Newcastle City Centre

For starters, Newcastle is a lovely city to explore, with a famous skyline and lots of famous landmarks to see (I’m looking at you Tyne Bridge!) not to mention the lesser-known Newcastle Castle, who’s name alone had my boys in stitches every time we passed it! You can take a stroll along the River Tyne, with lots of places to stop to eat or drink along the banks of the Quayside area. No matter what the weather or time of year, this area seems to be a hive of activity and a great spot for a bit of people watching!

History

If you fancy taking in a bit of history, why not try one of the city’s museums or experiences? Probably the number one child friendly experience of this kind would be the Victoria Tunnels. Lying underneath the city and stretching all the way from the town Moor to the Tyne River, it started out its life as a method of transporting coal in the 1840s – 1860s. It had a new lease of life during WWII, when it was transformed into an air raid shelter. With guided tours, led by enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides, it is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon in the toon!

Alnwick Castle

If you are there for more than a day or two, I can’t recommend highly enough a trip to Alnwick castle. Based in Alnwick, a small town just a 40-minute drive from Newcastle city centre, Alnwick castle has been featured in a number of movies and TV shows, most notably forming part of Hogwarts in the early Harry Potter Films.

Before we arrived, I wasn’t sure how long it would keep my boys entertained…at 9 and 12 (at the time) they can sometimes be difficult to please! However, the answer is, all day! We arrived at around 10am and finally dragged ourselves away when the castle was closing! There was a huge range of different activities going on throughout the day, most of which were included in the ticket price. 

As you approach and enter the castle courtyard there are schedules for the day showing which activities can be found where and when, allowing you to plan a little when to take in each. Guided tours run through the day, but each with a different take on the tour. For example, for the history buffs there is a historical tour (more aimed at grown up visitors) and even an “Alnwick On Location” Film Tour, which my boys particularly enjoyed, getting to take a peek behind the curtain and see exactly where their favourite scenes from Harry Potter were filmed! 

Activities change with the seasons, but some of the other activities we were able to enjoy during our visit in the summer included a falconry show, a compilation of medieval music and a highly entertaining performance by the court jester! If your kids (or you!) would like to take ‘broomstick flying’ lessons, you do need to pre-book and pay an additional cost, as this is often booked up well in advance and not available to book on the day.

Football

For the football fans amongst you, a visit to St James’ Park is a must. My eldest son is obsessed with football and loves to visit the local stadium in any city that we go to, so St James’ Park was at the top of his list of things to see. Just a short walk from the shopping centre, it is easy to stroll to, even with kids in tow.

For the more avid fans, you can book an all-access stadium tour, giving you a chance to get pitch side, with options for the “Magpie’s View” rooftop tour, or autism friendly tours, to name just a few.

Hadrian’s Wall

Depending on which direction you arrive at the city from, you may well pass by Hadrian’s Wall on your way. Travelling from the northwest brought us alongside Hadrian’s Wall, and after seeing a signpost to the famous landmark, we decided to make an impromptu stop to take a look. We parked up near the visitor centre, before setting off on a short walk up to join the wall itself. 

Depending on the age of your children and their stamina for walking, you can tailor your walk to suit. As it was a hot day (yes even that far north!) and it was an unscheduled stop on our journey, we spent about an hour strolling up to the highest point we could see, where the boys enjoyed clambering and climbing the hillside and the wall itself, before turning back to continue our journey.

Accommodation

We spent our stay in the always budget friendly Travelodge, on the Quayside, which was in a fantastic location right in the heart of the city and within easy walking distance of all of the shops, bars and restaurants that the city has to offer. Complete with underground parking and a decent breakfast (with kids eating free) we were able to fill ourselves up before heading out for the day. The handy location also meant it was easy to pop back to the hotel for a rest if the mood took us!

All in all, Newcastle was a fantastic place to spend a few days with the kids and I would highly recommend it.

Written by Amy Sigley

Amy loves nothing more than travelling and exploring new places. She has two boys who also love an adventure, and have a long bucket list of places yet to see! They can often be found in a cafe enjoying a spot of people watching in any new place they go.

The post Things To Do In Newcastle Upon Tyne With Kids appeared first on Big Little Travels - Your Travel Guide.

Famous as a city of culture and home to Britain’s most famous musical export, the Beatles, there is history and culture around every corner.

Museums

If your kids are anything like mine, they only have a limited capacity for museum visits, so I always prefer to go for those with free entry, so you don’t feel too begrudged when they reach their limit and want to move on and go somewhere else. Luckily Liverpool has lots of great choice when it comes to museums that fit the bill, as the city with the most museums and galleries outside of London.

A favourite of ours is the World Museum, which covers everything from the prehistoric to Ancient Egypt, not to mention an aquarium and planetarium to boot! There is something for all ages to be found here and even includes lockers and buggy parks making it easier for families to negotiate their way around without being laden down.

Another Museum worth a visit is the Museum of Liverpool, which does exactly what is says on the tin. Covering the history of one of Britain’s most famous and favourite cities, in a truly impressive waterfront building, there is a transport section containing over 200 vehicles, including Liverpool’s Overhead Railway gallery and a fascinating glimpse into life in wartime Liverpool inside the Piermaster’s house. Transformed back into a 1940s wartime home, it is the only one of the original four built on the site to survive wartime bombings.

Street Art

If you fancy a bit of culture, but museums aren’t your thing, why not try taking a little wander around Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle where you can admire some of the fantastic street art on offer, from an ode to Liverpool on Jamaica Street, to a mural commissioned by the Beatles Museum to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles Abbey Road album on the side of Cains Brewery, you can be sure to spot something iconic.

The Beatles

For the music lovers among you, there is of course the Beatles Story, with replicas of iconic locations central to The Beatles Story, to memorabilia and exclusive photos, you can immerse yourselves in 1960s Liverpool and the world of the fab four. For those interested in the real sights, you can take The Magical Mystery Tour bus around the city, which tours all the places around the city that saw the birth of The Beatles, from the homes of John and Paul, which are now owned by the national trust and are open to the public for pre-booked tours, to George’s childhood home, which is still privately owned. The tour also takes in the locations made famous by their music, Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields, and it is a must for any Beatles fan.

Central Library

For little ones and grown ups alike, you can’t go far wrong with a visit to the breath-taking Central Library. Located on William Brown Street, opposite Liverpool Lime Street Station, this is no ordinary library! There is a children’s reading room which often hosts child friendly events and for fans of Harry Potter, the Picton Reading Room is like stepping into the pages and into Hogwarts itself. The criss-cross staircase provides an impressive aspect both up to the glass roof and down to the floors below, but you can also discover some of the best views the city has to offer from the rooftop.

Exploring The City

A wander around the city centre is also an activity in itself, with plenty of shops, bars and Liverpool city centre restaurants to suit all tastes and moods, you can also discover sculptures and pieces of public art dotted all around, the Super Lambanana’s are not to be missed, but can you spot them all?! A trip to Liverpool wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Royal Albert Dock, with a mixture of shops, cafes, museums, and is home to the Tate Liverpool but also offers fantastic views of the Mersey River, where you can of course take the Ferry across from as little as £12 per adult and £8 per child, with under 5s going free.

Places To Visit Nearby

If you have longer to spend in the city, why not spread your wings and travel outside the city centre and take in some of the city’s more hidden gems? For those fond of nature, take a stroll in Sefton Park, a 235-acre Grade 1 listed park which offers a breath of fresh air plus the beautiful Palm House, an impressive Victorian structure which is home to a collection of plants from around the world. Just a stone’s throw from Sefton Park is another of the city’s hidden gems, Lark Lane. A quirky, eclectic mix of boutiques, independent shops, bars, restaurants and cafes, it is a lively and fun place to be both day and night.

Also within easy reach of the city centre, you can find some beautiful coastline, with long sandy beaches and views across the estuary to the Welsh hills. One such beach is Crosby, which marks the start of the 22-mile Sefton Coastal path and is home to 100 cast-iron figures that make up internationally renowned artist Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ installation, stretching almost a mile out to sea. Just a little further along the route you can find Formby Beach, part of the National Trust’s nature reserves. Featuring some of the UK’s best sand dune habitats, home to many rare species including the natterjack toad and surrounded by a sweeping pinewood forest, where you can spot the iconic red squirrel in its natural environment.

It’s safe to say that whatever your interests and however long you have to spend in the city, Liverpool is a fantastic place to visit with kids big and small and at any time of the year.

Written by Amy Sigley

Amy loves nothing more than travelling and exploring new places. She has two boys who also love an adventure, and have a long bucket list of places yet to see! They can often be found in a cafe enjoying a spot of people watching in any new place they go.

The post Things To Do In Liverpool With Kids appeared first on Big Little Travels - Your Travel Guide.