Coming up: independent cinemas, a load of dogs and cats, and the tunnel-shaped gloom of an ancient air-raid shelter.
I’m from Newcastle, so I love the place.
And because I’m from Newcastle, I also know the city gets a lot of rain.
So, coming up, I’ve brought you the 17 top activities to do in Newcastle in the rain. Hopefully, you won’t need them.
I’ve included family-friendly stuff, a load of history and heritage, and some pretty obscure oddities. Take off that raincoat and come join the party!
1. Head to the Victoria Tunnel
One of the city’s most underrated attractions (even lots of locals don’t know about the place)… and one of my favorite things to do in Newcastle on a rainy day.
The Victoria Tunnel was once a lengthy wagonway built underneath the surface of the city—and was constructed back in the 1800s to shuttle coal.
Years later, it was then repurposed into an air raid shelter, a mushroom farm, a performance space, and more.
(and it’s also known for a load of paranormal sightings and activity)
To visit, you need to take a tour (via the link below). Or for an even more immersive experience, you can visit via a combined food and tunnel tour.
During the food and tunnel tours, you’ll learn about the tunnel, but you’ll also munch on lots of flavor-filled fayre in the city’s Ouseburn district. You can expect a combo of Michelin-starred food, casual eats, and some local drinks. A perfect blend of history and cuisine.
- Address: Victoria Tunnel Entrance, Ouse Street, Byker Valley, Newcastle, NE1 2PF
2. Roam around Some Roman Ruins
Another tour! A great one in fact.
Some of this experience takes place inside; some takes place outside.
So, again, it’s a good idea for light-rain weather, but it’s not ideal for heavy rain (although the tour does go ahead in heavy rain, so hardy characters might still want to tackle it).
Most of the information is at this link here, so I won’t bore you with the details here. But this tour is the most convenient way to learn about Roman history and heritage in the region—you visit two Roman forts, you learn about ancient ties to the modern world, and you get the constant company of an expert guide.
Expect loads of juicy details, time to ask questions and a surprising number of laughs. For history fans, this is massively recommended.
3. Watch a Film at Tyneside Cinema…
One of my favorite activities to do in Newcastle in the rain.
I know what you’re thinking:
“Paul, telling us to watch a film is hardly the most interesting or innovative idea”.
And I get that. But Tyneside Cinema is a bit different to most cinemas. Instead of playing the most recent blockbusters (there’s nothing wrong with blockbusters, by the way), it instead screens independent stuff, old classics, and unique and unusual movies.
So whenever you’re in Newcastle, they might be playing one of your old favorites. Or something bizarre. Or hosting one of their multi-day overnight horror festivals.
Check their programme—cos it changes all the time.
If you want something even more independent or edgy, you could instead wander to Side Cinema (much smaller, and much more informal), or Star and Shadow (a community-managed sometimes-cinema venue with a welcoming atmosphere, and loads of unusual events).
- Tyneside Cinema hours: typically 10am until 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am until 11pm on Sundays
- Tyneside Cinema website: https://tynesidecinema.co.uk/
- Tyneside Cinema address: 10 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, NE1 6QG
4. … or Watch Some Theatre
Newcastle is also home to some pretty well-known theatres (the ones where you watch plays, not the ones where you watch movies—just making that clear for you Americans). Highlights include:
- Northern Stage: I reckon this is the best theater in Newcastle. It mainly focuses on new writing and modern stuff. They also offer theater for children, especially around Christmas time.
- Theatre Royal: best for big shows, tribute performance, and Christmas pantomimes. Some of the stuff here is a bit cheesy, but it’s ideal if you’re eager for unpretentious.
- Live Theater: these guys specialize in small-scale shows, local talent, local stories, and new writing.
5. Get Lost in the Grainger Market
This iconic indoor market has been serving up eats, treats, and shopping opportunities since 1835.
In some ways, it still feels like somewhere your great-grandparents would have shopped, featuring grocers’ stalls, butchers, fishmongers, second-hand bookstores, and lots of pay-by-the-weight places.
But it also feels really hip and trendy, with lots of street-food-style joints. You can find retro English foods, along with tapas, Turkish food, pizza by the slice, well-executed coffees, and plenty more.
I love the place—it’s a real pocket of authentic local life, and it’s bigger than most people expect. If you eat and shop here, you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours getting lost in the loveable labyrinth.
- Opening hours: 9am until 5:30pm Monday to Saturday; closed on Sundays
- Address: Grainger Street, Newcastle, NE1 5QQ
6. Hit up a Couple of Museums…
Like any city, Newcastle is home to museums. And most of them are (obviously) indoors. Top picks include…
- Discovery Museum: it’s free, it’s interactive, and it’s super popular with local families. It covers local history, interesting science, and a whole load of hands-on stuff.
- Great North Museum (also known as the Hancock Museum): the city’s natural history museum, this place brings you fossils, stuffed animals, and the corpse of a mummy. It’s free, and it’s great for families and non-families.
- Life Science Centre: pretty pricey, but worth the money. Again, it’s best for families. Massively interactive, these guys host a bunch of different traveling exhibits. Their permanent displays include interactive games, and a fun-packed motion simulator.
7. … or Art Galleries
And, of course, the city is also home to some art galleries—and they’re all indoors. The best and most popular include:
- The Baltic: one of the strangest art galleries in the UK, and always free to enter. It sits just over the river, in a pretty part of Newcastle—and its upper floors have good views of the city.
- The Laing: much more traditional than the Baltic, the Laing serves up art from both local and non-local names, and it mainly focuses on paintings.
- The Biscuit Factory: the biggest independent art gallery in the UK, this place offers a load of diverse stuff (paintings, sculptures, embroidery, events, and even hands-on workshops). The venue was once home to an actual biscuit factory.
- The Hatton Gallery: Newcastle University’s on-site gallery, and a good option for something a bit different.
8. Explore the Edgy Ouseburn
Newcastle’s Ouseburn is my favorite part of the city.
A welcoming area packed with a load of independent venues, it’s hip and happening, but totally unpretentious.
Imagine any hipster district in any city you know… and you’re now imagining the Ouseburn (though the Ouseburn is a lot friendlier and a lot more compact than most of the world’s other hipster neighborhoods*).
*Yes, I am a bit biased. Sozzles.
Highlights include comfy pubs and cafes, a family-friendly farm-based petting zoo, and excellent kid-friendly museum Seven Stories (which we’ve covered in a bit more detail with our next entry).
Though some of the Ouseburn is outdoors, much of it is indoors. So even when it’s raining in Newcastle, you can enjoy many of the neighborhood’s eats, treats, music venues, and other indoor places.
For much more, here are our guides on the best things to do in the Ouseburn, the best restaurants in the Ouseburn, and the best cafes in the Ouseburn.
9. Explore Seven Stories
If you’re traveling with kids, this is absolutely one of the top activities to do in Newcastle in the rain.
Seven Stories (England’s national center for children’s books) offers seven storeys (get it?) of action, and it’s one of the most exciting attractions in the area. Expect costumes, interactive areas, storytelling sessions, some of your kids’ favorite characters, and a great on-site bookshop.
For more family-friendly stuff in the city, check out our guides to the best water parks near Newcastle, the best pumpkin patches near Newcastle, and the best zoos, petting zoos and aquariums near Newcastle.
- Address: 30 Lime Street, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
- Opening hours: 10am until 5pm Thursday to Tuesday, and closed on Wednesdays
- Cost of entry: Free
- Website: https://www.sevenstories.org.uk/
10. Venture North
Just cos it’s raining in Newcastle doesn’t mean it’s raining everywhere on the planet…
…and you have lots of options for day trips from Newcastle.
Most people head east to the coast, venturing to the seaside towns (and beaches) of Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and Cullercoats.
But I instead recommend going a bit further north to Northumberland—the most sparsely-populated part of England, it’s an outdoor funfest with loads of great stuff.
If it’s not raining here, it’s a great place to explore… and it offers massive castles, remote hikes, multi-day bike rides, cozy villages, and some of the quietest beaches in England.
11. Munch at Some Restaurants…
Cos it can’t rain in a restaurant!
Top eateries in Newcastle include…
… Michelin-starred House of Tides, The Tanners Arms (for the best Sunday roasts in the city), The Broad Chare (elevated but unpretentious pub classics), Dabbawal (street-food-inspired Indian meals and snacks), Ernest (brilliant brunch in the Ouseburn), and Tyne Bar (excellent casual food, with even better drinks).
… but you have many more options. Here are all of the best restaurants in Newcastle.
12. … or Slurp at Some Cafes
Some of my favorites include…
… Tiny Tiny (massive, friendly and trendy, with excellent coffee), Pink Lane Coffee (the best in the city), Olive and Bean (with its huge deli counter of tasty treats), and Proven Goods (actually just a small shipping container with great coffee and donuts).
13. Meet Some Dogs or Cats
More cafes… but with a twist.
Two of my favorite cafes in Newcastle are animal-related:
The first of them, Dog and Scone, is home to a load of dogs. You can eat and drink, and touch the dogs while you slurp and munch. The other, Mog on the Tyne, is the same… but with cats instead of dogs.
Whichever you want to visit, you should probably book in advance. Yep, you can just arrive unannounced, but there might be no tables (that’s especially true on evenings and weekends).
14. Wander Around Eldon Square
Hardly the most inspiring activity in the world… but maybe you have some shopping to do.
If that’s the case, you can head to the all-indoor shopping center of Eldon Square. It’s mainly mundane chain stuff, but it includes big stores, small stores, and plenty of places to eat.
If you’re looking for something similar but a little further afield, your best option is the Metro Center, which was once the biggest indoor shopping center in Europe. It includes family-friendly fun like arcade games, a bowling alley, a cinema, and endless well-known restaurants.
- Eldon Square Address: Percy Street, Newcastle, NE1 7JB
- Eldon Square Opening times: 9am until 7pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. 9am until 8pm on Thursdays. 11am until 5pm on Saturdays.
15. Bowl (or more) at Lane 7
Lane 7 is most well-known as an informal bowling spot…
… but it’s also home to table tennis, a batting cage, pool, darts, arcades, on-site American-style food, and more. You can get involved in all the activities, or just choose a couple.
This is great for families, couples, groups of friends, and everyone in between. If you’re gonna come here on a weekend, it’s always best to book—it can get pretty busy.
16. Climb and Clamber
Alright, this suggestion isn’t for everyone… but if you like climbing, you’ll love it.
In the Ouseburn (the area we’ve already talked about), there’s a big indoor climbing wall: I really like climbing, and it’s the best indoor wall I’ve ever been to.
So if it’s raining, and climbing is your thing, this is definitely a good option. Otherwise, feel free to completely ignore this suggestion.
17. Meet St. James
Home to the city’s football team (when I say ‘football,’ I mean ‘soccer’), St. James Park is one of the biggest and most atmospheric football stadiums in the UK. And even if you’re not interested in football, you’ll still enjoy watching a game there.
Tickets are hard to get (everyone loves football in this part of the world), and you can only expect 20-30 games per year. So you’ll be lucky to watch a match… but if you can, it’s absolutely one of the top activities to do in Newcastle in the rain.
(just make sure you don’t go for a near-ground-level seat… cos you’ll still get wet).
Before You Go
Okay, that’s us done here — they’re the top activities to do in Newcastle in the rain.
Since you only have time for a couple, my top recommendations are Dog and Scone, The Grainger Market, and the Victoria Tunnel.
For more information about Newcastle, here are our guides on where to stay in Newcastle, and everything you need to know about the Newcastle accent (spoiler alert: you’ll have no idea what anyone’s talking about).
