Hartlepool Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Hartlepool, County Durham, England, UK)

The town's attraction scene is certainly on the up, with its existing sights being spruced up and joined by some very worthy new additions. The Hartlepool Maritime Experience and the Historic Quay is now the number one tourist attraction in the town, and rightly so, with its heritage ships, popular museum, recreated period shops and beautifully restored quayside, appearing as it would have more than 200 years ago.

For live entertainment in the evening, the Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre is a reliable venue with regular shows, while for wildlife attractions, the Saltholme Wildlife Reserve and Discovery Park, the Tees and Hartlepool Foreshore and Wetlands, and the Summerhill Nature Reserve are all nothing short of exceptional. If you are simply looking for a bite to eat in pleasant surroundings, then the trendy marina will certainly deliver on this front.

Maritime Experience and the Historic Quay

Address: Jackson Dock, Maritime Avenue, Hartlepool, County Durham, TS24 0XZ, England, UK
Tel: +44 01429 860077
The Hartlepool Maritime Experience is the star tourist draw card in town and is made up of a series of individual attractions, which together combine to create the appearance of an authentic 18th-century quayside. The main highlights include the:

• Reception and Gift Shop - with costumed guides, postcards and maritime souvenirs
• Historic Quayside - containing many charming period shops and buildings, such as the Swordsmith, the Admiral's House and the Naval Gunsmith
• Performance Area - featuring regular musketry and cannon displays
• Fighting Ships - an audio-visual presentation taking you around the HMS Prosperity as it would have appeared more than 200 years ago
• Pressganged - a short film about two fictional brothers in 18th-century Hartlepool, forced to join the Royal Navy completely against their will
• Sir William Gray Suite and Baltic Rooms - a function space used for parties, meetings and private receptions
• Skittle Square and Children's Playship - filled with games for younger visitors, including skittles, quoits and a huge adventure playship
• Bistro and Quayside Shop - the perfect place to take a break and enjoy a bite to eat
• Children's Maritime Adventure - mixing education with fun, with activities ranging from tying knots and learning about propulsion, to hoisting sails and killing the ship's pretend rats
• HMS Trincomalee and Ship Reception - the United Kingdom's most historic Royal Navy warship still on water
• Paddle Steam Ship Wingfield Castle - the biggest exhibit here, complete with its own onboard cafe
• Museum of Hartlepool - an award-winning attraction recounting the maritime history of Hartlepool and its residents
• HMS Trincomalee Exhibition - charting the life and journeys of this stunning historical ship, with photos, movies and various artefacts

Open hours: daily, May to October - 10:00 to 17:00; November to April - 10:30 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children, students, families (two adults and up to three children) and seniors

Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre

Address: Raby Road, Hartlepool, County Durham, TS24 8AH, England, UK
Tel: +44 01429 860663
The Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre was built at the very end of the 19th century and has since been used for all manner of theatrical productions, both on a professional and amateur basis. Some of the biggest shows to grace this stage in recent years have included Hartlepool Showtime, the Little Mermaid Musical, and a host of tribute acts, such as Elvis, Pink Floyd, Abba and the Rat Pack. In the middle of January each year, the seasonal pantomime is perfect for families, combining dancing, singing, lavish costumes and humour.
Open hours: box office, Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 14:00 to 16:30
Admission: charge for performances and events

Marina

Address: Hartlepool, County Durham, England, UK
Tel: +44 01429 865744
As Hartlepool has continued to evolve and its overall capacity of the town's docks naturally reduced, the town chose to convert a proportion of the docklands into a luxury marina, with spaces to berth approximately 500 boats. This sparkling marina is now frequented by both pleasure boats and private vessels, and is surrounded by bars, eateries and shops, together with waterfront promenades and some exciting tourist attractions. Recent additions have included enormous 'Walk on Water' transparent balls, and the 'Thundercat Experience', where passengers zoom around the coast on powerboats, at speeds of more than 97 kmph / 60 mph. Discount vouchers are often available at the Tourist Information Centre and can provide considerable savings for these activities.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Camerons Brewery Visitors Centre

Address: Stockton Street, Hartlepool, County Durham, TS24 7NU, England, UK
Tel: +44 01429 868686
The Camerons Brewery now has its own visitors centre and offers a true insight into the history of this old brewery, which has produced local beer in the town for more than 150 years. The actual visitors centre stands within the Stranton Arms pub, to one side of the Lion Brewery site, and has interesting guided tours, where you can see how the Camerons beers are brewed, meet the actual brewers, and more importantly, sample the produce at the licensed bar, with the Camerons Strongarm traditional English bitter coming highly recommended. The onsite gift shop sells an array of souvenirs related to Camerons and brewing in general.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children and seniors, evening tours are also available

Hartlepool Submerged Forest

Address: Hartlepool, County Durham, England, UK
A very unique and important coastal attraction situated directly to the south of the docks, the Hartlepool Submerged Forest is likely to be quite unlike anything you have ever seen before. Stretching for several miles along the shoreline, the Submerged Forest is believed to have begun its life roughly 7,000 years ago, when sea levels gradually rose, preserving the trees and plants within the peaty soil. These petrified remains are slowly exposed by the action of the tide, and also include animal fossils, prehistoric artefacts and various photogenic geological formations.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Tees and Hartlepool Foreshore and Wetlands SSSI

Address: Cleveland, England, UK
Covering more than 250 hectares / 620 acres and deemed to be a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the Tees and Hartlepool Foreshore and Wetlands is a part of the Tees Estuary. Rich in native flora and fauna, these wetlands encompass the Coatham Sands, the Cowpen Marsh, the Seal Sands and South Gare, and each year attract literally thousands of overwintering wading birds, such as curlew and teal. Keep your eyes peeled and you may well also spot some common seals living in this area, particularly around Greatham Creek.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Summerhill Nature Reserve and Outdoor Sports Centre

Address: Summerhill Lane, Hartlepool, County Durham, TS25 4LL, England, UK
Tel: +44 01429 284584
This charming country park resides on the westerly outskirts of Hartlepool, where it spreads for approximately 40 hectares / 100 acres and boasts a multitude of self-guided walking tours. The multi-purpose visitor centre hosts regular exhibitions and events, while next door is a playground for young children. Activities here include archery, birdwatching, climbing at the Boulder Park, a renowned BMX course, and a keep-fit Trim Trail, with outdoor exercise stations along the route. Especially exciting are the aerial walkways at the High Level Ropes Course and the Junior Adventure and Fitness Area (JAFA).
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge for some activities

Saltholme Wildlife Reserve and Discovery Park

Address: RSPB Saltholme, Seaton Carew Road, Port Clarence, Middlesborough, TS2 1TU, England, UK
Tel: +44 01642 546625
One of the country's largest RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) public attractions, the Saltholme Wildlife Reserve and Discovery Park opened as recently as 2009 and lies just over 11 km / 7 miles to the south of Hartlepool, right in the heart of Teeside. Brimming with indigenous wildlife and featuring panoramic views around almost every corner, the Saltholme Wildlife Reserve is worth visiting for its glass-fronted environmentally friendly centre alone. Children will be delighted to discover a wildlife-themed play area. There is also an excellent cafe, allowing you to tuck into locally sourced food whilst marvelling at the awesome views across Saltholme. Seasonal events here include photograph competitions, planting days, barn owl nighttime treks and wildlife rambling.
Open hours: daily, April to September - 10:00 to 17:00; October to March - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: free for RSPB members and those arriving on foot, by bicycle or by bus, charge per car