday was brilliant.

We had the sun, a beachfront location, and we quickly fell in love with Great Yarmouth. So much so we returned the following year with the whole family. Sadly this time, we didn’t have the weather as is the way in the Great British summer.

As of yet, we haven’t managed to get back to one of my favourite places in the UK. But I hope I can again soon. But if you are planning an October half term Great Yarmouth trip, or you want to find fun things to do with the kids if you live in and around Great Yarmouth, then we have some great suggestions.

October Half Term Great Yarmouth Fun 2021

The October 2021 half term fun in Great Yarmouth starts on 22nd October. If you aren’t local, there are many different options for accommodation, including;

Clippesby Hall

Within the Broads, on the northeastern edge of Greater Yarmouth, Clippesby Hall provides award-winning camping and touring facilities. A week’s stay for four camping on a woodland all-weather pitch with individual water and drainage costs from £277.50 arriving 22nd October, and a four-night visit for a family of four prices from £150.00 arriving 25^th October. (www.clippesbyhall.com, 01493 367800)

Haven

Alternatively, a four-night “stay+play” break for a family of up to eight at Haven Seashore in a Prestige Caravan costs £838.10 and a four-night “stay+play” for four at Haven Caister-on-Sea in a Standard Caravan costs from £479, both arriving on 25^th October. (www.haven.com, 0333 202 5250)

Parkdean

For those seeking a seaside holiday and a countryside break rolled into one, Parkdean Resort’s Breydon Water is the ideal option. Breydon Water has a week’s stay in a caravan sleeping up to six, arriving 22 October from £599. There is a four-night stay for up to six in a caravan arriving on 25^th October from £349 – other dates and options are available. www.parkdean.co.uk Tel: 0330 1234850.

What To Do in Great Yarmouth October Half Term 2021.

Fairground Frights at Great Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach

Great Yarmouth’s famous Pleasure Beach is bringing back its award-winning Halloween event, Fairground Frights, for 2021. The event, which launched last year, scooped a European award for best scare entertainment at the annual ScareCON awards. The new ‘Fairground Frights’ experience will run from 5 to 8 pm from Wednesday 27^th October to Sunday 31^st October 2021. There will be five nights of fearsome entertainment featuring ghoulishly costumed actors, spooky surprises, scares and projections.

Each of the attraction’s 25 fun-filled rides, from the Sky Drop to Fun Factory and the roller coaster to a Haunted House and the log flume and the Snails and Fairy Tales ride, will feature in the special Halloween nights.  The event costs £19.50 per person for unlimited access to all rides and attractions (height restrictions apply) for three hours and is suitable for ages 10 and over. The park will also be open for daytime fun from 23 October to 31 October from 12-4 pm, with tickets costing £13.50 per person.  www.pleasure-beach.co.uk

New Fire on the Water Festival

Perfectly timed for October Half Term Great Yarmouth, from 21 October to 6 November  (excluding 1 and 2 November), Great Yarmouth’s new Fire on the Water event is set to impress, as the seaside resort’s Venetian Waterways are transformed into an immersive night show trial experience. The event takes visitors on a 60-minute entertaining walking journey that weaves dramatic outdoor dance and acrobatic performances, hypnotic water projections, light installations and a night-time fire show. Accessible for wheelchairs and buggies, tickets cost £6 for up to six people. www.outtherearts.org.uk/fire-on-the-water

Halloween Spooktacular at the Hippodrome Great Yarmouth

Hosted by Jack Jay and the hilarious Johnny Mac, The Hippodrome Circus Halloween Spooktacular is always a monster hit. Audiences will be kept on the edge of their seats with a packed line-up of fantastic acrobatics, daring stunts, aerialists and hilarious comedy all set against a spooky backdrop. Every year is a brand new adventure for Jack and Johnny. this October dive into a fantasy-themed setting with incredible lighting and special effects culminating in a spooky party. And the audience is encouraged to come in Halloween costumes.

The Hippodrome’s Spooktacular runs from 22^nd to 31^st October and is another fun October half term Great Yarmouth event costing £21 per adult and £13 per child.  https://www.hippodromecircus.co.uk/ or 01493 738877

Pumpkin picking and carving, a Maize Maze and more at Hirsty’s Fun Park

The October half term Great Yarmouth fun continues at this next attraction. Hirsty’s Family Fun Park has enough to keep the family entertained. There is pumpkin picking and carving plus a “Mega Maize Maze” for families to explore and a barrel train, zip wire, hay bale mountain and crazy croquet.

Hirsty’s fun park is open from 10 am to 4 pm from 23 October to 31 October. Daytime tickets are £8.50 per adult and £10.50 for children aged 3-16.

View rare animals in Thrigby Hall’s landscaped grounds near Great Yarmouth

The landscaped grounds of Thrigby Hall feature a remarkable collection of rare animals from Asia. You can see a pair of Sumatran tigers, cute Red pandas, a couple of snow leopards, Meerkats, enormous crocodiles, noisy gibbons and Otters. The Thrigby Hall Conservation Fund supports a range of conservation projects both locally and worldwide.

The park is wheelchair and pushchair friendly and offers free parking and picnic areas—Adult tickets are £14.50, children aged 4-16 years £10.50 and infants aged three and under are free—Book online at www.thrigbyhall.com 01493 369477.

Do you know of any other October half term Great Yarmouth events to add to this post? Or has it given you October half term inspiration?

(not all images are exact depictions of attractions)