What To Do This Weekend
The local shows you'll love, free days out with the family, and the best getaways to avoid Blue Monday
What’s New
Acaiety in Jesmond is Acorn Road’s coolest new addition, blending vintage shopping with delicious açai bowls and coffee. In Berwick, The Book Loft is our new favourite bookshop and comes LJ Ross approved. For a slice of the best, head to North Slice in Harrogate, a new London-inspired pizza bar from the same folks behind Hoxton North. With a location in York and further afield in Chesterfield, we’re thrilled The Savvy Baker has a brand-new location in Leeds – expect unbelievable sweet treats, coffee and matcha. Zibby’s in York is a fun new sandwich joint which delivers on its promise of ‘no sad sandwiches’. Tuck into everything from beef with horseradish and gravy mayo to incredible breakfast stacks.
Out and About
Defy the drizzle and head out into nature with the family. Birdwatching may not be the first activity you think of in January, but despite the chill of winter, redwings, robins and different varieties of woodpeckers can still be spotted when you’re out and about. Choose a section of the new Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve to explore (which has recently been named one of Condé Nast Traveller’s Seven Wonders of the World for 2026 and covers more than 1,200 hectares) and keep your eyes peeled for our feathered friends. Further north, Hauxley Nature Reserve remains a favourite, right by the beach.
Put on a Show
This Sunday (18th) is your last chance to catch Aladdin at Newcastle Theatre Royal featuring Joe McElderry and Chris Hayward, with limited tickets still available. Stop by Leeds City Museum for a night of fantasy at Candlelight: Rings and Dragons this Friday (16th). Until this Sunday (18th) you can catch local legend Jimmy Nail at Newcastle’s Live Theatre where he’ll bring the music of Crocodile Shower to life with an accompanying band.
Nice and Spicy
This Friday (16th) is International Hot and Spicy Food Day, so turn up the heat this weekend. For a great dinner date that delivers on flavour, we love Cilantro in Hexham and Newcastle Quayside. The menu is built around fabulous Indo-Latino tapas and is suited to sharing. Wok Manifesto is a recent addition to Newcastle’s Ridley Place and their spicy dan dan noodles are to die for. Uyare in Leeds is another favourite (from the team behind Tharavadu) and offers an elevated South Indian menu in a luxurious rooftop dining space. Dining in? Swap the regular Sunday roast with a hot and spicy whole roasted chicken instead. If you’re in search of a spicy marg here's some of our favourite local cocktail bars.
Family Time
Get the kids away from the screen this weekend with a free day out. Visiting Northumberlandia makes for a unique day with around four miles of footpaths for the kids to blow off steam. The RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh is a great indoor option, as is the Dales Countryside Museum (which is free for kids under 16 and carers), and Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum always has something interactive and exciting for kids. Need more inspiration? Explore our list of the best things to do in Yorkshire and the North East on a rainy day.
Get Away
Blue Monday is fast approaching but why not skip it altogether with a well-deserved last-minute, long weekend in one of our favourite boltholes not far from home. Wrea Head Hall is an absolute gem of a luxury Yorkshire getaway, as is the fabulous Fauconberg, a welcoming inn in Coxwold. Blow away the cobwebs at the cosy Lord Crewe Arms, Bamburgh or head further north to 100 Princes Street – great for a city break in Edinburgh. For the food obsessed we recommend Cartmel’s L’Enclume or The Angel in Hetton, and a family retreat calls for a stay in one of Darwin Forest’s fabulous lodges.
