The Best North East Coastal Attractions For a Rainy Day
When the sea mist rolls in, let the fun continue indoors (or a little inland)
Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery
At this award-winning museum, close to Alnwick Castle and The Alnwick Garden, visitors are immersed in 10,000 years of history with a collection of artefacts, documents and photographs and a gallery with changing exhibitions. This year’s big summer exhibition, Childhood Through The Ages, is all about reminiscing as it highlights how childhood experiences have changed over time, including experiences unique to Alnwick, complete with childhood games and a range of activities. Visitors are encouraged to create their own artefact that can be added to the visitor display wall.
14 Bailiffgate, Alnwick NE66 1LX
01665 605847
bailiffgatemuseum.co.uk
Ford & Etal Estates
Home to the Joicey family for more than 100 years, today there are countless attractions to discover at Ford & Etal Estates, just a few miles inland from Holy Island and Bamburgh. Britain’s only Pre-Raphaelite painted schoolroom, a historic working corn mill and castles are just a few of them. This summer don’t miss Etal’s art fairs, a spiced bread workshop at Heatherslaw Corn Mill and their Classic Car Show.
Cornhill-on-Tweed TD12 4TJ
01890 820338
ford-and-etal.co.uk
Alnwick Playhouse
Every day Alnwick Playhouse welcomes hundreds of people through its doors for live performances, cinema screenings, café lunches and drinks in the bar. Its live programme of shows includes drama, dance and live music in all genres. The Playhouse is hosting its first folk weekend from 30th August to 1st September and you won’t want to miss the best cinema screenings including Inside Out 2 (19th July to 1st August). Meanwhile, The Playhouse Gallery (on the first floor) will display work by Róisín Lyst, a 22-year-old self-taught artist from the area.
Bondgate Without, Alnwick NE66 1PQ
01665 660550
alnwickplayhouse.co.uk
Whitley Bay Ice Rink
Whether you think of yourself as the next Torvill or Dean, or simply fancy some fun with your family and friends on the ice, Whitley Bay Ice Rink is a great place to avoid bad weather (although you’ll still want to wrap up!). Anyone of any level and ability is welcome to the public skating sessions here and no pre-booking is required. The ice rink is also home to the Whitley Warriors and offers ice skating lessons – if you fancy taking your skating up a level you can kit yourself out at the Ice Box Shop.
Hillheads Road, Whitley Bay NE25 8HP
0191 291 1000
whitleybayicerink.co.uk
Chillingham Castle
Britain’s most haunted historic castle promises a great (potentially spooky) day out on grey summer days. Just 20 minutes from the seaside, there’s a dungeon, state rooms and a torture chamber to discover – and a popular tearoom when you want to refuel. See the guns, armour and poison blow-pipes in The Armoury, look out for the 300,000-year-old skull of a Wild Bull, and play kings and queens in the Great Hall.
Chillingham, Alnwick NE66 5NJ
01668 215359
chillingham-castle.com
Tynemouth Aquarium
On Longsands beachfront, step inside Tynemouth Aquarium to dive into the ocean whatever the weather. You’ll meet charming sea creatures (from the common clown fish to polka dot stingray and the blacktip reef shark) as well as some of the adorable harbour seals from our coastline. Tynemouth Aquarium has its own seal hospital where they rescue, rehabilitate and (when possible) release the seals back into the ocean.
Grand Parade, Tynemouth NE30 4JF
0191 258 1031
tynemouthaquarium.co.uk
The Word
South Shields’s state-of-the-art cultural venue, The Word, hosts activities for all the family and you can easily spend more than a few hours here. Children will love the Lego exhibition, board games and StoryWorld (an immersive space for storytelling with projections and sound effects). The Word is also home to interactive touch tables, a gaming zone, telescopes and a terrace with views of the River Tyne. Older visitors will enjoy a selection of music performances by talented artists in the rooftop garden throughout summer.
45 Market Place, South Shields NE33 1JF
0191 427 1818
theworduk.org
The Dunes
Step inside the North East's premier family entertainment centre, The Dunes, for barrels of family fun. Think arcade games, bowling, soft play, interactive darts and a sports bar for the grown ups with food and drink to keep you going on less than kind summer days in South Shields. Collect tickets and vouchers to exchange for great prizes in the Prize Shop, drive a TT Superbike or get competitive with air hockey – you can spend hours with your family and friends inside The Dunes.
Sea Road, South Shields NE33 2LD
0191 455 5255
dunesadventureisland.co.uk
North East Land, Sea and Air Museums
On the former RAF Usworth and Sunderland airport site, the North East Land Sea and Air Museum holds 100 years of transport history and a cold war Avro Vulcan B2 Bomber – the first Vulcan to go into a private collection. This summer visitors can look forward to viewing classic cars (28th July) and an RAF day (18th August), and you can learn more during museum heritage open days (7th and 8th September).
Old Washington Road, Sunderland SR5 3HZ
0191 519 0662
nelsam.org.uk
Hartlepool Art Gallery
International, national and regional artists exhibit their work at Hartlepool Art Gallery, which hosts a programme of events throughout the year. Until August, visitors can see work by emerging artists displayed alongside highlights from the British Museum prints and drawings collection, as well as Hartlepool’s own fine art collection, in a new exhibition, Drawing Attention: emerging artists in dialogue. The gallery also runs regular sessions for families to engage with the exhibits along with trails and reading dens.
Church Street, Hartlepool TS24 7EQ
01429 869706
culturehartlepool.com
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens
Home to a collection of the works by LS Lowry (who spent a lot of time in Sunderland) and – arguably the most popular exhibit – Wallace the Lion, Sunderland Museum explores the city’s shipbuilding, coal mining, glass making and pottery heritage across four floors. Take a peek inside the tropical glass rotunda where more than 2,000 plants thrive. The Winter Gardens are also home to the resident Koi Carp and boast a bird’s eye view of Mowbray Park (worth visiting on brighter days).
Burdon Road, Sunderland SR1 1PP
0191 561 2323
sunderlandculture.org.uk
