We don’t often staycation—our travels usually take us far beyond UK borders—but there’s one place in Norfolk so special, we’ve returned twice.
Tucked away on a 1000-acre working farm near King’s Lynn, Great Barn Farm is a luxury barn escape that blends rustic charm with design-led interiors, a heated indoor pool, and nature-inspired adventures for kids. It’s the kind of place where wildflower meadows meet considered styling, and family downtime feels effortlessly elevated.
From here, Norfolk unfolds in every direction: seal-spotting boat trips, windmill bakeries, epic playgrounds, cosy pubs, and the wide-open beauty of the Broads and beaches are an easy drive away.
Each visit reveals something new—and deepens our love for this quietly magical corner of England.
The Accommodation
The accommodation at Great Barn Farm consists of 5 beautiful converted farm buildings that sleep between 2 and 16 people. The exteriors honour the original buildings but the interiors are pure comfort and style – think modern rustic design with a farmyard twist.
During our most recent stay we were guests of The Stables, which has 2 en-suite bedrooms, a huge living and dining area, a separate kitchen and private garden with BBQ and outdoor dining. We immediately felt welcome here, not least because we were greeted with a homemade lemon drizzle cake on the table.
Once we tore ourselves away from the cake it was clear to see this is a staycation with very considered designed. The barns were renovated in collaboration with The Modern House and styled beautifully by Alma + Midori, who curated a collection of antique furniture and artisan throws that soften the exposed brick and beams of the old stables. Artwork adds a global feel while retro signage injects humour.
But for all its interior design credentials what makes staying here extra special is the connection to the surroundings. Huge windows frame the rural views, including cows in the neighbouring pasture, and the shelves are filled with books and pamphlets on local trails and wildlife, gently encouraging you to get out and explore further.
Activities
Miles was the first guest to try out the new Farm Discovery activity pack created by Great Barn Farm that included an activity sheet, magnifying glass and petri dish. He was totally engrossed every morning and loved studying, learning about and drawing all the creatures he spotted on the farm.
We also attempted a walk around some of the neighbouring fields but there was a freak heatwave during our stay in June so we didn’t get too far.
What we made lots of use of though was the indoor heated swimming pool with steam room and jacuzzi. The pool is also found in a converted barn and features a beautiful beamed roof and floor to ceiling glass windows. It’s immaculately clean and very relaxing as each guest is given their own timeslot during which they can enjoy it privately.
Things to do in the local area
There is so much to do in this part of Norfolk. You have the likes of Castle Acre Priory, Duration Brewing, The Sandringham Estate, country walks and cosy pubs on the doorstep but you’re also an easy drive from the beautiful Norfolk beaches thanks to quiet backroads.
Great Barn Farm actually provide an excellent digital guide to the local area so it’s easy to plan your days here, but a couple of highlights we personally recommend for families are:
Pensthorpe Natural Park – a 700-acre wildlife haven in North Norfolk, blending enchanting gardens, rich biodiversity, and immersive play areas for a full day of nature-inspired adventure.
BeWILDerwood – a whimsical woodland adventure park in Norfolk, where storytelling, treehouses, zip wires, and curious creatures come together to spark imaginative play in a magical forest setting.
The Ffolkes – a family friendly pub with adventure playground close to Sandringham.
Sandringham Royal Parkland – has a huge woodland themed playground that’s free to access plus nature trails and orienteering challenges.
Bircham Windmill – you can climb to the top of a historic Norfolk windmill at this quirky interactive museum with a delicious bakery and tea room.
Temple Seal Trips – in June we took one of these family-run boat tours from Morston Quay on the North Norfolk coast and loved the insightful commentary and close-up views of Common and Grey seals basking on Blakeney Point.
Holme Dunes Nature Reserve – recommended by Great Barn Farm, we loved discovering this huge, lesser-known beach, which offers affordable parking and quiet coastal walks. Nearby at Holme-next-the-Sea you have the historic White Horse restaurant, which not only does amazing pub grub but recently opened an artisan bakery that does the best bread, brunch and pastries.
Wells-next-the-Sea – an iconic Norfolk beach known for its colourful beach huts. We appreciated the convenient beachfront cafe serving sourdough pizza and soft serve ice cream (stop here before attempting the long walk to the sea!) and also spotted a seal splashing in the shallows.
More great beaches in this area we love are Holkam (check out the charming Burnham Market on route) and Brancaster.
I hope that gives you a good idea of why Norfolk is our favourite place for a family staycation.
Click here to book Great Barn Farm and check out my Instagram highlights for more details.
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