Rachel's Guide to Newcastle and Beyond!
February 18, 2019 in Days Out 1
*AD (features places we have previously visited with gifted tickets)
One of the many benefits of living in Newcastle is that there is no shortage of fun things to do and my family often choose to come here for holidays! I have so many plans for days out this year, the list of attractions I plan to visit when my niece and nephew come to stay is as long as my arm.
However, due to rather unpredictable weather I’ve narrowed the list down to indoor attractions in the city centre for their next flying visit. Here are my top ten picks…
Jack and Emily first enjoyed the Great North Museum when they were just toddlers (look how tiny they were)! They loved it just much last time they visited during the Great Exhibition of the North! It’s definitely on the list for 2019 too; There’s always something fun to enjoy, from the Planetarium to the Living Planet gallery. I can’t wait to see Dippy the Dinosaur when he arrives here in May!
Who doesn’t love a bit of crazy golf? Mr Mulligan’s is an awesome venue bursting with colour and quirkiness. The unique space themed golf course is full of surprises and there’s a large family restaurant too!
It’s easy to forget about Eldon Leisure, tucked away on the top floor of intu Eldon Square shopping centre. A lot of people think it’s just a gym (part of the ‘Better’ group) but it’s so much more than that! There’s eight lanes for ten pin bowling, Vertigo clip and climb with 19 climbing towers and Jungle Jack’s soft play, plus two new cafes.
www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/newcastle
I love an Escape Room, they are such a laugh, brilliant fun for both adults and kids. Never Give Up is the best one I have ever experienced (and I’ve been to quite a few across the country)! You can read my full review HERE but it’s got even bigger and better since I last visited… Never give Up now has an additional maze which is even more difficult to escape from. So, as well as trying to navigate King Tut’s tomb you can explore Dr Fitzakerley’s Dungeon, if you dare!
www.nevergiveupnewcastle.co.uk/
Families who love to play, invent and learn about the proud history of Tyneside will find lots to love at the Discovery Museum. It’s a popular choice with lots of my friends who are parents as there’s lots of space for little ones to explore freely. The museum is free to enjoy but for a small cost there are often extra workshops and events to experience, from circus skills to sing-along movies. Have a look at the events section on the website to see what’s coming up.
This ’boutique bowling’ centre in Newcastle has been a huge hit since in launched it 2013. It was one of the first local attractions I ever blogged about (you can read the post HERE) and I’ve enjoyed many visits since! As well as an authentic American bowling experience you can try out ping-pong, mini-golf, pool and kareoke. It’s a fab place that will even please those hard to impress older kids!
Another popular choice with my niece and nephew, the Life Science Centre is a wonderful place to visit for a family day out at any time of year, especially if you have aspiring scientists in your clan! Exhibitions change frequently so there’s always something new to discover, from aliens to robots and even ice skating! Your ticket includes a whole host of experiences from live theatre to their famous 4D motion ride. Check out the website to see what’s on offer at the moment and read about one of my previous visits HERE.
This huge, indoor trampoline park is another innovative facility from the ‘Better’ leisure group, this one is at the Centre for Sport on the West Road (about 10 minutes on the bus from Westgate Road in the heart of the city). The facilities are excellent with loads of space for kids to practice their back flips and balancing skills!
www.extreme.better.org.uk/newcastle/trampoline-park
Situated in the heart of the city, this welcoming art gallery hosts an array of prestigious paintings of great cultural importance. OK, I know that doesn’t sound particularly kid friendly but there’s also a newly refurbished ‘Laing Playspace’ designed specifically for younger visitors. The area is circus-themed with a den, dress up costumes and lots of lovely books and toys.
Join us next week when #ConstructionKids are with us for February #HalfTerm. There will be lots of #Lego fun and a supersonic racetrack to race your Lego vehicles. Full details at https://t.co/dgjFjbxVcs @NewcastleNE1 pic.twitter.com/DXp7igVc5G
— The Gate Newcastle (@gd_timesTheGate) February 13, 2019
You may well have visited The Gate on a drunken night out but by day it’s one of Newcastle’s top family friendly venues. The Gate offers a great range of family-orientated deals in its restaurants plus there’s ‘Cineworld Movies for Juniors’ with tickets from £2.50, The Ctrl Pad (The North East’s only gaming lounge) and there’s a new escape room too. Plus there are regular free events and creative play sessions in the school holidays. Check out the website for details.
www.thegatenewcastle.co.uk/kids-club
[…] month I wrote a post all about my favourite indoor attractions because during February 2018 many of us were struggling with snowy conditions. Then a couple of […]