Things to Do in North Shields
From the acclaimed restaurants of the Fish Quay to a ferry ride across the Tyne and a Georgian town centre steeped in seafaring history, North Shields packs a lot into one riverside town.
Eat & Drink in North Shields
Restaurants, pubs, cafes, and coffee shops — our full guide to North Shields's food and drink scene.
Explore →The Fish Quay & Beyond
The Fish Quay is the heart of North Shields, ringed by heritage landmarks, with Victorian parkland and a riverside fort close by.
The Fish Quay
The town's signature destination. A working fish quay, still home to fish merchants, now wrapped in a cluster of acclaimed restaurants, bars and cafes. In 2025 the quay marked 800 years of fishing here.
The best place in North Shields for a waterfront meal or a riverside walk.
Northumberland Park
A Victorian public park established around 1885 and restored in 2015. Lawns, planting and play areas make it an easy green break a short walk from the town centre.
Free to visit, with play areas for younger children.
Clifford's Fort
A coastal fort built in 1672 at the mouth of the Tyne to guard the river. Now a scheduled monument on the Fish Quay, its walls are a quiet spot to take in the river.
A scheduled monument dating back to the seventeenth century.
The High & Low Lights
The historic Trinity House leading lights on the quay. Lined up by ships to steer safely into the harbour, these landmark towers are among the most recognisable features of North Shields.
Trinity House navigation towers, a lasting quayside landmark.
Ferry & Heritage
Cross the Tyne on the last passenger ferry, or explore the quayside heritage that shaped the town.
The Shields Ferry
The last passenger ferry on the Tyne, operated by Nexus. It runs roughly every 30 minutes, seven days a week, on a crossing of about seven minutes between North Shields and South Shields aboard the Pride of the Tyne and Spirit of the Tyne. A genuine little day out.
The Old Low Light Heritage Centre
A heritage gallery, exhibitions and cafe on the Fish Quay, housed in a former Trinity almshouse known as the old Low Light. A good starting point for understanding the town's fishing story.
The Wooden Dolly
A North Shields seafaring tradition of carved fishwife figures dating back to 1814. The best-known twentieth-century Dolly, a Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson carving long associated with Northumberland Square, was moved indoors to North Shields Library after being vandalised.
Northumberland Square & the Georgian Town Centre
The planned Georgian squares and Howard Street sit above the river, with the bankside stairs leading down to the quay. A rewarding route for a heritage stroll through the old town.
Arts, Shows & Shops
Live music and theatre, a town-centre shopping hub, and heritage on the quay.
The Exchange 1856
A Grade II listed former corn exchange on Howard Street, now a music, comedy and theatre venue with a capacity of around 450. A cornerstone of the town's cultural life.
The Beacon Centre
The town-centre shopping centre beside the transport hub, with the main shops, services and easy Metro, bus and ferry connections all close together.
The Old Low Light Heritage Centre
Exhibitions, community events and a quayside cafe telling the story of North Shields and its fishing heritage, all within a former Trinity almshouse on the Fish Quay.
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This Weekend
Heritage Talk: The Fish Quay Through Artists' Eyes
See booking · Old Low Light Heritage Centre
Crank It Up! 2026, Beamish Museum
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM · Beamish Museum
Heritage Open Day at Woodhorn
See listing · Woodhorn Museum
AJ Bell Great North Run 2026
10:30 AM · Newcastle to South Shields