In and around Whitley Bay

The seaside resort of Whitley Bay has a history dating back to the 12th Century and has been popular with visitors since Victorian times when the railway opened up the coast to visitors from nearby Newcastle upon Tyne. Whitley Bay Metro Station, an impressive Grade II Listed building, is a short walk up the Esplanade and Station Road. Located just outside on Station Road is a rare K4 telephone box/post office kiosk. Now Grade II listed, the kiosks were unpopular and withdrawn from service but this one somehow remained.

The town centre is nearby and is reached by turning right along Whitley Road at the top of Esplanade. There are a number of independent shops on Whitley Road and Park View selling fresh local produce, fashion and gifts. You will also find a fine choice of places to enjoy a coffee and a cake or a pub meal. Park View Shopping Centre has many familiar high street names as well as some specialist retailers. The town also has a number of hotels and guest houses.

North of here is Whitley Park which features a play site and water park and is only a two minute walk from the seafront. The nearby Playhouse in Whitley Bay is a state-of-the-art 630 seat auditorium which has regular performances from top national and international names in music, comedy, dance and drama. It also hosts local productions as well as children's shows including pantomimes.

The Links is an open green space on the seafront popular for walking, ball games and kite flying.

The Grade II Listed Spanish City Dome building is one of the iconic images of Whitley Bay and opened in 1910 as a theatre, restaurant, roof garden and promenade. Did you know that the Spanish city Dome played host to the top names in the music industry throughout the 1980s and 1990s, such as The Jam in 1982, The Cure in 1985, Oasis in 1994 and the Stone Roses in 1995.