They call it Sunny Hunny (Hunstanton)

Member Name: poet831

Product:	Hunstanton
Date:	30/04/09 (160 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bustling in Summer, usual seaside place stuff

Disadvantages: Very little nightlife

Hunstanton, situated on the Wash and almost directly North of London on the map, by about 80 miles, is one of Norfolk's better known seaside resorts. Having reached it's heyday in the Victorian era, and during the time when steam ruled the railways, it is still a popular spot for those who like to spend their holidays on the Norfolk coast. During the Summer, it's streets and beaches are packed with hoards of people, locals from the county who drive in or come by coach, as well as those who come to stay at the caravan parks and guest houses.

Much has been done in recent years to try to preserve the Victorian look of the area from the beach towards the lighthouse at Old Hunstanton - iron railings and period looking streetlamps - and the area has been used as a backdrop for a variety of period tales given life by the silver or tv screen. Sadly, it's pier is long gone, washed away in a severe storm in the early 1970's.

Being a tourist centre, much of the entertainment is with visitors in mind. The fairground is small but much loved, and although it has lost its gypsy fortune teller, there are enough rides to keep guests happy. The Oasis Centre is the Swimming Pool and Gym, always very popular as they have a café in there too. Close by, along the Prom, where the old boating lake used to be a couple of decades ago, there is the SeaLife Aquarium. They do a lot of marine rescue stuff from there, and have a selection of ocean creatures on show. Near their entrance, you can pay to go out on an amphibious vehicle to Seal Island, which takes you right out into the midst of the seals playground. Neat to see. There is also a thriving souvenir shop. And how many other beaches still have donkey and pony rides? Hunstanton does.
Souvenir shops - Hunstanton is full of them - and they are a mainstay of the local economy. You can find all the usual goodies, from rock with Hunstanton printed through the centre, to postcards of all sorts, sea-shell ornaments and sand bottles, to tee-shirts and posters. Opposite The Golden Lion hotel, is a unique little gemstone store selling an array of natural and polished stones and crystals as well as pewter ornaments, and jewellery.

Food is plentiful, even aside from the traditional fish and chip shops. There is a Chinese restaurant and plenty of home-style cooking too. Unfortunately, since the Kit Kat hotel closed and later burned down, the town has lacked a night club or anything resembling a youngish dance type atmosphere. Most of the entertainment available, other than the pub, is in the amusement arcades, or bingo - although we used to have fun a few years back going to the old time dancing just for something to do. Where do the locals go to party? Kings Lynn, with it's three night clubs and numerous theme bars.
Having said that, The Princess Theatre runs "Search for A Star" heats all through the Summer, and has a varied programme of shows and concerts throughout the year. They get quite a few bands in there - names from the sixties seem most popular along with Country and Western artistes. And at Christmas, they do pantomimes - we took our grandkids to see "Puss in Boots" and their faces were a picture (first time, they were 4 and 2). Oh, and the Radio One Roadshow hits The Green in Hunstanton every Summer usually bringing some young pop star with it - you can't see the grass for the bodies that day!

If you're there and planning on a self catering holiday, there is a Budgens and a Woollies, and the High Street boasts newsagents, bakeries, a butcher and greengrocers so you can still stock up and eat reasonably cheaply. Again, most of the locals go into Kings Lynn to shop though (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Iceland etc are all there).
Using Hunstanton as a base for a holiday, there is plenty of places within visiting distance. Kings Lynn is about 16 miles away, Thursford Steam Museum about 25. Walsingham, site of various pilgrimages from the Middle Ages to present day, is also 25-30 miles away, and Castle Rising -a real Norman castle - is about 13. So if you get fed up with sun, sand and sea, you can take a break and see some other interesting places.

Summary: They call it Sunny Hunny