Car rental in Ipswich

Compare & Save on car rental in Ipswich

Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk, located on the estuary of the River Orwell, and one of the UK’s oldest towns. Ipswich can claim a number of famous residents and visitors, including the painter Thomas Gainsborough, Charles Dickens, who set a scene in The Pickwick Papers in Ipswich, and Nelson, appointed High Steward of the town. The Tolly Cobbold brewery is one of the finest Victorian breweries in England, and a very much more recent building – the glass-clad Willis Building, designed by Norman Foster, has the distinction of being the youngest Grade 1 listed structure in the UK. The town is home to many artists, and has a number of thriving galleries, as well as an annual arts festival. The docklands area which was badly damaged during the Second World War has been extensively redeveloped and now forms an attractive part of the town, with a university campus and theatre, and the town still has a thriving port, with a daily ferry service to Rotterdam. Ipswich has good road and rail connections to London, and the nearest airport (London Stansted) is a 50-mile drive. Ipswich is the gateway to the historic towns of Suffolk, the Norfolk Broads, and Aldeburgh, the world renowned home of the composer Benjamin Britten. Visitors to the town will need a car to get around, and there are choices of car rental in Ipswich itself or from Stansted airport. Find the best deals right here at GoCarRental.com.

What to Do in Ipswich

Ipswich Waterfront will provide the visitor with many hours of happy browsing, watching the historic Thames barges sailing down the river, enjoying the many great eating places on the waterfront (don’t forget to try the oysters!), and a number of tours offered on historic vessels. Ipswich Museum provides an excellent experience both for the amateur historian and for children, with lots of interactive displays and the fascinating story of the historic town. Ipswich Transport Museum has every kind of vehicle, from a police car to trolleybuses, and lots of opportunities for kids to play on the buses.

Top 3 Must See: Ipswich

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  Ipswich Waterfront

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  Ipswich Museum

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  Christchurch Mansion - historic mansion with Constable and Gainsborough paintings

The much admired New Wolsey Theatre has an extensive programme of shows appealing to every age group, and the Mall Galleries and Ipswich Art School Gallery have exhibitions of contemporary art and sculpture. For anyone interested in music, Aldeburgh is essential to include on a visit programme from Ipswich, and the towns of Saxmundham, Bury St Edmunds and Lavenham have a wealth of history and beautiful churches to explore.

Drive Around Ipswich

Driving to Ipswich from London, the direct route is to take junction 28, the A12 off the M25 orbital motorway. From Stansted Airport take the A120 which joins the main A12 to Ipswich at Colchester. If you are driving in Ipswich itself you would probably be wise to ask for a satnav with your car rental, as the town is quite spread out along the river, so it can be easy for the visitor to lose themselves. The A14 is a busy but useful north/south route, and will take you to Bury St Edmunhds and Thetford Forest Park.