Where’s a nice quaint place to take mrs zip for her birthday? It needs to have a nice pub for me. So area and accommodation recommendations please.

Southwold, Aldburgh, Woodbridge-all sleepy seaside towns which should have a few good pubs. Can be a bit too laid back for some though. Southwold has the Adnams Brewery in town.
That part of the coast is a bit like the land that time forgot!

Southwold’s a nice quaint old seaside town. Nice brewery too. Not stayed overnight though.

Edit: great minds….

Southwold? Nah, Walberswick over the way.

Walberswick is a lot quieter than Southwold, but both are quiet. Woodbridge is a bit more lively but it’s not as nice (and I say that as a native of the place).

Lavenham is a possibility, that’s quite quaint, but I reckon Southwold or Aldeburgh are your best bets. Maybe Thorpness. No, scratch that. Aldeburgh has more pubs than Thorpness.

Southwold! All nice though. Snape maltings.

Or take the bikes to Thetford…

There’s Tunstall forest which is good, just down the road from Southwold.

Mrs BJ & I stayed near Dunwich. The Ship pub is lovely as and the Westleton Crown is quite classy too. I think the place might be getting a bit like Rock in Cornwall tho – full of weekenders from Hamstead.

We camped and did a bit of riding round the lanes and paths visiting Southwold. A great couple of days.

I really enjoy Bury St Edmunds which is lucky as I stay there a lot with work. It is a real gem of a town that few people seem to know about. It is pretty handy for Thetford but I’m guessing you won’t be pulling that one off.

The Chantry Hotel is pretty good for accommodation or the Angel Hotel depending on budget, you are in town so you can walk to pubs & restaurants. The One Bull is a good mix for food and drink.

We were very taken by Bury too when we stopped on the way back. It’s a place I would like to see more of.

3rd Bury St Edmunds, lovely town, lovely gardens, just really lovely really. :0)

another for dunwich, nice fish and chip on the beach. southwold is nice but you do have sizewell b to look at (quich head scratch, can you see it from dunwich as well?!)

Orford for the win. Shingle Street, Woodbridge and Snape all close by. Tunstall is rideable from there. Hollesley Bay for the horses and on to Sutton Hoo. Jolly Sailors, Kings Head and (for the minted) The Crow and Castle (Ruth Watson runs this one).

Orford seconded, but don’t tell anyone else.
http://thejollysailor.net/

Haverhill. You won’t forget it.. 😉

Can I be picky and ask for a sea view as well?

Skip Woodbridge. River’s nice but towns nowhere near as nice as it was twenty years ago.

Walberswick, Southwold and Orford all better reccomendations.

Nice circular bike ride round Alton Water and hire there too iirc.

Cycle in Rendlesham or Tunstall forests. Tea and cake at Snape Maltings (craft shops if you like that sort of thing).

Dunwich or Aldeburgh for fish and chips by the sea.

Minsmere if you are a twitcher.

Sorry forgot Friday Street farm shop.

To drink you should have:
Aspall if you like Cider
Adnams if you like brown beer
Adnams Broadside for strong tasty brown beer.
If you want lager stop at Essex