Has anyone done a boating holiday (Norfolk Broads)?

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Am thinking of this as a break in August, getting a boat on the broads and spending a week on the water! Never looked at this before, so any ideas, recommendations or tips would be useful, especially about how accessible places are (i.e. when we moor, are there plenty of things to do)?
 
Did one years ago, if you like living in a caravan and floating on what feels like a canal then go for it. I love being on or in the water but I was seriously underwhelmed, as I say though it was many many years ago, hopefully it has improved. I wasn't impressed by the onboard shower/toilet and getting pumped out was an experience I don't want to do again. Found the Broads had loads of people/other boats so not the slow paced idyllic escape I was expecting.
I am sure many have enjoyed it, else you wouldn't still be able to hire a boat etc, so take my view with a very large pinch of salt.
 
I have done it, but many years ago when I was ~15 so I can't offer any specific recommendations.

But I do remember it being a great holiday, but very weather dependent I would imagine. Plenty of places to moor up and explore the villages along the way any a lot of pubs around with mooring points at their gardens. Definitely something I would want to do again, but it looks to be a little pricey.
 
I live in the area, there are a lot of people doing it and it can be very busy in some areas during the peak season. Depending on where you go there are things to do but it kind of depends what you want? Bright lights and nightlife are not an option ;)
There is Fairhaven Water Garden, St. Bennet's Abbey, Horsey Wind pump, Strumpshaw Fen, various nature reserves etc. but I suspect you'll mainly be pottering about and relaxing.

You'll find a fair number of pubs near moorings and moorings near pubs. I'm afraid a lot of the pubs on the water, while they're seldom very expensive the food can be very disappointing. You may also find the moorings are full up or loud into the evening. Same goes for the 24hr moorings at the busier locations, they're often packed out by mid afternoon which leaves people motoring on to another less interesting location or dropping anchor in the broad with no way to get into land.
The good food pubs are busy for lunch and dinner on the weekend so worth booking ahead.

Coltishall has a good selection of decent places to eat (Rising Sun, Kings Head, Recruiting Sergeant, Norfolk Meade)
Wroxham is the largest town you're likely to come across unless you loop down around Gt. Yarmouth and back up the Bure to Norwich. My kid goes to school there and there's not a huge amount to do around there bar the steam railway that takes you to Alysham. I'd recommend the Smokehouse at the Station and there's a large Supermarket (Roy's of Wroxham) that is walkable from the water.
Woodforde's Brewery /Fur and Feather pub near Salhouse Broad are worth a visit if you like beer :)
The Ship Inn, South Walsham is excellent and The White Horse in Upton is decent.

If you want to visit Norwich it is possible to moor right in the city centre quite near the Cathedral for an overnight fee. It's probably OK but you are at the bottom of the main drinking drag strip, The Prince of Wales Road so I'd avoid Friday and Saturday night.
Not sure about Yarmouth but it has a reputation of being pretty rough around the edges these days. Check if your hire boat is allowed to go all that way though, the day boats from Acle are not allowed to head toward Gt. Yarmouth.
In general the River Yare looks to be a lot quieter with more private boats than rentals.

If you're not convinced about staying on the boat there is plentiful holiday accommodation to rent and it's a good area for cycling and easy to drive about.
You could always rent a day boat in a couple of locations and benefit from mains water and electricity :)

https://www.visitthebroads.co.uk/discover-the-broads/boating/first-time-boaters

Of course being local it's never occurred to me to rent a boat for a holiday, we get day boats. The smaller ones are OK but can be a pig to handle, ironically when we got a full size cruiser on a "picnic day cruise" it was much easier to pilot. The electric ones from Potter Heigham are good, as a chugging diesel does tend to disrupt the tranquillity a bit.
 
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I remember looking into it for a treat for the wife but it's way too expensive as far as Im concerned (the trip and the wife :) )

I was looking at canal boats proper, but I guess that cruisers will likely be cheaper than those? Just did a quick google and £430 upwards for 4 nights on a cruiser, £550 ish for a proper barge. Thats 2 people only.
 
Have done Broads and Canal, also owned a cabin cruiser that was moored up at St Pancras Lock.
Broads crazy busy, double and treble mooring outside pubs in the evening.
Canals less busy, but unless there a few of you it can be hard graft on the longer flights of locks.
Some of the other rivers have electrically operated locks, Gt Ouse for instance and Nene too I believe
 
I’ve just bought a little narrowboat and last month my partner and I managed to get it from the Ashby canal (nr Hinckley) to its 'home' mooring on the River Avon at Tewkesbury.

In the process we covered about 90 miles and 120 or so locks, including those going in and out of Birmingham. It’s been quite an adventure and we’re planning another trip soon.

The boat is 30’ and built in 1976 although most things have been renewed over the years. Here’s the boat in Birmingham city centre.
FE0313EB-5E6F-4FA6-B2AD-E4C781559DAD.jpeg
 
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