24 Places to Go

from Families Newcastle Gateshead Leaving Lockdown Summer 2020

by Families Magazine

Activities

Family Tour of the UK No holiday? Take your family on a virtual tour of the UK’s most famous places.

Stonehenge Interactive 360º tour + live view from inside the monument.

Roman Baths Virtual ‘walkthrough’ of Bath’s Roman baths.

HOLIDAYS

Edinburgh Castle

Stunning aerial view of the building and city.

Tower of London Interactive 360º tour of the building and grounds.

Giant’s Causeway 360º tour of this spectacular landmark.

Hadrian’s Wall A 360º view of the world’s largest Roman artefact.

Buckingham Palace Tour THE most famous Royal Palace.

The Shard View London from the tallest building in Europe.

Dover Castle 360º tour of the castle on top of the white cliffs.

Places to visit in 2020

We’ve put together this handy map that can be pulled out of the magazine and kept for use all year. We’ve marked plenty of family friendly attractions for you to visit over the course of the year, suitable for all of the family. It can get expensive to visit attractions with the kids all of the time, so we’ve also highlighted some of our favourite parks and playgrounds too. Just look out for the tree icon on the map #freefamilyfun

Of course, we can’t highlight every amazing attraction available in the region, so if you’re looking for more ideas, check out our ‘What’s On’ search facility online www.familiesonline.co.uk – all you have to do is input your postcode and away you go. You can also hear about family friendly events, shows and visitor attractions including offers, deals and competition tickets Pull out and keep map – you can refer to it all year long!

on our Facebook group. If you don’t already LIKE our page, maybe now is the time to do so www.facebook. FRP)DPLOLHV1*0DJ+DSS\IDPLO\IXQWLPHVWKLV\HDU

Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

Classed as one of North East England’s top visitor attractions, The Bowes Museum’s impressive collections, outstanding exhibitions and romantic history invite children on a journey of wonder to educate and entertain. As well as the treasures for grown-ups – which include paintings by artists such as Canaletto DQG7XUQHUVRPHRIWKHEHVW(XURSHDQ¿QHDQGGHFRUDWLYHDUWV in the UK, and an acclaimed exhibition programme – there is much to keep the children amused. Toy displays, family fun days, storytelling, themed activities, children’s workshops and museum trails add to the informative and entertaining experience. A showstopper for adults and children of all ages is the amazing Silver Swan. This life-size 240-year-old musical automaton performs every day to fascinated onlookers.

Hamsterley Forest, Bishop Auckland

Discover our picturesque woodlands which sprawl along the sides of a stunning sheltered valley. Escape the hustle and bustle of the everyday at County Durham’s largest forest. From wildlife watching to stargazing, and adventure play for all the family to exhilarating mountain biking, there is something to keep everyone busy. If you fancy a peaceful wander through the trees, Hamsterley’s extensive network of trails and paths provides the perfect opportunity for you to explore the heart of the forest. There are 4 walking trails, 4 cycling trails, an adventure playground, Gruffalo trail, Shaun the Sheep trail, 2 horse riding trails and a café. Get outdoors into the fresh air and have plenty of family fun at Hamsterley Forest.

Cragside

Discover Cragside: an extraordinary Victorian house, gardens and woodland – the wonder of its age. 'LVFRYHUWKH¿UVWKRXVH in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. One of the largest rock gardens in Europe leads down to the Iron Bridge, which in turn leads to the formal garden. Children will love our adventure play area and exploring Nelly’s labyrinth, a network of paths and tunnels cut out of a vast area of rhododendron forest. Fun family events throughout the year, picnic areas and dog friendly.

Shields Ferry

Seven Stories Taking only 7 minutes to cross the River Tyne, the Shields Ferry is key to Seven Stories is the the the local communities of North and South National Centre for Children’s Tyneside, giving residents and visitors to the Books. There is always lots area the chance to experience life on both sides of the to do – with unique exhibitions, river. Many popular attractions, situated only minutes away engaging storytellers, visiting authors from the ferry, can easily be reached on foot and/or by making and fun activities for all ages. Start your a short interconnecting journey using public transport. Enjoy an visit with a smile with our welcoming and helpful adventurous family day out any time of the year on the ferry – it’s a reception team, who will tell you all about what’s going on in IXQDQGXQLTXHZD\WRWUDYHO'RZQORDGRXUORFDOYLVLWRUDWWUDFWLRQV¶ the building, including story times, performances and crafts. guides from nexus.org.uk/ferry. Sensory Backpacks are available to borrow from reception. We’re very proud of our independent bookshop, recognised by The Bookseller’s Association as one of the best independent bookshops in the country. Visit our bookshop coffee shop at any point Gibside during your visit for a hot drink and a Start your family sweet snack, with seating facilities available for short breaks from Northumberlandia adventure at Gibside; take on the low ropes H[SORULQJWKHLUKHDUW¶VFRQWHQW Northumberlandia is a unique challenge, encounter Strawberry piece of public art set in a Castle play area, build a den in the 46-acre community park with woods, get messy at the Mud Kitchen free public access and 4 miles of and discover wildlife on our family footpaths on and around the landform. Explorer trail. The Visitor Centre and Café is on the right as you enter the site through the main entrance gates at Northumberlandia. It offers a range of hot drinks and snacks, a selection of NWT branded and wildlife related merchandise, as well Fun for all ages / Activities every day / Seasonal events every day in school holidays / Dog friendly as Trust and general visitor information. There is seating inside, and further seating is available (weather permitting) on a raised terrace outside the centre with views of the bird feeding stations. There are two accessible toilets to the familiesonline.co.uk rear of the Centre. Summer 2020

Spring. DH5 8JG. at the Farm, Stoneygate Lane, Houghton Le Open every weekend and school holiday. Down quad bikes, barrel rides plus much more. to enjoy, tractor rides to meet the cows, real RIIDUP\DUGDQLPDOV/RWVRIRXWGRRUSOD\DUHDV bottle feed new-born lambs as well as meet lots close to our bunnies & guinea pigs, meet and beyond to see our newly hatched chicks, get up Come to Down at the Farm this Springtime and Sunderland area since 18th century. small family run farm which has been in the February and October each year. It is a interaction and play in the countryside between attraction and offers animal Down at the Farm is a seasonal

Down at the Farm

the family. Check the website for more details. There are special events on suitable for all of bringing science and engineering to life. are also a huge variety of interactive displays for designing, inventing and making. There can let their imagination run wild in our space used in our mini River Tyne replica. Children Under 7s can get hands on with how water is (suggested donation £5). Visit with the family for hours of free fun, importance to Britain and the rest of the world. DUHD¶VPDULWLPHVFLHQWL¿FDQGWHFKQRORJLFDO in the history of Newcastle focusing on the of the history of Tyneside. Immerse yourself fastest ship in the world and an iconic part metre steam powered ship that was once the to face with Turbinia. Charles Parsons’ 34 As you enter the museum, you’ll come face

Discovery Museum

HQWHUWDLQHG HQWHUWDLQHG daily talks, there’s something to keep the whole family daily talks, there’s something to keep the whole family ZRUOG:LWKUHJXODUIXQ¿OOHGHYHQWVH[FLWLQJZDONVDQG ZRUOG:LWKUHJXODUIXQ¿OOHGHYHQWVH[FLWLQJZDONVDQG plus hundreds of endangered and exotic birds from around the plus hundreds of endangered and exotic birds from around the ZLWKÀDPER\DQW&KLOHDQÀDPLQJRVFKHHN\VKRUWFODZHGRWWHUV ZLWKÀDPER\DQW&KLOHDQÀDPLQJRVFKHHN\VKRUWFODZHGRWWHUV beautiful scenery, whatever the weather. Enjoy close encounters beautiful scenery, whatever the weather. Enjoy close encounters ages and abilities a host of unforgettable wildlife experiences and ages and abilities a host of unforgettable wildlife experiences and Open 364 days a year, our family-friendly site offers visitors of all Open 364 days a year, our family-friendly site offers visitors of all reserve and visitor attraction on the banks of the River Wear. reserve and visitor attraction on the banks of the River Wear. WWT Washington Wetland Centre is a wetland nature WWT Washington Wetland Centre is a wetland nature