Sport
For those of a sportier nature, you'll find a range of interests here. The city is known for its football fanaticism, but it doesn't stop there.
There are numerous swimming pools including the Olympic-sized pool at Sunderland Aquatic Centre, the best surfing outside Cornwall at Tynemouth, sailing at Amble and Derwent Reservoir and canoeing, kayaking, surfing and climbing at Adventure Sunderland. There are several Championship standard golf courses in the surrounding area (in fact, more than 80 golf courses in the whole of North East England). Ice skating can be found in Whitley Bay, watch Newcastle Eagles our very successful basketball team at Northumbria University's Sport Central and the Newcastle Diamonds in the British Speedway's Premier League every Sunday evening. For racing of a different nature, have a flutter at Newcastle Racecourse, home to regular meets and the famous Northumberland Plate.
If you'd rather get your exercise a little closer to home, NewcastleGateshead has no short supply of state-of-the-art gyms and leisure centres at a fraction of the price of London's health centres.
You can watch some of England's top cricket at the Durham Riverside cricket ground, Premiership rugby at Kingston Park, football at Newcastle or Sunderland, and international athletics at Gateshead International Stadium where you'll also find Gateshead College's Academy for Sport.
However you choose to stay in shape, make sure you do so in time for the annual BUPA Great North Run each autumn. The world's biggest half-marathon attracts runners of all abilities from all over the world. This is undoubtedly a highlight in the NewcastleGateshead calendar and, even if you're not up to the run, it is a great spectator's day out.