30 things to do in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

This post includes an (ad) with The Elderton for April 2023. All other aspects of this post were researched and paid for by ourselves. Information correct as of April 2023. Please always check with venues direct for the most up to date information.

We spent a weekend at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in April 2023 and I was blown away with the place. It is such a hidden gem in Northumberland. I had only made fleeting visits in the past but after spending some proper time here, will definitely make an effort to visit more often. 

12 Reasons I Love My National Trust Membership

This specific post has not been paid for but I do work with National Trust on occasion.  This post includes some visits which were part of this work alongside some visits which we have enjoyed in our own time. We do pay for our own National Trust Membership and use it regularly. 

We have been National Trust members for over 15 years now and how we use our membership has really evolved over the years. When the kids were little we'd spend our days at National Trust playgrounds, in fact one of my very first blog posts featured a trip to Gibside back in 2012.

9 Reasons to Visit Exhibition Park in Newcastle

This post was published in April 2023. Please check with venues direct for the most up to date information.  

Exhibition Park is 15 hectares of public space, it was established in 1870 in the south east corner of Newcastle's Town Moor. Originally called Bull Park but after the Royal Mining Engineering Jubilee Exhibition in 1887 it officially got it's current name.

New Gruffalo & Friends Clubhouse to Open in Blackpool

This post was published in April 2023. Images are press images via Merlin. Please always check with attractions direct for the most up-to-date information.
 

A brand new Gruffalo & Friends Clubhouse is set to open on Blackpool Sea Front below the Sealife Centre on 19 May 2023. 

This indoor play adventure will feature characters from Julia Donaldson's best loved stories. The refurbishment cost a whopping £2.3 million to complete. 

North East Splash Pads, Water Play Areas & Outdoor Pools

This post was published in April 2023. Please always check information with venues direct before heading out. 

Water play areas are often seasonal and only open in the warmer months. They are also liable to breaking and sometimes have to unexpectedly close for repair / maintenance. I would always recommend checking with the operators direct to check on the situation that day before heading out to avoid disappointment. 


If you can't find out this info direct, you can always post in our North East Days Out Facebook Group and ask locals what the current situation is. Sometimes I use the geotag function on Instagram to look at recent photos too (although sometimes, people don't post in 'real time'). 

6 of the Best FREE Adventure Playgrounds

Below are some of the best FREE Adventure Playgrounds to visit in 2023. I have tried to keep them within the North East (or accessible as a day trip). They have all been tried and tested by our team and come highly recommended. 

This post was published in April 2023. Please check with venues direct for the most up to date info. 

If you scroll to the bottom of this post, I have shared a google map with all of these playground locations / postcodes or you can download a free map to your phone here. 

Visit 12 North East Lighthouses in One Day Challenge

Thanks to our writer Alyssa for this post and photos which was published in April 2023. Always check with venues direct for the most up to date information. 

Back in 2020 when everyone was stockpiling toilet paper, I was stockpiling PVA glue, we were living in paper Mache madness for a while with Volcanoes, hot air balloons, and a lighthouse. 

We had a Wishlist on our corkboard that we would add to whenever someone said they wanted to do something before the lockdown was lifted, visiting a lighthouse was one of the first things added.