NE England Christmas - where?

[ChristmasLightsAndSparkles]

We're planning to spend a few days somewhere in the North East just before Christmas and then visit family in Newcastle. We're pretty open to where to stay within an hour or so drive of Newcastle, and we'll be driving up from the SE.

We have a 10yo DD. Could anyone suggest fun places to visit and stay? Especially anything special for Christmas time. Not so much Santa visits, but Christmassy/winter/lights things. We live quite far away so I don't know what's well-known and good!

Durham or York will be your best bets as both just off the A1. No idea about christmassy things. Alternatively half an hours drive further on is Whitely Bay and Tynemouth. Lights in the Spanish city dome, sealift centre, fish and chips, a blustery beach walk etc

Somewhere along the Tyne valley would be nice.
Christmas shopping in all the boutiques in Corbridge, Wind in the Willows is on in the theatre in Hexham, and you could visit Wallington or Belsay for day trips (both stunning at Christmas time), country walks and cosy pub lunches galore.

Beamish is lovely at Christmas - trip to Fenwick in Newcastle to see the windows too

York is stunning at Christmas they have -
Xmas market
York chocolate story
York winter wonderland with Santa, ice skating etc

Alnwick castle www.alnwickgarden.com/christmas-visits-2022/

Alnwick Garden and Gibside (National Trust) both do fantastic light trails at Christmas. Wallington (also National Trust) is lovely at Christmas too. You can go ice skating in Newcastle too and, as a PP mentioned, Fenwick's Window is lovely.

It depends what you like to do.

Northumberland and NE is nice if you like castles, beaches, being outdoors, long walks, big skies, all weathers but may be too cold and blustery weather wise if your from the South. You could visit a different beach every day. Bamburgh, Alnmouth, Dunstanburgh, Druridge Bay, Beadnell. Castles Bamburgh, Alnwick or ruined castle Dunstanburgh.

Durham and York are both nice too.

Brilliant - thank you so much for the suggestions. This is exactly what I was looking for: pretty places like Corbridge, where the good light trails are, theatre.

I didn't know any of those places!

Which of the light trails would you suggest if we were only going to do one? Chatsworth on the way (staying over one night on the way up), Stockeld Park, Alnwick Garden or Gibside?

We visited York a couple of years ago, so I'd discounted it - but it looks really great for Christmas so maybe we should go back. More into general Christmas atmospheric than shopping.

We do like the outdoors when the weather is good - but yes, I'm afraid we're a bit soft for blustery winter beaches! If we were lucky enough to get snow that would be different

Theatre and carols would be great. Will look at Hexham. Anywhere else that's known for kids theatre, dance or music? We're seeing a panto down here, so probably not panto.

Beamish museum looks great. That's right up our street.

Science museums are always a hit, especially hand-on and experiments. Magna outside Sheffield looks cool, but might be shut for winter. We've been to a few planetariums, but haven't yet done actual star gazing: is that possible anywhere in that area, given the lower light pollution?

Thanks again everyone! If you need tips for Surrey, just ask

We visit York and Beamish every Christmas. Both are lovely and Christmassy. Make sure you get some beamish gingerbread from the bakery if you visit.

Durham is lovely, they have a Lumiere lights festival every other year, typically this is the year it's not on, but worth looking out for in the future.

If you've only got a few days - I would stay closer to Newcastle and in the North East (Sheffield is a good two hour drive away).

Science museum - the best one in the north east is the life centre. Really hands on and loads to do. The discovery is also great (and free). The great north museum is a natural history museum (all in newcastle).

Pretty Christmas lights: Gibside, Wallington and Beamish are all stunning this time of year. Take your pick - they're all beautiful! Beamish really is excellent but book soon as it gets fully booked (and get there early - you can spend the whole day there and not see it all).

Family productions - wind in the willows isn't a pantomime but a family play with a brilliant cast. Worth seeing. Lots to see and do in hexham while you're there (the abbey, hadrians wall, the famous tree!). Lunch at the Beaumont or afternoon tea at Langley castle.

There a loads of family things in newcastle and Durham - it depends if you want to be in cities or not.

Enjoy!

If you can get booked then another vote for Beamish. Our Tyneside borough's schools aren't breaking up until 23rd so if you're up the week before you may get lucky with things not being as busy. The Life science centre usually has ice skating outside too if that's your thing but could be full of school trips.
Durham would have more of a Christmas vibe than Newcastle centre I think. York would be better but it does get absolutely rammed particularly around the shambles.
I haven't been to Alnwick Castle at Christmas but it's a fab destination in its own right.

And star gazing - if you want to go proper North then Kielder is a dark skies centre and there's an observatory that you can book to visit.