Bursting at the seams with culture, heritage, and the beautiful River Tyne, Newcastle is a city full of gems for visitors to discover. With excellent entertainment, fantastic cultural attractions, picturesque parks, and just a 27 minute drive to the coast, a trip to our hotels in Newcastle offer the perfect weekend getaway for those who want a little bit of everything.
See what Newcastle has to offer and book a city break.
Planning a weekend away in Newcastle? This wonderful city offers plenty of fun activities for families, with something to suit all ages and interests. Some of the best things to do as a family in Newcastle are:
Best Bar: Sip your drink in piece of history at The Centurion, a former train station-turned-stylish bar where you'll find a range of drinks and a classy deli cafe.
Best Restaurant: The Big Mussel (The Quayside, Newcastle) has the finest selection of seafood in Newcastle.
Best Shopping: Metrocentre is filled with everything from unique brands to price conscious stores - there's something for everyone, and all under one roof.
Best Sight: Jesmond Dene Park is one of Newcastle's hidden gems located in an old wooded valley. Surrounded by waterfalls and a water mill, The Dene is ideal for a leisurely stroll.
Recent research we conducted found that guests who travel for business only get 36 minutes’ free time to explore a city they are visiting for work, despite over 90% saying they wished they knew more about the cities they visit!
Our hotel teams are experts when it comes to their cities and love to give our guests insider tips on their city’s hidden gems and the best things to see & do. So in response to this research, we asked our Newcastle team to create a short video on how to see the best of their city in just 36 minutes on foot or just a short car ride from the hotel!
The Gift: Visit Central Arcade - a beautiful Edwardian shopping arcade packed with unique boutique stores making it the ideal place to pick up a gift or souvenir. (10 min taxi, 16 min walk)
The Caffeine Fix: Boasting the best coffee and hot chocolate in the city, Blake’s Café is the ideal stop for a morning coffee accompanied with a scrumptious homemade cake. (10 min taxi, 16 min walk)
The View: Level four of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts offers visitors unrivalled and breath-taking views of the River Tyne and Newcastle. (11 min taxi, 25 min walk)
The Stroll: The River Tyne offers the perfect place for a quick refreshing walk taking in the sites of Newcastle. (8 min taxi, 23 min walk)
The Best Real Ale: As one of the most famous pubs in Newcastle, the Crown Posada offers a lively laughter-filled atmosphere that’s as rare as the pub itself. (10 min taxi, 16 min walk)
Centre for Life
Offering a fun filled day, Newcastle’s Centre for Life is an exciting museum bursting with engaging science activities for all ages. There’s a range of exhibitions and things to do, from the ‘BODY WORLDS Vital’ journey to ‘Space: a beginners guide’, giving you plenty to explore on life sciences and the world we live in.
Tickets cost £14 for adults and £8 for children (ages 2-17). The centre is open 10am-6pm daily, opening an hour later on Sunday. The Centre for Life is conveniently located just three minute walk from our hotel in Newcastle.
Newcastle's Discovery Museum
Enjoy a unique day of discovery and exploration at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum. A brief six minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Newcastle, the museum offers a fantastic collection of maritime history, social history, science and technical material, as well as regimental militaria and costume.
The museum offers free entry and is open 10am -4pm on weekdays, opening an hour later on weekends.
Newcastle Castle
Discover a slice of Tyneside heritage with a trip to Newcastle Castle, combining Castle Keep with its 13th century gatehouse ‘the Black Gate’ to make the perfect historical attraction. Built by Henry the II between 1168 and 1178 and known as ‘one of the finest surviving examples of a Norman keep’, it offers a fun and educational experience for all ages.
The Castle Keep is open 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. Adult admission is £6.50, with children aged 5-15 years entering for £3.90. This Newcastle attraction is a leisurely 13 minute walk from our hotel.
Great North Museum: Hancock
This fantastic Newcastle attraction offers visitors a journey of discovery through natural science, world cultures, geology and archaeology collections and exhibits. The Great North Museum: Hancock offers a range of exciting displays such as a life- size T-Rex replica skeleton, an interactive model of Hadrian’s Wall, Mummies from Ancient Egypt, and a planetarium.
Entry is free. The museum is open 10am -5pm Monday to Friday, closing an hour earlier on Saturday and opening 11am -4pm Sunday. The Great North museum is a 12 minute drive or 20 minute bus journey from Leonardo Hotel Newcastle.
St James’ Park
St James’ Park is home to Newcastle United Football Club and offers a great day out for supporters and visitors alike. Enjoy their fantastic ‘Roof Top Tour’ offering magnificent views of the city and beyond, as well as a bird’s eye view of the pitch. For a sneak peek behind the scenes, the ‘Stadium Tour’ is a great opportunity to see the backstage aspects of the stadium, with the added bonus of their ‘virtual assistant’ enhancing the tour experience.
Ticket prices vary between £15 - £20 for adults and £8 - £15 for children. Tour times and days vary dependent on the tour. Our Newcastle Hotel is just a 15 minute walk from St James’ Park.
Tynemouth
Just a 26 minute drive from Leonardo Hotel Newcastle, Tynemouth offers a fantastic day out for all. The coastline offers great beaches to explore, enjoying a little bit of sun, sea, and sand. There’s also plenty of heritage to discover with the Tynemouth Castle and Priory, and in true seaside charm, Tynemouth has a lighthouse and pier - ideal for visitors wanting to take a stroll and soak up the beautiful views.
Alnwick Castle
Offering a day out to remember for families and groups alike, this iconic castle is an enjoyable 48 minute drive from our Newcastle hotel. Alnwick Castle offers interesting architecture ranging from the 14th century up to the 19th century, as well as beautiful surrounding parkland including Hulne Abbey, a semi- ruined 13th century monastery. The castle has been used for location filming in many famous films, most notably the first two Harry Potter films!
There are plenty of tours and events to immerse in, from a ‘Dragon Quest’ to ‘Broomstick Training’, making it an ideal family attraction. Tickets are priced separately for the castle and garden, however you can save money by buying a combo ticket online. Combination tickets cost £25.60 for adults and £10.90 for children aged 5-16. Opening times range between 10am and 5/5.30pm daily.
Intu Eldon Square
Immerse in some retail therapy at Newcastle’s intu Eldon Square. Offering all the High Street favourites, intu Eldon Square has a plethora of shops to peruse, as well as plenty of great restaurants to grab a bite to eat.
Intu Eldon Square is an enjoyable 18 minute walk through Newcastle City Centre from our hotel.
Glasgow is a beautiful city filled with a whole host of things to do and see. Immerse in Scottish culture and heritage, explore a range of museums, country parks, and gardens, or discover why the city is renowned as a prime destination for retail therapy. Whatever strikes your fancy, Glasgow’s bustling city centre will not disappoint.
Learn more about booking a city break in Glasgow and discover our hotels near the Hydro in Glasgow.