Newcastle Family Guide

Set up the perfect base for your family in the spacious King and Single rooms and Double Double rooms of the centrally located Maldron Hotel Newcastle. With room for everyone, from the smallest family member to parents, their special offers guarantee a great family holiday in Newcastle.

It can be easy to overlook chain restaurants when you’re away, but often they’re a solid choice for family holiday meals. Wagamama’s menu is tried-and-tested deliciousness, and heaps of fun too – there are plenty of kid-friendly dishes, and a fantastic list of juices and drinks for the whole family. It’s casual, it’s quick, but it’s full of flavourful, healthy ingredients and will leave everyone satisfied.

A firm favourite with locals, Red Mezze is a Turkish-Mediterranean restaurant serving up hot and cold mezze plates, as well as barbeque dishes and salads. Their menu is big, but well considered, so there’s plenty of choice for big and little diners alike; the casual and friendly atmosphere is ideal for kids, and the wine list won’t dissappoint adults!

Cooking up Tex-Mex classics (with a full cocktail menu for adults) Chiquito’s Newcastle branch is bound to be popular with the whole family. Their kids menu offers options for small eaters, big eaters and everything in between, so there’s something for everyone, and the lively atmosphere is a guaranteed fun evening out.

A casual and classic Italian offering all the traditional favourites you’d expect, La Famiglia is a fuss-free favourite, and if you didn’t guess by its name, it warmly welcomes families. The children’s menu is sure to be a hit with little ones.

Sourdough pizza bases with unlimited toppings of your choice – what more could you want? Pizza Punks serves up top-class pizzas with a list of 50 toppings to choose from, all at one price so there’s no surprises when you get the bill. They welcome all ‘little punks’ so it’s a surefire winner for the whole family, and their fun playlists and full drinks menu guarantee adults will love it, too.

Impressive Italian joint Gusto has a full menu of sumptuous Italian plates for adults, but boasts a full kids menu too. With plenty of simpler pasta dishes to choose from, the menu also includes ‘build your own’ options for burgers and pizzas so kids can go wild – there’s even a fish and chips option for kids who don’t want Italian! With a warm and welcoming interior, the whole family is bound to love Gusto.

Ideal for families with older kids, Kafeneon is a Greek restaurant and cocktail bar situated in the heart of Newcastle. Their cocktail menu is impressive and inventive, and there’s plenty of choice when it comes to non-alcoholic drinks and bites to eat, too. Make sure to request an outdoor table in their delightful terraced seating area.

By now a Newcastle institution in its own right, Blake’s Cafe is known as being one of the city’s best independent cafes. Offering coffee, teas, delicious pastries and a food menu, it’s an essential stop-off for refueling during a day out sightseeing with the family.

A visit to The Keelman Pub feels a little like leaving the city altogether and escaping to the country – in reality, it’s just 20 minutes by car from Newcastle city centre, and 40 minutes on public transport. This traditional English pub serves their own beers and ales concocted in the attached Big Lamp Brewery, and the country pub vibes and kids’ play area will be much appreciated by the whole family.

A classic choice for family fun, TGI Friday’s has everything both kids and adults could want. A full cocktail menu (with plenty of alcohol-free drink options for kids), there’s also a huge choice of both small bites and big plates to choose from in case you’re hungry.

With a huge selection of teas sourced globally, The Teahouse is a culinary experience as much as it is a thirst-quenching break in the middle of a day out in Newcastle. Ask staff to recommend a tea for your tastes – for little ones, the more adventurous might love to try some exotic teas, and if it’s not to their taste the menu includes juices and hot chocolates too.

Discover the wonders of a traditional steam locomotive at the Stephenson Steam Railway. The on site museum provides insightful and educational information on George Stephenson, the ‘father of railways’, and his son Robert, who engineered steam trains for 20 years on the North Tyneside site. On certain days, you can also take a ride on an authentic 1950s steam train! Stephenson Steam Railway is a 15 minute drive or 50 minute bus from Newcastle city centre.

Started by the local community in 1976, Ouseburn Farm is now a registered charity that nurtures farm life and the environment surrounding it. Ouseburn also run placement programmes for adults with learning difficulties, nurturing their development too. With regular events, including feeding the farm animals and petting zoo sessions, there’s always something on at the farm. Make sure to stop off at the cafe when you visit to try some of the delicious cakes baked on site!

A unique home for wildlife in Newcastle, Jesmond Dene is a park unlike any other you’ve been to. Built in a small valley running alongside the Ouseburn river, the park is packed with trees and local wildlife, with plenty of pathways and areas for visitors to explore. You’ll also find picnic areas, a cafe and a Pets Corner in which kids can visit the resident farmyard animals; there is even a visitor centre complete with exhibition space. As if that list isn’t enough, there’s also a boating lake with a kids play area.

A playground made vertical: Clip n’ Climb has 25 different climbing walls for kids to try, including a drop slide. With expert instructors on hand to guide kids as they climb (and keep them safe!), Clip n’ Climb is an engaging climbing experience that guarantees kids a fun time. Suitable for children over the age of 4.

The world-famous Hadrian’s Wall – a 73-mile long wall built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian to keep out the barbarians in the North of Britain – once ran through Newcastle, and some of the most impressive remains can be seen to this day at Segedunum. Built as a fort to house Roman soldiers guarding the wall, the ruins can be seen from above from the museum’s impressive viewing tower. Now a World Heritage Site, the museum at Segedunum also hosts an immersive interactive exhibition and a reconstructed Roman bathhouse.

Fun Shack is one of the UK’s largest indoor soft play centres for kids, and it’s packed to the brim with fun, stimulating activities for them. From rubber ring slides to a full-size go-kart track, boredom simply isn’t in Fun Shack’s vocabulary; kids will love the three-story pirate ninja course filled with soft play obstacles. There’s even a football court!

The visitor centre at the National Centre for Children’s Books, Seven Stories, is home to some truly incredible exhibitions for children. Discover where stories come from, allow kids to delve into an interactive ‘playscape’ on drawing words, and take in even more interactive and digital exhibitions throughout the centre as kids both play and learn. Seven Stories run pre-booked special events in addition to their main exhibitions, so keep an eye out for those online. We guarantee your childrens’ imaginations will ignite with creativity!

Ideal for rainy days, Cineworld is known for showing all the latest blockbuster movies, as well as having a huge range of sweets, snacks and drinks to choose from. A nice simple choice for a day in Newcastle, this is the perfect option when you’re worn out from taking in the city – the whole family can sit back, relax and be entertained!

Perfect for kids and adults in equal measures, Mr. Mulligan’s crazy golf promises a day of entertainment. Choose from either 18 or 27 holes (it’s all indoors) and get putting! Although the golf itself is buckets of fun, there’s plenty to look at in Mr. Mulligan’s – the courses are littered with statues and other fun distractions, all with a futuristic theme. There’s a bar and restaurant on site, too!

Housed in one of the city’s most iconic buildings, Blandford House, the Discovery Museum is a must-see on any trip to Newcastle. Originally the Municipal Museum of Science and Industry, today the museum houses exhibitions on the history of the city dating back to Roman times and throughout its industrial past. You’ll also find a water play area for children under 7, and the PLAY + INVENT area for children of all ages – even grown-up kids!