Days out Newcastle

[noenergy]

Going to Newcastle for a week over Easter. Looking for inspiration of where to take the kids as haven't been since I was a child and that's when we used to visit Metroland and Whitley Bay.

Anywhere up to an hour away.

Centre for Life, Beamish, Whitley Bay Lighthouse is always good (or anywhere along that part of coast - Tynemouthnis beautiful), Pets Corner in Jesmond Dene or Kirkley Hall Zoo in Ponteland :)

P.s. unsure if you're aware but metroland isn't there now x

How old are the kids?

Museum of the North (formerly the Hancock Museum); Discovery Museum; Laing Art Gallery; the Baltic; trip to Durham on the train; Adventurelands play farm; various castles in Northumberland (easiest if you have a car); plenty of National Trust places if you're a member.

Good point Jumbo! My list is probably geared towards under 10s.

Jimbo, sorry.

I second the Baltic!

Metroland doesn't exist anymore. It's a cinema and restaurant area so if you're wanting a meal and a film 😁

Centre for life (interactive science museum)
Discovery museum (free)
Hancock museum (free - called great North museum now but I refuse to change)
Segedunum, vindolanda, arbeia (various roman forts/museums)
Seven stories (children's book museum v. Nice also next to a small city farm)
Blue Reef aquarium
St. Mary's light house
Alnwick Castle/gardens (often have harry potter stuff on)
Obviously various castles and stately homes (bambrough, cragside, Wallington etc etc)
Whitehouse Farm
Kirkly Hall zoo

I know in going to hit post and remember something else...

Beamish!

Ah yes, I got the Hancock's new name wrong.

Seven stories (centre for children's books,) White House farm in Morpeth, walk along the quayside and stop off for lunch, see a show at the Theatre Royal.

Beamish, great day out I recommend the gingerbread from the bakery.
St Mary's Lighthouse has great rock pools and just down the road is Seaton Deleval Hall which is national trust.

Free stuff:

Newcastle castle
The Baltic art gallery
Discovery Museum
Beaches - there are now a LOT of nice places to eat at the Coast too. Go when the ride is our and you can spend a lot of time mooching around the rock pools
Bolam Lake
Laing Art Gallery
Hancock Museum
Great North Museum

Paid stuff:
The Sage (obviously check events listings, they often have kid workshops etc)
Seven Stories
Wet n Wild/Waves/other swimming pool etc
Beamish - also around Beamish there is a Go Ape / Falconry centre
Whitley Bay ice rink
Mini golf - Tynemouth
Alnwick - Barter Books/Alnwick Castle and/or Garden
Just on the very edge of your prepared travel distance - boat trip to Farne Islands

Ride is our?

Tide is out. One day I will learn to proof read.

Depends on the age of your kids, my 3 year old loved
Kirkley Hall Zoo
The aquarium and beach at Tynemouth
Running around at Northumberlandia
Chesters Roman Fort

Gibside (NT) apparently has a great playground but we haven't been there yet, Beamish is also next on our list

Kids r 4,5 and 8.

Thanks for the suggestions, will look into them, didn't think there was much there, that's why I asked on here.

Only found out metro land is not there anymore.

Is South Shields worth going to for rides.
An essential for my kids is a water park or theme park if we go anywhere.
And Diggerland?

Mumsnet is great for info.

Wet n Wild is a water park. There is also a swimming pool called "Waves" at Whitley bay so you could do that and the lighthouse in one day :)

Digger land is at Langley Park near Durham, it’s not far from Newcastle. Wet n Wild would be your waterpark.

Wet n wild is a bit grim actually. Your dc would probably enjoy it but it's overcrowded, horrendously noisy, not the cleanest and there are ALWAYS slides out of action.

If you’re thinking about the red bus tour, check that there aren’t major roadworks in the centre. We crawled through Newcastle the last time we did it (DS’s favourite thing in the world 🙄) and it was breathtakingly cold.

Just looked up wet n wild n although the slides look great the changing areas look grim and dirty.

Anyone been recently?

I've literally never been. My dh took ds a few years ago and he said it was grim.

It had a refurbishment a few years ago and it’s much better than it was.

I wouldn't bother with DiggerLand, it's way over priced.

Beamish is amazing, my kids absolutely love it. Buy your ticket online in advance to beat the huge queue!

I went to wet n wild last year, the kids loved it and I just closed my eyes in the changing rooms and accepted it for what it is. Everyone has made all the suggestions I would have although I’m mildly offended you thought there was nothing to do up here. It’s the greatest place in the world! South Shields is canny although an absolute money pit and there’s the little train to go for a ride on.