10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Great Yarmouth

The Pavilion Theatre is a grand example of an English Edwardian playhouse. The venue is also known as the Gorleston Pavilion because it sits over the mouth of the River Yare, a little to the south of Great Yarmouth proper. It should take around 10 minutes to get there by car from the main resort.

After a dinner at one of Gorleston-on-Sea's hearty fish taverns on Beach Road, make for the spot to enjoy a truly eclectic box office. Events include hip-rocking tribute bands to The Beatles, classic British stand-up comics, pantos at Christmas and even Elvis impersonators. It's a good idea to book ahead for the Pavilion Theatre if you're visiting in summer.

The Britannia Pier has poked out into the North Sea from the Great Yarmouth promenade since the middle of the 1800s. You'll find it extending over the main beach from bustling Regent Road, which should make it a cinch to reach, no matter where you are in town.

In the evening, the vintage Victorian walks of the pier become a hubbub of life. Twirling merry-go-rounds join with carousels and arcade games to offer a little bit of adrenaline-pumping action that's great for the little ones. Others might prefer to book a show at the acclaimed Britannia Pier Theatre. Its auditorium regularly thrums with tribute bands and hosts big-name British comics.

Grosvenor Casino is a modern gaming development that graces the seafront of Great Yarmouth. It's housed in a handsome brick mansion down on Marine Parade. That makes it perhaps the perfect after-dinner stop for adults fresh from the bistros and seafood taverns of the promenade.

As you pass inside, you'll be greeted with all sorts of table games and betting portals. Blackjack, poker dealers, roulette and craps – they all make an appearance. To spice up the gambling, the folk at Grosvenor run regular entertainments, from charity dinners to live music. What's more, closing time is a generous 6 am.

Pamela's is a long-time favourite on the Great Yarmouth dining scene. However, the venue – located in a handsome brick building on the alleyway of Wellington Road – is also much more than just somewhere to grab a bite to eat.

Once the dinner plates have been whisked away, you'll be treated to a medley of Friday-night jazz shows and cocktail drinking and dancing that goes on late into the evening. You might also want to hang around to sample the desserts. They're some of the most audacious in the resort, involving handmade bonbons, candyfloss fluff, and caramel glaze in all sorts of creative arrangements.

Wellington Pier was built in the 1850s and subsequently redesigned in the 1900s and 2000s. It remains one of the oldest and most recognisable features of the Great Yarmouth seafront, from where it stretches across the sands from Marine Parade to meet the sloshing swells of the North Sea.

By day, Wellington Pier entertains with its mix of concession stands, breakfast joints and souvenir shops. By night, it beckons families with all sorts of activities. There's a 6-lane bowling alley where your crew can go up against the skittles. You'll find videogame arcades and electronic casinos. And with 700 ft of seaside strolling to be done, it's a doozy for loved-up couples to boot.

Arc Cinema sits just a little to the north of the Britannia Pier on Marine Parade. You can easily reach it on foot from most of the main attractions in Great Yarmouth, but there's also parking outside in case you're driving in from further afield.

In total, you've got 5 separate screens to pick from in the modern and cutting-edge film complex. They boast high specs to the tune of 4K projection and 7.1 surround sound, not to mention uber-comfy leather armchairs in every row. The box office touts a mix of kids' films and action flicks, blockbusters and British cinema, so there should be a cool movie to suit each most tastes on those rainy Norfolk nights.

The Hippodrome Circus is the legendary home of ringmaster George Gilbert, who gifted the carnivalesque arena to Great Yarmouth back in 1903. These days, it still offers mind-boggling and magical showtimes from behind its great redbrick façade on St George's Road, only a short walk back from Marine Parade.

The line-up of events includes all sorts of spectaculars that are sure to entertain the whole family. There are Halloween spook fests come October. There are festive plays in December. You could also be lucky enough to attend one of the trademark water shows, which promise laughs and gasps in the unique vintage venue.

Tombstone Brewery & Saloon Bar, just as the name implies, is a beer-making pub with a twist of Wild West attitude. You'll find it on the far western edge of the Great Yarmouth downtown, close to the meanders of the River Yare, often packed out with a crowd of chatting locals and visitors alike.

There's a tempting hodgepodge of in-house beer creations to sample on your after-dinner pub crawl. Amber ales with a heavy hops contingent meet malty British beers on the tap selection, but there's also a whole range of other flavours on the bottle front. Whisky buffs might prefer to while away their time in the saloon, which stocks fine malts and Scotches for that more civilised of nightcaps.

The Gold Rush Amusement Arcade offers a bout of good old British seaside enjoyment. Magnetising families to its spot smack-dab in the middle of the seaside promenade, it's within a 5-minute walk of Britannia Pier and below 10 minutes from Wellington Pier. 

Games of all shapes and sizes await within. Those with leftover energy can spend some joules on the dance competition machines, or go on cosmic shooting adventures on vintage Space Invaders portals. There are also driving simulators next to old-school coin counters and fun claw machines, so you could leave with a cuddly toy you hadn't bargained for.

Kings Wine Bar offers a refined evening of reds and whites and other long drinks. It sits towards the end of King Street, an easy 10-minute walk from both Regent Road and Marine Parade. You'll find it lurking behind a façade of paned windows and elegant mahogany woods, looking every inch the stylish bistro.

Inside, dimly lit alcoves and crevices mix with velveteen curtains and antique candelabras to create a moody noir vibe. Despite the name, it's not just grape-based tipples on the menu. You'll also be able to pick from fine Scotch whiskies, local craft ales, and a whole host of mixed cocktails.