North East England Attractions

Bamburgh, Northumberland

A privately owned medieval castle on a coastal outcrop, with exhibits spanning 3,000 years of the site's history.

Alnwick, Northumberland

A large inhabited medieval castle, seat of the Duke of Northumberland and a Harry Potter filming location.

Durham, County Durham

An 11th–12th century Norman cathedral and UNESCO World Heritage Site, seat of the Bishop of Durham.

Beamish, near Stanley, County Durham

An open-air living-history museum reconstructing Northern English life across different eras using relocated buildings.

Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

A 20-metre steel sculpture of an angel by Antony Gormley, standing beside the A1 since 1998.

Holy Island, Northumberland

A small 16th-century fort converted into an Edwardian holiday home, on a tidal island reachable only at low tide.

Seahouses, Northumberland

Long-established boat operator running wildlife cruises to the Farne Islands, home to grey seals and puffin colonies.

Near Hexham, Northumberland

The most complete surviving Roman fort in Britain, sited on Hadrian's Wall.

Forest-in-Teesdale, County Durham

A 21-metre waterfall on the River Tees, in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Newcastle upon Tyne city centre

A Norman stone castle keep on the site of the original Roman fort Pons Aelius, plus the medieval Black Gate.

Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne

A natural history and world cultures museum with a Hadrian's Wall model, Egyptian mummies and a planetarium.

Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne

A science centre with hands-on exhibits, live shows, and the North of England's largest planetarium.

Gateshead Quays, Gateshead

The UK's largest dedicated contemporary art institution, housed in a converted flour mill on the south bank of the Tyne.

Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne

The UK's only museum wholly devoted to British children's literature, in a converted Victorian mill.

Tynemouth, North Tyneside

Ruins of a medieval priory fortified with castle walls and a 14th-century gatehouse on Tynemouth headland.

Palace Green, Durham

An 11th-century Norman castle, part of the Durham World Heritage Site, viewable only by guided tour.

Flatts Farm, Bishop Auckland

A large-scale outdoor live-action show and day park depicting 2,000 years of British history, performed by a volunteer cast.

Bishop Auckland

A former Bishop of Durham's palace with nearly 1,000 years of history, reopened in 2019 after major restoration.

Alnwick, Northumberland

A large contemporary garden featuring the Grand Cascade, Poison Garden and Bamboo Labyrinth, distinct from nearby Alnwick Castle.

Rothbury, Northumberland

A Victorian country house, the first in the world lit by hydro-electric power, set in extensive gardens and woodland.

Shildon, County Durham

A branch of the National Railway Museum housing a large collection of historic railway vehicles.