Family Holidays in Northumberland

What's actually on offer here

There are 28 family stays published on BritStays in Northumberland, and the mix tells you a lot about how people holiday here. Eight are holiday parks, eight are caravanning sites and eight are campsites — so around six in seven of the options are some form of park or pitch. Three are hotels and just one is a cottage. If you had pictured a stone cottage with a wood burner as the obvious family base, it's worth adjusting expectations early: self-catering cottages are thin on the ground in this set, and the parks are where the family-friendly facilities are concentrated.

That pattern shapes the kind of trip you'll have. Parks and campsites mean on-site things to do when the weather turns, other children to play with, and somewhere to eat without getting back in the car. Playgrounds are the single most common facility across these 28 stays, listed at 14 of them — half the set. Ten have WiFi, ten list a restaurant, nine a bar, and eight a swimming pool.

Coast or countryside?

Northumberland splits fairly neatly, and the stays follow it. Hexham has the most family options of any town here with four, and it's your base for the Hadrian's Wall end of the county — inland, rolling, walking-led. Riverdale Hall Country House Hotel and the George Hotel both sit at Hexham and both list a swimming pool, bar and restaurant, which is a sensible combination if you've got younger children and want an indoor fallback. Parmontley Hall Lodges at Whitfield sleeps 6, and Herding Hill Farm at Haltwhistle sleeps 6 too.

For the coast, look north. Belford has three family stays, including South Meadows Caravan Park (restaurant, cafe and takeaway food on site) and Waren Caravan & Camping Park, which lists a swimming pool, gym and bar. Waren Caravan Park at Bamburgh sleeps 8. Further north again, Berwick-upon-Tweed has two, and Coldingham Bay Leisure Park adds a swimming pool, hot tub and gym. Wooler has two, including Highburn House Country Holiday Park with its cafe, playground and toilets — a good middle option if you want hills and coast both within reach. Morpeth has one, Tranwell Farm Camp Site, which lists a bar, amusements and disabled access.

Dogs, EVs and getting around

• Dog owners: eight of the 28 are listed as pet friendly. That's a reasonable share but not a majority, so filter before you fall for a place.
• Electric cars: ten list EV charging nearby, including Church Point (sleeps 8), Berwick Holiday Park and Herding Hill Farm.
• Without a car: Berwick Holiday Park is listed as near a train station, and Herding Hill Farm as near both a bus stop and a train station — useful if you'd rather not drive the whole week.
• Accessibility: eight stays list disabled access. Ring ahead to check what that means in practice for your family's needs, particularly on campsites.

What to do once you're there

Hadrian's Wall is the obvious draw inland, with Crag Lough nearby for a walk that gives children a clear destination. Corstopitum Visitor's Centre and Mr George's Museum of Time are both indoor options in the county for a wet afternoon, as is Hadrian's Wall Campsite's own evening entertainment if you're staying put.

On the coast, Bamburgh Castle is the headline, and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne with Lindisfarne Priory & Museum makes a proper day out — check tide times before you set off, as the causeway governs your timings rather than the other way round. Around Berwick-upon-Tweed there's Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre and Lady Waterford Hall, plus Etal Castle. Ford Castle, Barmoor Castle and Coupland Castle add to the castle count if your children are collecting them. Near Alnwick, Whitehouse Farm Centre is the one to keep in reserve for a day when nobody wants to walk, and The Hardy Store & Mesuem is a smaller, quieter stop.

When to book

With only 28 family stays in the region — and the hot tub, pool and entertainment ones concentrated in a handful of parks like Coldingham Bay Leisure Park and Pease Bay Leisure Park — school holidays go early. Book summer and the late May half term before Christmas if you want a specific pitch or lodge. For the three hotels and the single cottage, assume less flexibility again.

If you're flexible, aim for term-time weeks or the shoulder months: you'll have more choice, and the on-site restaurants and bars tend to run reduced hours outside peak, so confirm directly what's open during your dates rather than assuming. Check pitch sizes and awning rules before booking a caravan or camping stay, and ask about the playground's age range if your children are at either end of it.