Northumberland: home to beaches, Hadrian’s Wall and, erm… what else? As it turns out, actually quite a lot. The northern county, neighbouring Scotland on one side and Newcastle on the other, is probably 2023’s most surprising UK travel destination. It came up four times in Time Out’s list of the 23 best new things to do in 2023, with openings left, right and centre – and honestly, they’re all pretty exciting in their own right.
First up is Ad Gefrin: an epic Anglo-Saxon Museum and English whisky distillery which is set to open in Northumberland in February, with plenty of drams and an ‘immersive learning experience’ to load up on facts about Northumbrian kings and queens. If you think that sounds unusual, it’s nothing compared to Lilidorei: the £15 million children’s amusement park which celebrates Christmas all year round (complete with elves and pixies). It’s due to open in spring, and will apparently be the biggest playground in the whole world.
There’s also the near-complete England Coastal Path – aka the longest continuous hiking path in the world – which winds down from the bottom of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland to follow the rest of the English coast. Finally, there’s The Tempus, a swanky ‘Alice in Wonderland’-themed hotel housed on a private 150-acre estate, for you to rest your head in style after all of the fun is finished.
Check out our full guide to the best new things to do in the UK in 2023 here.
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