20 Things To Do In Newcastle In Your Twenties

Looking for some mid-twenties inspiration in Newcastle? From taking part in the Great North Run and watching Newcastle United to exploring Victorian tunnels and checking out the city’s best music venues, here are some things which you MUST do in Newcastle!

Go to as many gigs as you can

Newcastle is home to some of the best small, independent music venues like The Cluny through to the bigger spaces like the O2 Academy and Metro Radio Arena – how many shows can you get to at the smaller venues? They need your support now more than ever.

Stroll down the country’s best street – Grey Street

BBC Radio 4 listeners voted Grey Street in Newcastle as the UK’s ‘most beautiful and best designed street’, with around 40% of buildings here being listed. Stroll down it for yourself and marvel in its brilliance.

Escape from a room with your mates

These are all the rage at the moment and great for team building exercises – thankfully, Newcastle has a few escape rooms for you to get stuck in to.

Discover the history of the city’s Victoria Tunnel

Used as an air raid shelter to protect Newcastle locals during World War Two, the Victoria Tunnel is packed with history. Originally a coal transport tunnel in the 19th century, visitors can book tours of this iconic tunnel and delve deep in to the heritage of the city.

Watch Newcastle United FC

No trip to Newcastle would be complete without a trip to St. James Park, the home of Newcastle United Football Club. Geordies are passionate about one thing in these parts and it’s NUFC.

But if you hate football, walk on the roof of the stadium instead

If you don’t like football, you can get a great view of the city from the roof of St. James Park instead. No, really! Newcastle United’s rooftop tours take you 150ft above ground level and give you unrivalled, panoramic views across Tyneside.

Take part in the Great North Run

This iconic run is the world’s biggest half-marathon and takes in some of Newcastle’s most picturesque settings along the way. Whether you’re looking for something to train towards, want to give something back to charities and communities or simply have a passion for running, the Great North Run should be near the top of your list.

Visit Newcastle Castle

This 12th-century visitor attraction in Newcastle is known as the gateway to the old city and regularly hosts special events – let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a castle?

Taste every gin at Decantus

With one of the largest selections of gins and tonics in Newcastle, you’d be mad not to to visit Decantus’ Gin Lab. Gin lovers can book gin tasting sessions where gins are paired with tonics and botanics, selected by mixologist to perfectly compliment the spirit. Mine’s a double…

Ride the hop-on, hop-off City Sightseeing bus

If you’re in a hurry or don’t know your way around the city, the hop-on, hop-off City Sightseeing Bus should make things a lot easier for you. This bus tour allows visitors to the city to see stunning panoramic views of Newcastle & Gateshead, while being able to use the bus to visit some of Newcastle’s most popular attractions.

Rave the night away at Cosmic Ballroom

Cosmic Ballroom regularly hosts an array of eclectic electronic DJs and guests over their two intimate spaces – perfect for a rave we reckon. Check out what’s coming up here.

Lose yourself in a good book

There’s nothing better than losing yourself in a good book, and Newcastle Library is perfect for this. Situated near the Laing Art Gallery and home to thousands of books, why not have a day of culture?

Go on a tour of BBC Newcastle

Have you ever wondered how Newcastle’s local TV and radio shows are programmed? Join an official tour of BBC Newcastle for rare insights in to the processes behind making the TV shows or the news, and learn why different things are done in certain ways. Ideal for somebody looking to get into a career in the media or somebody fascinated by TV and radio!

Crawl your way through Newcastle’s independent pubs and bars

There’s nothing better than giving something back to the community, so ditch boring Wetherspoons and head off on an indie crawl of Newcastle’s pubs and bars! Whether you’re after a traditional pub like The Strawberry or something rather different like The Tyne, this city has it all.

Act like George of the Jungle

You’re never too old for a bit of monkeying around and at Beamish Wild you can do exactly that. Pretend you’re George of the Jungle and swing across trees in this two-hour treetop adventure course.

Discover Newcastle’s hidden gems on a walking tour

Sometimes it’s great to just get out on foot and see sides of the city you’ve never seen before. Join one of Newcastle’s walking tours, some of which are free, and see what you can discover!

Step out of your comfort zone at Kommunity

Kommunity is a bar and social space in the heart of Newcastle that invites and inspires people to get stuck in with things that might take them out of their comfort zones, but are great fun. Whether it’s a Cuban salsa dance, swing class or daytime family rave, Kommunity is something that everyone in Newcastle needs to experience at least once.

Try every pizza at Cal’s Own

We all love pizza, and Cal’s Own is up there with the best in the North East of England. Situated in the Jesmond area of the city, Cal’s Own serve up authentic Neapolitan pizzas in their wood-fired oven and their long list of repeated customers speak wonders about them.

Visit an exhibition at the Baltic Centre

One of the leading arts centres in the North East, the Baltic Centre regularly showcases some of the best artists from the region and beyond with an array of wonderful, quirky exhibitions. It’s situated right on the River Tyne, which perfectly leads on to our final recommendation…

And finally – spend a summer afternoon on the Quayside

We think there’s nothing better than a summer stroll along the water and Newcastle’s Quayside is perfect for this. Bustling at all times, this area of the city is home to a number of restaurants, bars and the occasional market too.

Outdoor terrace at Pitcher & Piano, Quayside

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.