There are plenty of places for dinosaur fans in the North East to enjoy a dinomite family day out (sorry!). Here are a few ideas, including larger-than-life dinos, special events and shows, adventure golf and free activities, along with a few ideas further afield if you’re planning a special trip.
To view a quick summary of special one-off events in date order click here. You can also find some fun dino-crafts and activities to try out here.
Details are subject to change, please check directly with organisers using the purple links below. Facebook links are provided for the latest updates, followed by additional links with more info where available.
Dinosaur Encounter Morpeth – Miniature Golf
📌 Heighley Gate Wyevale Garden Centre, Morpeth, NE61 3DA
🦕 Jurassic themed miniature golf course featuring a host of life-sized dinosaurs, water features and moving Spinosaurus and Brachiosaurus dinos.
🎟️ £3-£5.40 pp | Family: £18 (2nd round half price)
👉 More info here
Great North Museum: Hancock – Fossil Stories Gallery
📌 Newcastle, NE2 4PT
🦕 See a full size T-rex skeleton and real fossils. Plus, Ancient Egypt gallery, Living Planet gallery with great white shark, Planetarium (charges apply) and more.
🎟️ Free (donations welcome), no booking needed
👉 More info here
Love Exploring – Dinosaur Safari Trails
🦕 Free app with augmented reality walking games, designed to help families and friends enjoy adventure outdoors. Fun games and guided trails include Dinosaur Safari, Space Walk and Tree Fairies, in a number of popular locations, including:
📌 Gateshead: Saltwell Park, Gibside, Riverside Park, Rowlands Gill, Chase Park
📌 South Tyneside: South Shields Sea Front, The Word Riverside, Whitburn, Hebburn Riverside Park
📌 Co Durham: Wharton Park, Harwick Park, Wynyard Woodland Park, Preston Park
📌 Northumberland: Carlise Park
🎟️ Free, no booking needed
👉 More info here
Rexys Reviews Dino Store – The Dino Den
📌 South Shields, South Tyneside, NE33 4NQ
🦕 Jurassic fans can shop in store or online to find all range of dinosaur related merchandise, from books, games and toys to vintage collectables and memorabilia.
👉 More info here
Sunderland Winter Gardens – Jurassic Gardens
📌 Sunderland SR1 1PP
🦕 A museum, art gallery, exhibition space and Winter Gardens – a tropical paradise with over 2,000 plants, tree top walkway, Koi Carp and hidden dinosaurs.
🎟️ Free, no booking needed
👉 More info here
Teessaurus Park – Sculpture Park
📌 Middlesbrough, TS2 1QE
🦕 A 10 acre park on the banks of the River Tees with huge colour models of a T-rex, stegosaurus, triceratops, brontosaurus, brachiosaurus and a woolly mammoth.
🎟️ Free, no booking needed
👉 More info here
Tynemouth Park – Lost World Adventure Golf
📌 Tynemouth, North Tyneside, NE30 4JL
📅 Seasonal opening
🦕 Miniature golf course with tropical landscape and giant dinosaurs. Plus, Jungle Wipeout giant outdoor inflatables and Pirate Quest maze.
🎟️ £4-£5 pp
👉 No booking needed. More info here.
Events & Experiences
Adventure Valley – Dino Week
📌 Union Hall Farm, Co Durham, DH1 5SG
📅 27th May – 4th June 2023
🦕 Dinosaur shows, meet & greet baby dinosaurs, follow the dinosaur trail to earn a certificate, photo ops and full access to the adventure park activities and attractions.
🎟️ From £13.95 pp (babies & 1 year olds free)
👉 More info here
The Animal Guyz – Animals Unleashed
📅 22nd April @PLAYHOUSE Whitley Bay, NE26 1LZ
📅 23rd Oct @Rainton Arena, Houghton Le Spring, DH4 5PH
🦕 An entertaining and educational 1 hour live show packed with animal effects, bringing incredible life-like and size animals to the stage in a wild and exciting show, including dinosaurs from the past, elephants, saltwater crocodiles, Orangutans and more. Suitable for all ages.
🎟️ £9-£17.95 pp
👉 More info here
Byron Place – Meet the Dinosaurs
📌 Seaham, Co Durham, SR7 7DR
📅 Wed 30th Aug 2023
🦕 Meet the baby dinos, dino story time with the rangers and free face painting
🎟️ Free, no booking needed (donations welcome for charity fundraising)
👉 More info here
Dinosaur Invasion Days
📅 22nd-23rd April 2023 @Morpeth, Northumberland
📅 29th April – 1st May @Blyth Beach, Northumberland
📅 15th – 16th July @Ward Jackson Park, Hartlepool
📅 5th – 6th Aug @Wallsend, North Tyneside
📅 19th – 20th Aug @Newbiggin Promenade, Northumberland
🦕 Live roaming dinosaurs, fairground rides, carnival games, bouncy inflatables, face painting and food and sweet stalls.
🎟️ Free entry
👉 More info here
Dinosaur Adventure Live
📅 1st Aug 2023 @Tyne Theatre Opera House, Newcastle
📅 30th Oct @Queens Hall Arts Centre, Hexham, Northumberland
🦕 Interactive stage show joining the Rangers on a quest to recover the data crystal and save Dinosaur Island. Learn their history with dino facts, meet baby dinosaurs and come face-to-face with a roaring T-Rex.
🎟️ From £15 pp
👉 More info here
Dinosaurs Hit Crook & Willington
📅 1st April: ROARSOME Roadshow @Spectrum Leisure, Willington, Co Durham
📅 2nd April: Baby Dino’s Roadshow @Crook Cricket Club, Co Durham
🦕 Interactive show with fun facts about dinosaurs from Ranger Rob, and the chance to get up close and personal… meet baby dinosaurs as they hatch, along with the first Indominus Rex in the UK and the 7 metre T-Rex – the largest in the UK, and more!
🎟️ £3-£4 pp
👉 More info here
Dinosaur Invasion
📌 Central Park, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 1RA
📅 Sat 18th – Sun 19th March 2023
🦕 Funfair rides and dinosaurs roaming every 30 minutes. Hosted by Cramlington Blue Star FC. 12-4pm.
🎟️ FREE entry
👉 More info here
Dinosuar World Live
📌 Northern Stage, Newcastle, NE1 7RH
📅 23rd – 25th June 2023
🦕 An entertaining and mind-expanding Jurassic adventure, live on stage. Meet a host of impressive creatures, including the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Giraffatitan and more, including a special meet and greet after the show. Recommended for ages 3+.
🎟️ From £10 pp
👉 More info here
Holmside Park – Baby Dino Week
📌 Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, DH7 6EY
📅 6th, 7th & 10th Feb 2023
📅 22nd, 23rd & 26th May
🦕 Dino-themed activities, such as dinosaur egg hunt, themed crafts, Holmside Rangers and baby dino puppets, included with access to the adventure park activities and attractions.
🎟️ 1-3yrs: £9 | 4yrs+: £15 (adults go free)
👉 More info here
Holmside Park – Dino Rextacular
📌 Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, DH7 6EY
📅 Weekends 4th-19th March 2023
📅 Weekends 10th-25th June (excluding 18th)
📅 Weekends 9th-17th Sep
🦕 A woodland trail including dinosaurs, giant moving raptor, den building & dino bone hunting, included with access to the adventure park activities and attractions.
🎟️ Children: £15-£21 | Guardians: £9-£15
👉 More info here
Jurassic Live Show
📅 1st-2nd July 2023 @Vertu Motors Arena, Newcastle
📅 23rd-24th Sep 2023 @The Stockton Globe, Co Durham
📅 27th Jan 2024 @Sunderland Empire
🦕 A 90-minute full stage touring production with special effects, professional puppeteers and realistic dinosaurs live on stage along with prehistoric birds flying right over your heads!
🎟️ Child: £12.50 | Adult: £18
👉 More info here
Roustabout Theatre – Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish
📌 ARC Stockton Arts Centre, Stockton, Co Durham, TS18 1LL
📅 24th & 25th Feb 2023
🦕 Roustabout Theatre presents a fun and engaging family show, involving a riotous environmental tale with dancing dinosaurs fuelled by rock’n’roll. Ages 3+.
🎟️ £6.50-£8 pp
👉 More info here
Royal Quays – Jurassic Quays
📌 Royal Quays Outlet Centre, North Shields, NE29 6DW
📅 Wed 26th July 2023
🦕 Meet & greet with realistic 7.5m T-Rex, Raptor and dino babies. Plus new QR code feature allowing you to explore virtual worlds. 11am – 3pm.
🎟️ Free, no booking needed
👉 Updates here
Teessaurus Park – Dino Days
📌 Middlesbrough, TS2 1QE
📅 23rd Oct 2021 | 15th Oct 2022
🦕 Resident giant sculptures of huge dinosaurs with AR trail, plus walkabout dinosaurs, ranger story time, mask making, fossil workshops and facepainting.
🎟️ Free, no booking needed
👉 More info here
Further Afield
Blair Drummond Safari Park – Walk-Through Dinosaurs
📌 Blair Drummond, Stirling, Scotland FK9 4UR
🦕 Prehistoric forest with over twenty life-size stomping, screeching dinosaurs, including a 21m diplodocus and a fearsome T-Rex.
🎟️ £15-£21 pp
👉 More info here
Edinburgh Zoo – Walk-Through Experience
📌 Edinburgh, Scotland, EH12 6TS
🦕 Walk through experience featuring moving and roaring animatronic dinosaurs.
🎟️ Adult: £21.95 | Child: £13.95 (under 3s free)
👉 More info here
Floors Castle – Dino-Floors Event
📌 Kelso, Scotland, TD5 7RL
📅 3rd June 2023
🦕 An immersive interactive day featuring 3 Dino Shows, interactive walkabouts, selfie zone, Dino Babies, Jurassic Playground, Winged Pterosaur, dressing up, Sit-on Statues, Hatching eggs and more.
🎟️ £20 pp
👉 More info here
Gulliver’s Valley Resort – Lost World
📌 Sheffield, S26 5QW
🦕 Walk-through experience with more than 30 dinosaurs, with moving, roaring dinos, special appearances to meet roaming life-like dinosaur, reptile and bug centre and Jurassic River ride. Dinosaur-themed accommodation also available for overnight stays.
🎟️ Dinosaur & Farm Park Tickets: £15 pp (under 90cm free)
👉 More info here
Lightwater Valley – Dino-Roar Adventures
📌 Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 3HT
📅 25th March – 1st May 2023
🦕 Easter experience including Meet & Eat, Crazy Caveman UV Puppet Show, Dino Face Painting, Dino Egg Painting, Rex’s Story Trail, Dino UV Disco and Jurassic Adventure Golf (charge applies).
🎟️ Theme Park Day Tickets: £26.50 pp (under 90cm free)
👉 More info here
Totally Roarsome – Woodland Trail
📌 Arley Hall, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6NA
📅 17th Feb-26th March 2023
🦕 A family-friendly trail around a world of dinosaurs, wild animals, pirates and unicorns (& much more!). Complete the quiz and explore the 1.5km track, with hundreds of photo opportunities.
🎟️ £8.95 pp |£30 family (under 2s free)
👉 Book here
West Midland Safari Park – Land of the Living Dinosaurs
📌 Worcestershire, DY12 1LF
🦕 Walk-through with giant moving dinosaurs transporting you back in time through the Permian, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
🎟️ £22 pp (0-2 years free)
👉 More info here
York Maze – Jurassic Maize
📌 North Yorkshire, YO19 5LT
📅 Seasonal opening, from July
🦕 6 themed mazes, including the Jurassic Maze.
🎟️ £22 pp (0-2 years free)
👉 More info here
Yorkshire Wildlife Park – Pangea
📌 Doncaster, Yorkshire, DN9 3HQ
🦕 Walk-through experience with over 30 life-sized moving dinosaurs, from the T-Rex to Velociraptors, including moving, spitting and roaring dinosaurs.
🎟️ From £17.50 pp (under 3s free)
👉 More info here
Plus… at The Yorkshire Hive, Yorkshire Wildlife Park:
🦕 Uproar Play Barn: Jurassic-themed soft play with roaring Tyrannosaurus Rex, soaring Pterodactyls, volcano slide and design your own interactive 3D Dinosaur.
👉 More info here
🦕 Evolution Experience Restaurant: An immersive dining experience with live actors and two themed areas: Jungles & Dinosaurs and Temples & Dragons.
👉 More info here
There’s plenty on Gateshead Mumbler to help keep little ones (and big ones!) busy, check here for more ideas and info for playgroups, classes and fun days out from tots to teens!
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