Best days out with small children near Newcastle?

[Bethyo]

Hello,

We are visiting Newcastle next week for a couple of days, as I have an interview in the city centre. We are taking the kids (6 and 2) and making a micro holiday out of it

I have researched things to do in the area. We are keen on historical sites such as castles and stately homes, but most of them seem to be closed during the week at the moment according to the National Trust and English Heritage websites.

Can anyone recommend interesting/fun things we could do? Open to any suggestions - we like both indoor and outdoor activities!

Thanks,

Beth

Beamish. It's fab. It's in county Durham so about 30min drive from newcastle but a brilliant day out.

In the city centre the hancock museum is open everyday and free.

If either of your children are bookish, the Seven Stories museum is terrific.

In the city centre the Great North museum is worth a look. The Laing art gallery has a children's area and kids activities are on a Tuesday morning.

The Centre for Life is amazing but not reopening until February so depends how long you are here.

Also the city farm is next to seven stories so that makes a good day out

The Centre for Life is good, Discovery Museum, you could get the metro along to Tynemouth for the beach/aquarium/priory (not sure about opening hours). Gibside is not too far if you have a car. Get the train to Durham to see the castle and cathedral?

Beamish is excellent (get fish and chips). The museum of the north (Hancock museum) is nice and also free and only takes an hour or so. Centre for life is good. Sometimes there are children’s activities at the Baltic art gallery (also free) and you can watch the millinium bridge go up and down. Jesmond dean is nice for walks and there is ‘pets corner’ and a tiny park.

Thanks everyone who has made suggestions so far! Beamish looks fab

Tynemouth priory is very pretty if you like ruins. It’s next to king Edwards bay (small, sheltered beach) and close to long sands (big beach, 2x sit in fish and chip shops plus public toilets etc.). Loads of parking midweek in the winter or you can go on the metro. A good walk up the coast (few min drive) is st Mary’s lighthouse. You can go in but it’s excellent for rock pooling (van in car park sells nets etc but not sure if he’s always there)

Another vote for Beamish.

Good luck with the interview.

Oops. Just seen how old this is