It feels like every child goes through a phase of being obsessed with Dinosaurs. Some (like my Jack) don't grow out of it. I am sure he is going to grow up to be a Palaeontologist.
We have visited lots of dinosaur exhibitions and themed days out over the years, both here in the North East and further afield. I thought it was about time I shared them together in one post. Let me know if I have missed your favourite.
Please double-check details with all attractions before setting off. I have tried where possible to only include permanent exhibitions but these can change and I would hate for anyone to be disappointed.
FREE VR Dino Trail at Bridges Sunderland
No booking required for this event, simply pop into the Bridges from 19 July - 3 September. Search for 10 Dinosaur fossils across the centre, scan their code and watch as the Dinos come to life! Once you have completed the trail, head to the customer service desk to receive a small prize. Find out more here.
Here is what they have to say:
Take a walk through our pre-historic woods, back to a time where dinosaurs ruled the land! Gaze at a range of dinosaurs & learn all about how they lived thousands of years ago with the help of our Holmside Park Rangers. At the end of the trail, a giant moving t-rex awaits you!... But don't worry, he's friendly! And every family that attends this event is welcome to take a photo with Rexy the Dinosaur. Each child that completes our dino walk will also receive a tasty big bag of sweets as a reward.
Along with all the dino fun, we will have a huge selection of outdoor activities for both kids & adults to enjoy! All of our usual outdoor facilities will be available for use (adventure fort, inflatable bouncing pillows, pedal karts, ziplines, etc), along with some extra special activities exclusive to this event including knife & axe throwing, den building + more! We've got plenty to keep toddlers, kids & even adults entertained all day long.
The Holmside Café will remain open for takeaway orders only so you can enjoy hot & cold drinks, delicious freshly made cakes, dino-themed treats and a limited menu of hot food & sandwiches. If the weather isn’t on our side, covered outdoor seating will be provided for families to sit and enjoy their food safely without getting soggy chips!
Find out more and book here Please make sure when booking you select the correct date June 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th, July 3rd or 4th and that they have Dino Rextactular in the title (rather than just a general admission ticket which will not include access to the event).
You will find lots of dinosaurs hidden amongst the plants at Sunderland Winter Gardens. Watch as a baby T Rex hatches from an egg, a 3 metre high Utahraptor, a Stegasaurus and Triceratops grazing on the greenery, a Pteranadons overhead and more.
Sunderland Winter Gardens are FREE to visit and explore at your leisure. They are wheelchair / pushchair accessible too. Find out more here.
Teessaurus Park is a green space in Middlesbrough featuring 9 popular Dinosaur sculptures. Unfortunately, the park has been neglected over the years and the Dinos have been vandalised a little. It is free though and may still be worth a trip if you are in the area. Find out more and check out some photos over on Freckled Mum of 2 here.
The Dinosaur Golf at Heighly Gate Garden Centre is brilliant fun. We visited back in 2016 and really enjoyed the course (I would visit again if only Crazy Golf didn't bring out the worst in my children).
There are 12 holes to enjoy featuring 10 life size Dinosaurs - some of them move too. Prices are super reasonable and they often run special offers too (eg dine in the cafe and play golf at half price) . Find out more here.
The Great North Museum in Newcastle City Centre is free to visit, accessible and home to a full-size T-Rex skeleton which looks super impressive. Find out more here.
The Lost World of Adventure Golf in Tynemouth features Dinosaur-themed adventure golf and even a spitting Dinosaur! Find out more here.
Hardwick Park is a popular day out in County Durham. You can download the Love Exploring app to your phone free of charge and use it to explore a trail around the park with augmented Dinosaurs. You can use the app to catch Dinosaurs and pose for photos with your new dino friends. Find out more about the app here.
Tickets are just £7.95 per person (plus booking fee), under 2s are free, a sling is recommended over a pushchair (due to woodland setting), you can change your booking date/time (with a minimum of 48 hours notice and as long as slots are available), the trail lasts around an hour and there is parking and toilets on site.
Book your tickets and find out more here!
- 100 true to life (and moving) dinosaurs
- State of the art AR and 3D art
- Interactive experiences
- Excavations sites for budding archaeologists
- Thrilling fairground rides
- Street food vans and picnic sites
- Land of the Living Dinosaurs at West Midland Safari Park (237 miles from Newcastle)
- Natural History Museum, London (286 miles from Newcastle)
- Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, Norfolk (246 miles from Newcastle)
- World of Dinosaurs at Paradise Park, Hertfordshire (262 miles from Newcastle)
- 5 Dinosaur Attractions in North West England
- Dinosaur Trail at Gullivers World, Warrington (161 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinotropolis Soft Play & Adventure Centre at Bluewater, Kent (293 miles from Newcastle)
- Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight (359 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaur Forest at Port Lympne Safari Park, Kent (336 miles from Newcastle)
- Animals of the Ice Age at Howletts Safari Park, Kent (337 miles from Newcastle)
- Hunting Dinosaur Fossils, Isle of Wight (360 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaur Isle, Isle of Wight (360 miles from Newcastle)
- Museum of Natural History, Oxford (258 miles from Newcastle)
- Jurassic Cove Golf at Bents Garden Centre, Warrington (150 miles from Newcastle)
- Dino Falls Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre, Manchester (149 miles from Newcastle)
- Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs, London (307 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaur Safari at Blackpool Zoo (154 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaur Exhibit at Manchester Museum (152 miles from Newcastle)
- Tyrannosaurs at National Museum of Scotland (120 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaur Park, Tenby (408 miles from Newcastle)
- Dino Trail at All Things Wild, Honeybourne (234 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaur Trail at Knebworth House (247 miles from Newcastle)
- Brick Dinosaurs at Marwell Zoo, Hampshire (317 miles from Newcastle)
- Mighty Claws Adventure Golf, Bournemouth (350 miles from Newcastle)
- Matlock Farm Park, Derbyshire (152 miles from Newcastle)
- Jurassic Kingdom, Birmingham (206 miles from Newcastle)
- Dino Trail at Drayton Manor (193 miles from Newcastle)
- All Things Wild, Evesham (234 miles from Newcastle)
- Dinosaurs at Wookey Hole (324 miles from Newcastle)
And further afield, you can enjoy the following attraction around the world:
1 - Click here to sign up to our FREE monthly guide to what's on. This monthly email will feature lots of ideas for things to do for the month ahead plus exclusive deals.
2 - Join our Days Out Facebook Group here which includes lots of ideas for things to do - you can post your own recommendations too.
Always check updated opening hours / protocols / parking advice and charges with venues direct before setting off as things may have changed since this post was published.
Why not click here to join our FREE UK Days Out ideas and inspiration Facebook group? It is a lush community with lots of good ideas.
We love Dino Park! https://www.dinopark.co.uk/
ReplyDeleteThis looks great. What fabulous places to visit for kids who are big dino fans. There is some at Blackpool and Edinburgh zoo I am sure, although it's been a few years xx
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