The 6 Top things to do when visiting Newcastle for the first time

Visiting any city can be a daunting prospect if you have no clue what there is to offer and no idea where to go. And visiting the City of Newcastle is no exception.

Luckily we are here to help you with this quick and easy guide to 6 things that you absolutely must do when you visit Newcastle for the first time.

See the match

If you are a football fan or not, you cannot deny the imposing and grand view that is the world-famous, St James’ Park. Home to Newcastle United, this football ground comes alive whenever a game is played there.

The Magpies home ground is a sacred place for the club’s fans and if there is a game on when you visit, you definitely should make time to watch a game. Or you can even book a tour when they are available. 

The iconic front gates of the football stadium. Including the statue of Bobby Robson.

Do a bit of shopping in Eldon Square

In the last decade, Eldon Square has undergone a massive overhaul in the quality of stores and restaurants available and to polish the overall look and feel of the shopping centre. 

Eldon Square has come a long way since it was first built. With a massive amount of choice from national department store chains to local coffee shops, you are spoilt for choice in Eldon Square.

The other good thing about Eldon Square is that it provides access to almost everywhere you may want to go in Newcastle city centre. With entrances and exits pretty much everywhere, you won’t struggle to find it. 

Take a walk on the quayside

The Tyne Bridge and Quayside in all its glory

On the sunniest of days, you won’t find a sight much prettier than the Newcastle Quayside. Featuring sites up and down the river and of famous buildings such as the Baltic Museum and the SAGE the Quayside is truly a must for people to spend time on.

But not only is the Quayside a beautiful place to be, If you’re hungry then this is the place to be. The Quayside features several of Newcastle’s restaurants and bars and you will be spoilt for choice when you finally decide to take a load off your feet.

And of course if you want a memento of your visit to the quayside we have the perfect gifts for you. You can find our full Newcastle collection here. But we have put some clickable linked images in this blog post of our most popular products to make it easy for you.

Finally, every Sunday, the famous Quayside market takes over the entire area selling everything from food to homemade crafts. A favourite of many in the NorthEast, the Quayside market should be on your list of things to do if you can make it.

Visit the Grainger Market

The Grainger Market is a small found just off Grainger Street. In the Grainger market, you can find a variety of collectable shops, food stalls and more. The shops may have changed over the years, but the heart of the market hasn’t changed.

While it won’t take up your entire day, the Grainger market is more than enough to keep you busy looking around for a bargain. And the best part about the market is that it is all indoors, meaning that the weather shouldn’t be able to put you off visiting.

Eat up in the Stack

A more recent addition to the Newcastle landscape, the Stack consists of a large number of chipping containers all piled together, to create a unique food court, for your enjoyment.

This social hub allows you to grab a great bite to eat and wash it down with one of the many drinks on offer. This is the perfect place to take the weight off of your feet, meet your friends and grab a bite to eat.

Also, keep an eye out for one of the many events that take place over the year and see if you can catch one.

Just to let you know, there are a few rules of entry when you head there so make sure tocheck them out before you go.

The Stack filled to the brim. Source:The Stack Website

Check out the museums

If local and natural history is for you then you should consider one of Newcastle’s many museums. 

You can pick from the Hancock Museum, Discovery Museum and the Laing Art Gallery, and if you like a bit more science in your exhibitions, the Life Science Centre. These museums often change what exhibits they are hosting and the Life Centre especially hosts themed exhibits that regularly change.

All of these are perfect for you and your family to learn about local and British history and with free entry, into the discovery museum at least, you can spend time learning for absolutely nothing.

Enjoy your stay

Your stay in Newcastle is guaranteed to not be a boring one. There is something here for everyone so no matter what you like to do to spend your free time you can find it here. And we have barely scratched the surface of the activities you can take part in here in Newcastle.

If you want to spend more time visiting the NorthEast then check out our other guide to the best things to do when visiting the NorthEast in general. And if you want to take home a small souvenir of your trip to Newcastle, please feel free to check out our collections in our store.