Given how busy seaside destinations like Cornwall and Newcastle have become, it’s time to consider new places for a coastal getaway. Places like Southwold, which is a gem to be discovered on your next campervan holiday.
Southwold is a great fishing destination, both on the piers and at the countless ponds scattered across campsites in Southwold. The delightful pier rivals Brighton and yet is more peaceful and easy to explore. There are countless distilleries, museums, walking routes, beaches and sights to fill up your holiday in Southwold.
Southwold is also renowned for hosting Latitude Festival, an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park. It’s considered to be one of the best music festivals in Europe and another great excuse to visit this gorgeous region.
Here are our six favourite motorhome sites in or near Southwold, with truly something for everything on the list!
1. Best eco site
Wild camping isn’t always an option, so sometimes you’re looking for the next best thing. When it comes to the top eco campsites near Southwold, you can’t find better than Green Haven Camping. This quiet, family-friendly campsite is set out as a wildlife garden rather than a formally laid out site. This allows people to choose their own pitches and ensures it remains relaxing and secluded. Pitches are on long grass and feature natural hedging and plants to create hidden habitats for guests and wildlife alike.
Green Haven Camping strives to sustainable, using harvested rainwater to flush toilets and solar panels to power the electricity. There are extensive recycling and composting facilities to encourage all guests to produce as little landfill waste as possible.
Nothing beats starting your morning here, with fresh local produce available for breakfast, including eggs, apple juice and milk. If you’re looking for a more hearty dinner, a friendly pub is just up the road and ready to serve you a Sunday roast.
Green Haven Camping also stands out amongst the many Southwold camping sites in the personal attention you receive from staff, where feedback is not only welcomed but encouraged.
Price: from £16 per night
Location: The Street, Rumburgh, Halesworth IP19 0NL, United Kingdom
52.380297, 1.454679
2. Best for the whole holiday park experience
When you are travelling by motorhome, camping doesn’t always have to be a rural and simple experience, as shown by the trend of glamping. If you’re looking for a more luxurious trip with everything cared for, then Kessingland Beach Holiday Park is the Southwold motorhome site for you!
This seaside family park is a mere 15-minute drive from Lowestoft and just north of the Benacre National Nature Reserve. But with the amount to do onsite, it’s unlikely that you’ll be willing to leave this incredible holiday park!
Guests at this seaside campsite have access to excellent sports and watersports facilities, allowing you to work away any pent up energy from weeks behind a desk. Make use of your open-air pool, indoor pool (with a waterslide!) and bubbling hot tub.
Kids will adore your stay at Kessingland Beach Holiday Park and beg to go camping in Southwold again. There is an under-11s kids club featuring activities to please the sportiest, artiest and smartest little adults. The site also features an undercover play area as well as an outdoor adventure playground, which even features a zip wire for those who dare.
The whole family is likely to be tired at the end of the day, and so you can make use of the on-site Boathouse bar and restaurant and eat back all the energy you worked off! But if you’re looking for something a little more lowkey, perhaps something to enjoy under the awning of your campervan or right there on the beach, you can head to their chippy and other takeaway options.
Price: from £11 per night
Location: Beach Rd, Kessingland, Lowestoft NR33 7RW, United Kingdom
52.405398, 1.725314
3. Best for fishing
The area is renowned for fishing, so choosing just one of the campsites in Southwold as the best for fishing is difficult. But this decision is rendered easier once you consider Field Farm Fisheries.
This family-run farm is small and yet boasts an impressive six coarse fishing ponds. It describes itself as being “stuffed to the gills with coarse fish”, and so we can’t think of anywhere better to cast your line! Their onsite shop offers an extensive selection of bait and tackle maggots. The angling covers all ages and ability levels, so both the beginner and the pro will enjoy fishing at Field Farm Fisheries.
Aside from fishing, this farm campsite is ideal for walking, as it features easy access to numerous nearby routes. Sunny days can begin with a coffee by your campervan and then continue at the nearby seasides of Southwold, Walberswick, Halesworth and Beccles - all of which are a short drive away.
Price: from £13 per night
Location: Guildhall Ln, Wrentham, Beccles NR34 7HP, United Kingdom
52.381022, 1.651595
4. Best for getting back to the basics
If you’re aiming for a simple camping experience, but in the comfort of your campervan, then it is easy to see which of the many motorhomes sites in Southwold is the right fit for you. When it comes to Sunnyside Campsite, everything is perfect yet straightforward. This small, secluded farm considers itself to be “back to the basics”, and is a 10-minute drive from Halesworth and a 20-minute drive from Southwold.
It features a nature pond, and pitches are surrounded by ash trees and hawthorn bushes. There is a kids play area on-site, and you’ll find the toilets and water points in a renovated old stable! Firepits are available for hire on-site, as well as logs and charcoal. And if you’re here on a Thursday, be sure to check out the visiting van that sells fresh local seafood, a delicious way to explore the local area!
Sunnyside Campsite is also ideal for cyclists, who can easily pedal their way onto the National Cycle Route 1 that passes at the end of the lane.
This campsite is also a few minutes walking distance from a community pub and village play area. If you’re looking for more, you can be in Halesworth within ten minutes of driving, where you’ll find cafes, restaurants and a larger supermarket.
Price: from £20 per night
Location: Wangford Rd, Cox Common, Halesworth IP19 8RH, United Kingdom
52.382207, 1.531417
5. Best for spotting wildlife
You don’t have to be a kid to get excited by the prospect of spotting wildlife, and at Paradise Barn Camping and Caravanning, seeing a furry neighbour is almost guaranteed. This peaceful Southwold camping site is removed from the noise of traffic and human interference, making it the perfect getaway for humans and wildlife. So, don’t be surprised to spot rabbits, deer, pheasants or even the resident barn owl.
This 14-acre campsite offers spacious pitches for your motorhome, complete with picnic tables and barbecues across the site. It is surrounded by a network of rural roads, perfect for a leisurely stroll or bike road. You could even take the ten-mile journey to Flixton or Bungay without ever spotting the main road, the perfect challenge for a sunny day.
If you’re looking to do a spot of fishing, you won’t have to go further than next door, which has a large lake filled with trout. You can also take a trip on the campsite’s sea fishing boat and embark from Lowestoft, which is twenty miles away.
Price: from £18 per night
Location: Wissett Rd, Chediston, Halesworth IP19 0AY, United Kingdom
52.351675, 1.463592
6. Best for adult only groups
Sometimes, you’re travelling with only adults, and you’d actually prefer to stay somewhere without children. That’s okay; that’s completely understandable! In these cases, it really is better that you follow your wishes and go to an adult-only campsite. When it comes to the best adult-only Southwold camping site, we’ve got to tips our hat to Brick Kiln Campsite.
This peaceful, adults-only site is a 15-minute drive from Framlingham and 20 minutes from Aldburgh, ensuring the calm and quiet you’re looking for. It’s one of the few dog-friendly campsites in Southwold, and the various walking routes will allow you to try a different one each day for your dog walk.
Each pitch features a firepit, so roasted marshmallows are always an option! If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, you can hire a barbecue on site. There is a small honesty shop, but if you wish to avoid cooking altogether, you can walk the ten minutes to the nearest pub.
This rural site is also only five minutes from a golf course, so consider spending an afternoon on the greens. Keep in mind that this campsite is not set up for electric pitches, so it’s ideal for those looking to escape the bustle of daily life and social media. However, there are plugs available for charging your phone.
Price: from £26 per night
Location: Campsea Ashe, Woodbridge IP13 0QL, United Kingdom
52.158787, 1.394019
With these great campsites in and near Southwold, it will be hard to tear yourself away and explore the gorgeous region of Southwold. But we definitely recommend that you do, as the sandy beaches of Southwold will encourage you to forget all of your worries and feel at peace. With the atmosphere of a thriving market town, Southwold has something for every traveller, young and old, family and single alike.
If you’re struggling to choose out of these great Southwold motorhome sites, have no fear! Most people who visit Southwold for camping love it so much that they quickly return again, giving you the opportunity to try a different Southwold camping site.
Looking for more of the best campervan campsites in the UK? Check out our extensive list! Or head over to nearby Thetford for a few nights.
