Photo: matthew Hunt (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do in Northumberland
The best holidays are planned around great days out. Here's what's on the doorstep in Northumberland, from big-ticket attractions to rainy-day savers.
Showing museums, aquariums and attractions with indoor areas — the ones that work whatever the forecast.
🎟️ This weekend near Northumberland
Events from
Skiddle
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Newcastle Audio Tour: A Journey Through Time and Trade
The Tyne Bridge, Newcastle · 25.0 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 19:00
Dine & Dance - Fame, Footloose & Saturday Night Fever
The Purple Peacock Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne · 24.7 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 19:00
Absolute Amy
Newgate Social, Newcastle Upon Tyne · 24.4 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 19:00
30s & 40s Singles Night at Harry's Newcastle| Love at First...
Harry's Bar, Newcastle · 24.5 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Aquariums
Museums & Galleries
12.3 mi from Northumberland
Bellingham Heritage Centre
Bellingham Heritage Centre is a small museum in Bellingham, Northumberland, telling the story of the North Tyne and Rede valleys through text, imagery, sound and objects, with disp...
13.6 mi from Northumberland
Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum
Housed on the first floor of a 13th-century Grade I listed bridge chantry, this museum tells the story of the Northumberland Pipes, England's only county-specific instrument. You'l...
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16.2 mi from Northumberland
Bailiffgate Museum
Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery occupies a former church in Alnwick's Castle Quarter, close to Alnwick Castle, and tells the story of 10,000 years of local heritage. Two floors hold a...
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16.3 mi from Northumberland
Chesters Roman Fort Museum
Museum building at Chesters Roman Fort, Northumberland, England, UK
16.3 mi from Northumberland
Northumberland Fusiliers Museum
The Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland, formerly the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum, is a museum located within the 14th century Abbot's Tower of Alnwick Castle in Alnwick, Northu... — Wikipedia
18.3 mi from Northumberland
Northumberland Museum and Archives
Woodhorn Museum, part of North East Museums and formerly known as Woodhorn Colliery Museum and Woodhorn Charitable Trust, is located in Ashington, Northumberland, England. The muse... — Wikipedia
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19.7 mi from Northumberland
Hexham Old Gaol
The Old Gaol, also known as the Manor Office, is a custodial building in Hallgate in Hexham, Northumberland, England. The building, which now operates as a museum, is a Grade I lis... — Wikipedia
20.1 mi from Northumberland
Newbiggin Maritime Centre
Newbiggin Maritime Centre is a volunteer-run attraction celebrating the coastal heritage of this historic fishing village. Inside you'll find a three-gallery museum, the Mary Joice...
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20.2 mi from Northumberland
George Stephenson's Birthplace
George Stephenson's Birthplace is the 18th-century stone cottage home of rail pioneer George Stephenson. Located along the north bank of the River Tyne in the village of Wylam, Nor... — Wikipedia
20.4 mi from Northumberland
Ad Gefrin Museum
Ad Gefrin is a museum in Wooler, Northumberland, telling the story of the Anglo-Saxon royal court through immersive AV and historical artefacts, including loaned treasures such as...
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20.7 mi from Northumberland
Cherryburn - Thomas Bewick Museum
Cherryburn is the birthplace of Thomas Bewick, the Georgian wood engraver and naturalist, set among farmland with views across the Tyne Valley near Prudhoe, Northumberland. You can...
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22.4 mi from Northumberland
Path Head Watermill
Path Head Mill is an 18th-century watermill at Summerhill on Blaydon Burn, between Blaydon and Stella, near Gateshead in north-east England. The Vale Mill Trust has been restoring... — Wikipedia
22.8 mi from Northumberland
Vindolanda Museum
Vindolanda Museum sits at the Roman fort of Vindolanda near Bardon Mill, Northumberland, one of Europe's most important Roman archaeological sites, home to the Vindolanda Writing T...
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24.1 mi from Northumberland
Great North Museum: Hancock
The Great North Museum: Hancock sits on Newcastle University's campus and brings together natural history, archaeology, ancient civilisations and world cultures under one roof. You...
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Zoos & Wildlife
Where to stay near Northumberland
Places to stay within easy reach of these days out.
More around Northumberland
Itineraries
- A weekend in Alnwick: an accessible itinerary · 2 days
- A weekend in Alnwick with the kids · 2 days
- A weekend in Alnwick · 2 days
Haunted Britain
Northumberland rewards people who plan loosely. The distances between the coast, the castles and the Wall country are easy enough to cover in a day, but the weather changes its mind often, so it pays to have a sunny plan and a wet plan ready at breakfast. Here's how the region's days out break down, and how to string them together without spending the whole time in the car.
Family days out
If you're travelling with children, Whitehouse Farm Centre near Alnwick is the obvious anchor for a day — animals, space to run about, and enough undercover areas that drizzle doesn't end the outing. Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre, out towards Berwick-upon-Tweed, suits slightly older children and anyone who likes big, calm animals and working machinery. For a shorter, quieter stop, the Ferryman’s Hut Museum in Alnwick is the sort of small, specific place that children either adore or race through in ten minutes; either way it's a useful half-hour.
Beaches are the other great family resource here. The sands around Bamburgh and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne give you hours of entertainment for nothing more than the cost of a flask.
Rainy day options
Northumberland is unusually well stocked with small museums, which is exactly what you want when the cloud comes in off the North Sea.
- Bailiffgate Museum in Alnwick — a good first stop for local history and a sensible size for a wet morning.
- The Hardy Store & Mesuem, also in Alnwick, for anyone with an interest in fishing tackle and the town's industrial past.
- Northumberland Fusiliers Museum, again in Alnwick, which makes the regimental story tangible rather than abstract.
- Mr George's Museum of Time — an eccentric, absorbing collection and a strong wet-weather card.
- Lady Waterford Hall near Berwick-upon-Tweed, where the painted interior is the whole point of the visit.
- Ad Gefrin Museum, which takes the Anglo-Saxon story and gives it a proper setting.
Lindisfarne Priory & Museum at Bamburgh pairs ruins with indoor interpretation, so it holds up reasonably well even when the wind gets up.
Outdoors and walking
Hadrian's Wall is the landmark most people come for, and the stretch above Crag Lough — looked after by the National Trust — is the one that justifies the boots. Walk a section rather than trying to see all of it; the Wall is far better experienced slowly. Corstopitum Visitor's Centre is a sound companion stop, giving you the Roman supply-and-settlement side of the story rather than just the defences.
Castles and heritage
Bamburgh Castle dominates its stretch of coast and is the one non-negotiable castle if you only do one. Beyond it, the region is thick with them: Etal Castle and Ford Castle sit within easy reach of each other in the north, while Barmoor Castle and Coupland Castle add to the cluster. Further south you'll find Bothal Castle and Langley Castle. Check in advance which are open to visitors and which are best admired from the outside, as access varies considerably.
Sensible day groupings
- Coast day: Bamburgh Castle in the morning, lunch nearby, then the Holy Island of Lindisfarne with Lindisfarne Priory & Museum — but only if the safe crossing times for the causeway suit, and build in a wide margin.
- Alnwick day: Bailiffgate Museum, then the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum or The Hardy Store & Mesuem, with Whitehouse Farm Centre in the afternoon if the children need running-about time.
- Wall day: Corstopitum Visitor's Centre first for context, then a walk along Hadrian's Wall taking in Crag Lough.
- North Northumberland day: Etal Castle and Ford Castle, Lady Waterford Hall, and Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre.
Where to eat
For a proper sit-down meal, Pig in Muck is a dependable pub choice. Tea rooms are the backbone of eating out here: Grannies and Northern Angels both hold five-star hygiene ratings, and there's a Starbucks if you want something predictable before a long drive. Morwick Ice Cream Parlour is worth a detour on a warm afternoon, and works well as a reward at the end of a beach walk.
Making it a short break
Three nights is the sweet spot: one coast day, one Wall day, one slower day of small museums and castles. There are around 1,005 places to stay on BritStays across the region, so base yourself according to your priorities — Alnwick for museums and amenities, Bamburgh for the coast, Berwick-upon-Tweed for the northern castles and easy hops over the border to the Trimontium Museum or Jacksons at Jedburgh.
Practical points: book coastal stays early for school holidays, carry cash for smaller museum entries, check opening days for the independent collections before setting out, and always confirm causeway crossing times on the day rather than relying on a timetable you looked at last week.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in Northumberland if it rains all day?
Northumberland has a good spread of indoor museums. In Alnwick you could combine Bailiffgate Museum, The Hardy Store & Mesuem and the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum. Elsewhere, Mr George's Museum of Time, Ad Gefrin Museum and Lady Waterford Hall near Berwick-upon-Tweed all work well in poor weather, and Lindisfarne Priory & Museum at Bamburgh has indoor interpretation alongside the ruins.
Which attractions are best for younger children?
Whitehouse Farm Centre near Alnwick is the strongest family option, with animals and space to run about. Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre near Berwick-upon-Tweed suits children who like large animals, and the small Ferryman’s Hut Museum in Alnwick makes a quick, easy stop. The beaches around Bamburgh and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne are free and reliably popular.
Where should I base myself for a short break?
It depends on your plans. Alnwick suits museum-heavy trips and has the most amenities, Bamburgh is best if you want the coast and the castle on your doorstep, and Berwick-upon-Tweed puts you near Etal Castle, Ford Castle, Lady Waterford Hall and the Scottish Borders. There are around 1,005 places to stay on BritStays across Northumberland.
How do I plan a visit to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne?
Treat the safe crossing times for the causeway as the fixed point of your day and plan everything else around them, leaving a generous margin either side. Check them on the day itself rather than relying on times you looked up earlier in the week. Once on the island, Lindisfarne Priory & Museum is the main draw.
Which part of Hadrian's Wall is best for walking?
The stretch above Crag Lough, which is in the care of the National Trust, is the most rewarding section for walkers. Rather than trying to cover the whole of Hadrian's Wall, pick one section and walk it properly. Corstopitum Visitor's Centre makes a good context-setting stop before or after.
Where can I eat with a five-star hygiene rating?
Pig in Muck is a good pub option for a full meal. For lighter stops, Grannies and Northern Angels are tea rooms, and there's a Starbucks for a quick coffee. Morwick Ice Cream Parlour is the one to aim for after a beach walk on a warm day. All of these hold five-star hygiene ratings.
More ways to explore
Not booked yet? See the best places to stay in Northumberland.