Newcastle

Things To Do When It Rains In Newcastle

I’m definitely not the first person to blog about this, and this post has been sitting in my drafts for the whole of winter so far. Many of the posts already out there are very much focus on how to entertain kids when it’s raining, but what about adults? We need entertaining too! I hate being cooped up at home, especially at weekends, and although there is something very comforting about being cosy inside when the weather is hideous outside, that’s not to say you always have to be. Take a look at my suggestions on things you can do when it rains in Newcastle.

Newcastle when it rains

Ghetto Golf, Hoult’s Yard 

I’ve now done this a few times, as a date night for myself and Kieran when it first opened, as a work night out, and as a group Valentine’s day session just a couple of weeks ago. It’s so much fun, and in my opinion better than any other crazy golf option out there.

Located at Hoult’s Yard, you have to arrive half an hour before your time slot, so you can get the drinks in, and you can drink the full way round the 18 hole, adult only course. There’s a big bar area, and an area for food too, so you can easily pass a good few hours here.

It’s a lot of fun, and perfect for when the weather is crap as it certainly won’t dampen your fun. Read my full post on Ghetto Golf from when I attended the opening here.

Ghetto Golf Newcastle

Tyne Bank Brewery, Hoult’s Yard

Also located at Hoult’s Yard, the Tyne Bank Brewery can be combined with a trip to Ghetto Golf, or just on it’s own. As well as sampling one of the on site brewed beers, there’s TV’s showing sport, live music, a kitchen serving Asian style food, and an event program. All indoors, all there for a good time.

tyne bank brewery

Lane 7

There’s plenty of different options to keep you entertained, and dry if the weathers bad at Lane 7 up near St James’. Bowling is obviously the most popular, but there’s also ping pong, beer pong, pool, mini golf and karaoke too.

With food options and packages available that combine multiple activities, it’s another good one for groups, or for date night.

More details and how to book on the Lane 7 site.

https://www.instagram.com/p/y_66sWSsnh/

Cake Stories, Jesmond

This one is less of an activity, and more of a really cosy place to be if you need to be inside but don’t want to be stuck in at home. Cake Stories on Brentwood Avenue are open from early on for breakfast, right through to include late night coffee. It’s a good spot to get some work done in a different environment, or catch up with friends over some cake. If you’re lucky you’ll bag the really comfy sofas in the window.

Newcastle when it rains

The Baltic

An iconic sight on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has a lot more to offer than just the art exhibitions and galleries on display. It’s free to visit, open seven days a week, and offers a multitude of activities, all with fantastic views of the Newcastle quayside.

There’s whatever art displays and installations are resident at the time you visit, but there’s also a library, a shop selling local souvenirs, two viewing points including a platform and an outdoor terrace, and the fabulous SIX restaurant on the rooftop that does afternoon tea, and an evening dining experience.

All inside, and all sheltered from the elements that always seem so much more extreme on the banks of the Tyne.

Find more on the BALTIC here.

Millennium Bridge

Bridge Tavern, Quayside

Although it’s pretty obvious that any pub in Newcastle is going to be full to the rafters most days, especially when it’s miserable out, but the Bridge Tavern gets a mention because even when it’s raining, you can still use the outside terrace, stay warm under the heaters and be sheltered by none other than the Tyne Bridge.

The food is delicious, and they accept dogs, so all in all a great place to spend an afternoon whatever the weather.

For other bars in Newcastle with outside terraces read my full post, but I can’t promise all of them offer the same atmosphere, view and shelter if it’s raining!.

Guide to Christmas in Newcastle

The Biscuit Factory, City Road

An art gallery that seems just that bit cooler than most, I really enjoy visiting the Biscuit Factory, for all the local artwork particularly, but also the gift shop which sells everything from jewellery and cards, handmade crafts, to homeware and prints.

It’s a gorgeous building, and is also home to the contemporary Artisan social space for private dining and events, but for public dining head to the Factory Kitchen Cafe. Here you can enjoy brunch, views of the Ouseburn Valley, or afternoon tea before you browse the gallery itself.

Find out more on the Biscuit Factory here.

The Biscuit Factory

Grainger Market 

Newcastle’s oldest market in the Grade 1 listed building has over 100 stalls, shops and traders, and there’s not much you can’t buy in there. You could spend hours wandering the alleys, and sampling all the different types of food on offer.

Get your weekly shop done for a fraction of the price of supermarkets with all the fruit, veg, fish, cheese and butcher stalls, pay the girls at Pet Lamb Patisserie a visit for home made cakes, get a croissant or macaroon from the French Oven, or try being a bit more sustainable at Nill Living.

weigh house Grainger market

Shark Bar at The Sandman

A bar I used to love spending all day Saturday in, Newcastle’s best sports bar right by St James’ Park. TV screens everywhere, amazing chicken wings, where better for sports fans to spend a whole day.

Everyman or Tyneside Cinema

I was very impressed with Everyman cinema on Grey Street when I went before Christmas, it was absolutely worth the extra cost to make a cinema trip a bit more special. Comfy sofa seats, a stylish bar, food and drinks delivered to your seat, it was the ultimate fancy cinema experience.

Everyman Cinema

Tyneside Cinema is also a good option that’s a bit different. As well as normal film showings they do special screenings, broadcast Royal Shakespeare Company performances, and have a bar and restaurant that does pretty good food too.

Ultimate Guide to Newcastle in 2019

The Gate

I’m not personally a fan of the Gate or the area around it, but there is plenty of things to do inside. Bars and restaurants including favourites like Nando’s, Pizza Hut and Starbucks, the cinema, the casino, and right next door the new Eden offers a lovely Bottomless Brunch.

Just along the road is Mr Mulligan’s Space Golf too.

The Forge Apartments, Newcastle
Eden, Newcastle

Stack and the new Lonewolf Ice Bar

It may be open air but there’s plenty areas of Stack that are undercover, and it always has a good atmosphere. As well as some independent shops and retailers, there’s plenty of choice for food, drinks and snacks, as well as varying entertainment.

The new novelty bar at Stack is currently an ice bar. Minus temperatures, ice sculptures and full ice coat and glove hire comes as standard. I don’t think I’ll be visiting, I think it’s overpriced and not really something I’d do, but it’s there for the next three months.

Guide to Christmas in Newcastle

Book yourself in for a Beauty session

So many great beauty salons in Newcastle, and most people have their favourites. I’m a big fan of Jesmond Beauty Clinic, Nail Box in Heaton, and more recently Mylogica at the City Aesthetics Clinic where I was given a complimentary massage. It was a great way to switch off for an hour, and forget the world outside.

Things to do when it rains in Newcastle

So if Ciara, Dennis and however many more storms decide to batter the North East in the coming weeks at least there’s plenty you can do to keep yourself occupied, and dry…when it rains in Newcastle. After all when it rains up here, it bloody pours.

Other posts you might like:

6 Places To Go For Bottomless Brunch in Newcastle

Everywhere you can fly direct from Newcastle in 2020

All the Bars & Pubs in Newcastle with Outdoor Terraces

The Sunday Quayside Market

Ghetto Golf at Hoult’s Yard

  1. Chloe - New Girl in Toon

    20th February 2020 at 6:48 am

    Something tells me I’ll be using this guide as a reference whenever it rains now – so many great ideas! I particularly get stressed when we have people visiting and the weather is wet because I just don’t know what to do with them .. you have saved the day!

  2. Helen

    26th February 2020 at 8:40 pm

    I love this! I could spend hours in the Grainger market so always head there when it’s raining!

  3. February 2020 Round Up | Stephanie Fox Blog

    29th February 2020 at 6:01 am

    […] If you haven’t yet been to Ghetto Golf I would highly recommend it, adult only fun and the food is really good, it made my list of things to do in Newcastle when it rains which is one of the blogs I shared this month. Have a read of my other rainy day suggestions here. […]

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