Driftwood apartment - a place to escape to!
There’s something so incredibly soothing about being near the coast. It’s a place our family really unwinds and slows down. For our family, it’s where we slow down, reset, and reconnect. The boys have always felt at home by the sea, and when we discovered Driftwood, we knew we had found our sanctuary - a place to return to time and time again for those much-needed moments of escape.
Nestled in the heart of Wells-next-the-Sea, Driftwood offers the perfect base to explore the charm and beauty of North Norfolk. We have stayed here as a couple as well as a family of 4 and we can’t recommend this more as the perfect bolthole to unwind after a day exploring what this wonderful town has to offer!
You won’t be far away at all from the bustling town centre (around a ten min walk, if that!) where you will discover the most charming, independent cafes and stores in Norfolk. Wells Deli is a firm favourite with us! Situated just on The Quay, you are treated to the best view along with what we can vouch for is one of the best breakfasts Wells has to offer! As well as cakes and treats to take with you down to the beach!
There are some beautiful stores to browse - favourites of ours being ‘Simply Norfolk’ (a clothing, gifts and home furnishing shop) and ‘Ele and Me’ (a children’s store with beautiful toys and gifts!)
Staithe Street is the main high street where you’ll find more including Norfolk Natural Living and Glitter & Mud.
A relaxing addition to your Wells staycation could be a booking with ‘Sauna Next The Sea’ – a wood-fired horse box sauna with the most stunning views of the salt marsh and harbour! Relax and take in the views with a cup of coffee from ‘Flo & Joe’!
Another place we have heard so much about is ‘Flour’ – a dog friendly pizza restaurant (walk in only) serving ‘affordable pizzas made from honest ingredients and fresh handmaid dough!’) Who will visit here before me? The race is on!
You can’t visit the coast without having fish and chips! There’s probably a law somewhere! Plattens or French’s are the two on the Quay and honestly, we love both!
We can’t not mention The Globe Inn as well. Nestled beside a charming, tree-lined Georgian square (plenty of room for the children to run around before dinner is ready!), this place really has the friendliest team and delicious menu! The roast dinners are brilliant!
Crabbing – be sure to grab a line and bucket and don’t miss out on catching a few crabs along the harbour! The boys love doing this! Such a ‘seaside tradition’!
Cycling – We have rented bikes from ‘Wells Bike Hire’ and enjoyed the various routes mapped out along the coastal path. We’ve also started at Holkham and biked to and from Wells! Prices range from each hire station but typically you’ll pay around £22 for a full day hire (Holkham even let you take the bikes off the grounds to enjoy the local area!)
Boat Tours - Discover the beauty on the water with Wells Harbour Tours! Their trips allow you to explore the sights and sounds of Wells Harbour, its beach and Salt Marsh. Most trips last approx an hour!
Beach Huts – An absolute game changer for us (especially when the boys were really young) was hiring a beach hut from ‘Happy Huts’. There are so many wonderfully unique huts to choose from and to have a base on the beach where you can keep all of your items safe, make a cup of tea, change a nappy easily or just enjoy the scenery from a cosy spot! All huts are fully equipped with a range of outdoor chairs, tables, windbreaks and indoor seating -guaranteed to enhance your visit to the coast come rain or shine!
Remember, as fantastic as Wells-Next-The-Sea is, you’re not far away from other beautiful spots like Stiffkey, Burnham Market, Brancaster & Thornham. It’s worth jumping in the car for another 15 mins or so and do some coastal town hopping!
And when you return to Driftwood, you can sink into their ridiculously comfortable sofa - the kind that hugs you back. In fact, we loved it so much that we shamelessly interrogated Adele about where she got it, then immediately bought the exact same one the moment we got home. No regrets. True story!
Interested in staying? You can view and book the property below.
