Sunderland Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, UK)

Close to Sunderland city centre and just a short distance to the north are two extremely popular and enticing beach resorts, those of Roker and Seaburn, where traditional seaside attractions await. After you've had your fill of the sun and sand, you may like to consider a ride on a steam train at the Bowes Railway, or a trip to see the animal attractions at 'Down at the Farm', in the suburb of Houghton Le Spring.

Tourists who have spent the day sightseeing and exploring the city will still find plenty to do as evening approaches. Night-time attractions in the city include eating out at the marina, greyhound racing on Newcastle Road, clubbing at 'The Point' venue, or taking in a show at either the Sunderland Empire or the Royalty Theatre.

Roker and Seaburn Beaches

Address: Roker / Seaburn, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 553 2828
The very accessible sandy beachfront of Roker is slightly closer than Seaburn and is punctuated by a curving stone pier, which was built more than 150 years ago. Water sports are readily available at Roker, with the Marine Activities Centre overlooking the actual beach and offering yachting, sailing, sea kayaking and canoeing. At Seaburn, the beach is another appealing sun trap and is edged by a pedestrianised promenade. These award-winning beaches regularly fill up with tourists and families during the summer months, who come here to sunbathe, build sandcastles and swim in the cold North Sea waters.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Bowes Railway

Address: Springwell Village, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE9 7QJ, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 416 1847
Formerly used as a railway for a local coal mine, connecting Durham with Jarrow, the Bowes Railway is quite historic and is known to date as far back as 1826, when its first stretch was created by none other than George Stephenson (1781 to 1848) - the father of the British railway and creator of the world-famous Rocket steam train. Today, the Bowes Railway is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and features steam train rides most Sundays and during special events, such as the return Santa trains each December, which travel between Springwell and Wrekenton. Further attractions include the chance to get up close to the various locomotives and rolling stock, view the related exhibitions and occasional shunting at the Springwell Colliery Yard. The Kip and Dish tea room is on hand should be require refreshments.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 15:00 (no trains running), train rides on selected Sundays and special event days - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: free, charge for train rides only, discounts for children

Down at the Farm

Address: Stoneygate, Houghton Le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH5 8JG, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 5841873
Certainly something most suitable for visiting families, the Down at the Farm can be found in Houghton Le Spring and is home to a large group of rare breed animals and friendly creatures. These animals include alpacas, chickens, Jacob sheep, Kune Kune pigs, prairie dogs, pygmy goats, red deer, Ryeland sheep, Shetland ponies and a giant Sulcata tortoise. Children will enjoy feeding and handling the animal attractions, playing along the adventure trail, digging in the sandpit, and riding along the barrel train. Down at the Farm is located just 8 km / 5 miles to the south-west of central Sunderland and is therefore only ten minutes away.
Open hours: mid-March to April, and October, Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00; May to September, daily - 10:00 to 17:00; November and December, Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children, families (two adults and up to three children), seniors and groups, children two years old and under are free

Sunderland Marina

Address: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
The city's waterfront has undergone a serious change in its appearance in the past decade, being part of a redevelopment scheme in the city's North Dock area. This historic part of the city, next to the Harbour View, was first created in the 1830s by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806 to 1859) and has now been extended to incorporate this marina, which consists of more than 200 berths and moorings. There are also a number of trendy pavement cafes and restaurants located here, making the very most of the surrounding marina views.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Royalty Theatre

Address: 25 The Royalty, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 7PP, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 565 7945
Sited in the city centre, next to the Royalty Pub, Chester Road and the Retreat, the Royalty Theatre was founded in 1925 and today operates on a purely non-profit basis, being staffed by a team of dedicated volunteers. Frequent dramas and theatrical productions are staged here all through the year and in the past have included touring musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Blood Brothers, the Sound of Music, and We Will Rock You. There are also regular low-budget shows staged here, performed by the resident Royalty Theatre Group. Of interest, renowned film producer David Parfitt (of Shakespeare in Love fame) once took to the stage here and now remains an active patron.
Open hours: hours vary according to performance
Admission: charge for shows, discounts for children and seniors

Sunderland Empire

Address: High Street West, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR1 3EX, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 566 1040
The Sunderland Empire first opened its doors to the paying public in 1907 and certainly lies in the heart of the action, being but a stone's throw from the Minster, the Dun Cow pub, the Crowtree Leisure Centre and the Bridges Shopping Centre. In 2005, more than £4 million was spent refurbishing the Empire and this is certainly reflected in the seating and available facilities. The venue has extremely beautiful Edwardian architecture and is now capable of accommodating audiences of around 2,200 people, making it the biggest theatre in the North-East of England. Everything from stand-up comedy gigs with Ricky Gervais and Jimmy Carr, to West End musical productions are staged here, along with a seasonal Christmas pantomime. Many locals believe that the Empire's backstage is haunted by the ghost of Sid James, who sadly died here in 1976, after suffering a fatal heart attack on stage.
Open hours: hours vary according to performance
Admission: charge for shows, discounts for children and seniors

Silksworth Sports Complex and Ski Slope

Address: Silksworth Lane, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 1PD, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 553 5785
Lying on the south-westerly side of the city and close to the Durham Road (A690), the Silksworth Sports Complex and Ski Slope is certainly the place to go if you have energy to burn. Originally the Silksworth Colliery Site, this attraction used the heaps of waste to create three large dry-ski slopes, the biggest of which stretches for more than 160 metres / 525 feet. Ski and snowboard lessons regularly take place here on the nursery slopes, with private tuition being available if required. Further attractions at the Silksworth Sports Complex include a floodlit athletics track, astro-turf pitches, a skate park, and seasonal ice skating and snow tubing.
Open hours: Monday and Wednesday - 13:00 to 19:00, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - 13:00 to 21:30, Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children and seniors, additional charge for equipment hire

The Point

Address: Holmeside, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR1 3HY, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 510 8680
One of the most popular entertainment venues to open in the city, The Point complex comprises a total of four different venues, named the Arizona Club, the Purple Bar, the Union Nightclub and the Velvet Lounge. This whole building has been the subject of a major multi-million transformation project and has become the place to be seen at night. Resident DJs play the latest music and dance tunes on state-of-the-art equipment, making this leading nightspot perfect for young party animals and clubbers alike.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 20:00 to late
Admission: charge

Stadium Village / Sunderland Aquatic Centre

Address: Millennium Way, Stadium Park, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 1SU, England, UK
Tel: +44 0191 561 6161
Situated alongside the Stadium of Light and next to the River Wear, the Sunderland Aquatic Centre is a spacious sports complex, which comes with an Olympic-size swimming pool, a further pool suitable for diving, Wellness Centre and two exercise studios. Opened in 2008, the Aquatic Centre is part of the Stadium Village area, which was previously the site of the Monkwearmouth Colliery. The focal attraction here is certainly the huge swimming pool, which measures 50 metres / 164 feet in length and is used by both dedicated athletes and children just wanting to have a swim and a splash.
Open hours: Monday, 07:00 to 16:00, 18:30 to 20:00, Tuesday and Friday - 07:00 to 20:00, Wednesday - 08:00 to 20:00, Thursday - 08:00 to 16:00, 18:30 to 20:00, Saturday - 10:30 to 19:00, Sunday - 08:30 to 19:00
Admission: charge, discounts for families, children under 16 years old and seniors over 60 years old swim for free

Information about tourist attractions in Newcastle.