Cheap Days Out in the North East With Kids
School holidays add up fast. Here are the North East days out that give you the most for your money, starting with the ones that are genuinely free.
Quick answer
The cheapest good days out in the North East are the free country parks and beaches, so build your week around those and treat one paid attraction as the centrepiece rather than the default. If you are paying for entry, look for places that either let you return for free within the year or that you can pair with a free beach or park to stretch the day.
Below, the free anchors come first, then the paid attractions that give you the best value.
Free anchors: start here
These cost nothing to enter, which makes them the backbone of a cheap week.
- Saltwell Park, Gateshead. A large Victorian park with a boating lake, play areas and open lawns. One of the best free family days in the region.
- Rising Sun Country Park, North Tyneside. Trails, wildlife, a play area and space to run off energy, all free.
- The coast. Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Roker and Seaburn are free to enjoy. See our beaches guide for the pick of them.
Money Saver Plan two free days for every paid one during the holidays. A country park in the morning and a beach in the afternoon is a full day out for the price of a picnic.
Paid attractions that give real value
When you do pay, choose places where the value is clear.
- Beamish Museum, County Durham. A large open-air living museum. Its ticket has worked on an annual-pass basis, letting you return within the year, which changes the value if you go back. Confirm the current model before you buy.
- WWT Washington Wetland Centre. Birds, otters, hides and a good play area, with an online advance discount worth checking.
- Life Science Centre, Newcastle. A hands-on science centre that works brilliantly for curious children and rainy days.
- Ocean Beach Pleasure Park, South Shields. Pay-per-ride at the seaside, so you control the spend and can pair it with the free beach.
Family Tip Before you promise a specific attraction, check the age and height suitability for your youngest. It saves both disappointment and money on rides or activities they cannot use.
A cheap week, planned
Here is one way to spread a holiday week without a big bill.
- Free country park day (Saltwell or Rising Sun).
- Free beach day on the coast.
- One paid centrepiece (Beamish, WWT or Life).
- Free museum day in Newcastle.
- A pay-per-ride seaside day at Ocean Beach, with the beach for free alongside.
Frisk Find If an attraction offers an annual pass or a return-within-12-months ticket, work out the cost per visit assuming you go twice. For local families it often beats a single day ticket somewhere else.
FAQs
What is the cheapest day out in the North East with kids?
A free country park or beach. Saltwell Park, Rising Sun Country Park and the coast at Tynemouth or Roker all cost nothing to enter.
Which paid attraction gives the best value?
It depends how often you will go. Attractions with an annual-pass model, like Beamish has offered, can be excellent value for local families who return. Check the current ticket terms.
How do you keep food costs down on a day out?
Take a picnic. Food and drink is usually the biggest hidden cost of a family day, and most parks and beaches give you space to bring your own.
Related reading
- Free things to do in Newcastle
- Best beaches in the North East
- Rainy-day days out in the North East
- Free things to do in Sunderland
Next step
Pick two free days and one paid centrepiece for the week ahead, check the paid attraction's current prices and opening days, and you have a holiday plan that keeps the total down.