Top 5 Best Great Yarmouth Amusements

Great Yarmouth has a huge selection of amusements and entertainment centres. For a day-tripper, travelling by train or car is straightforward, there are plenty of parking options at the seafront or the walk from the train station is an enjoyable stroll through the town centre down to Marine Parade.

If approaching the seafront from the town centre, most visitors walk down the famous Regents Road, which is a great starting point for a day of fun and excitement. Here you will find bargain shops, casino slots venues and even a Wetherspoons. Even before reaching beach, there is a huge range of attractions and food options for all ages. 

In the wider local area and within reach of Great Yarmouth are Gorleston, Hopton and Hemsby. Just a short car journey away, here you can also find more exciting amusement arcade options to keep the family entertained.

Great Yarmouth Marine Parade

Starting at the beach end of Regent Road, there is a huge range of amusement arcades and entertainment venues all the way south - down to the famous Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach. It is very walkable for adults, or if one has small children, then why not take a ride on the Great Yarmouth train, which runs along its own dedicated path free from traffic (and safe for younger passengers). 

Between Britannia Pier and the Pleasure Beach, there are more than ten amusement arcades including the Wellington Pier and Grosvenor Casino. With such a wide range of fun venues to explore, there will no doubt be lots of favourite arcade games and machines with photos taken of the enjoyment shared by all. 

Top 5 Best Great Yarmouth Amusements

Here we have listed the top picks using our ‘venue verdict’ rating system to ensure we are providing the most accurate and balanced information for lovers of amusement arcades and also the wider family. 

So if tickets for prizes are your thing or if you're more into winning plush toys from the claw machine, our 'Venue Verdict' ratings covers all types of games. 

The ratings can be found at the bottom of each amusement arcade venue listing. We award venue performance out of five stars in the following categories: Family Fun, Atmosphere, Tickets for Prizes, Fruit Machines and Casino Gaming. So go ahead and check out the venues and their full venue verdict review ratings on the links below. 

5) Gold Rush Amusements Arcade

Gold Rush is a large amusements venue with a great range of games, machines and ticket prizes. The casino gaming area is large, and they have a great balance of ticket machines for the family. They also have a good range of classic arcade machines, including air hockey, motorbike racing games and a dance machine. 

4) Caesars Palace Amusements Arcade

A wide-open venue with a huge range of arcade classic and modern coin pushers and ticket machines. The selection of machines here is really great for families, and they also have an internal connection to the extended arcade at the rear of the prize bingo hall next door. 

3) Circus Circus / Flamingo / Golden Nugget Amusements Arcades

While these amusements are separate on the outside, they are open plan on the inside and the tickets for redemption are valid across all three venues. Whilst we have reviewed each venue separately, it is clear to us that this row of arcades counts as one of the best individual amusements venues in Great Yarmouth.

2) Leisureland Amusements Arcade

Leisureland Amusements was recently reviewed on YouTube by the US-based Plush Time Wins channel, praising this venue. AmusementArcades.com agrees that this is amongst the best amusements in Great Yarmouth. The venue is conveniently split into two sections, with one side having large modern ticket machines and the other a well-balanced range of coin pushers and classic arcade staples. 

1) Wellington Pier Amusements Arcade

In terms of having everything under one roof, it is hard to beat the Wellington Pier. It has a huge range of the latest and greatest machines and is a well-balanced family entertainment centre. Ideal for both summer and winter, they have toilets, bowlingo, ten-pin bowling and a bar and food options all available. Even on busy days, the venue has high ceilings, so one doesn’t really feel crowded. They keep everything very clean and new and have super high standards.

Day or night?

If one has enjoyed a daytime visit in the past, then why not plan a night-time excursion in the autumn or winter? Getting darker early is beneficial in this case as the whole family can experience the magical feeling of the seaside lights, dazzling arcade machines and fountain displays in all their glory (at a time that suits the younger ones' bedtimes). 

Perfect for Summer and Winter

In the summer heat, the layout of Great Yarmouth is really helpful as so many of the great venues on offer are inside or have joint access so you can avoid the blistering sun when it is at its strongest. Then the same goes for the not-so-good weather days with rain and wind very much avoidable as you hop from venue to venue or hang around to avoid the worst of a downpour. 

Though it is always best to call ahead or message to ensure a particular venue is open in low season, one will find that a decent percentage of places will still be open right up until Christmas. Visiting in the off-season also has huge benefits in the fact that it will be half as busy as the summer months and your favourite games and machines will not have big queues. Visiting during summer holidays can be manic, and for those who brave autumn and winter, a more peaceful day-out with a hot chocolate shall be your prize. 

Seaside Resort Verdict

The Great Yarmouth town centre has suffered from negative press in recent years, though it should be known that this certainly is not a reflection of the magic that can be found on the seafront. There has been a huge amount of investment in the seafront in recent years, including the redevelopment of the Marina Centre, the building of the (third) Herring Bridge and also the complete renovation of the Venetian waterways, which are truly stunning. 

With work just getting underway to recommission the Winter Gardens (which is the large glass venue next to the Wellington Pier) and also plans to update the heritage-listed Great Yarmouth Gas Holder, this seaside resort has a solid roadmap and is going from strength to strength.

There is a huge range of accommodation options to suit all budgets, including caravans and cabins, traditional seaside hotels and also a Premier Inn right on the beach. With so much on offer, Great Yarmouth really is hard to beat in terms of quality and value for a day trip or extended weekend or week away, even in winter!