Things to See & Do in Sunderland

Destination Sunderland > Things to See & Do


There’s no excuse not to try something new in Sunderland.

Sunderland has some spectacular coastal walks to suit all ages and energy levels. The sands of the city’s beaches at Roker and Seaburn are the perfect place for walking and jogging, or you can join the increasing numbers of surfers looking for the perfect wave.

St Peters Church, together with St Paul’s church in Jarrow, is to be the UK’s nomination for UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2010.

The award winning Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is another must-see attraction in Sunderland, where the museum tells the city’s story from its early foundations to the present day accompanied by the stunning indoor winter gardens, boasting over 2,000 tropical flowers and plants.

For the energetic types, the Sunderland Wall and Silksworth Sports Complex offer climbing, skiing and snowboarding while the Marine Activities Centre, located close to the beautiful coastline, boasts facilities for windsurfers and kayakers.

Things to See & Do


Herrington Country Park

Home to the annual County Show and other outdoor events, Herrington Country Park offers walks, cycle trails, environmental sculptures and much more. The park also features one of the largest open-air concert sites in the North East and a contemporary children’s play park, designed around a well-known local myth, the story of the Lambton Worm. […]





International Friendship Festival

Sunderland’s favourite family festival returns to celebrate friendship with individuals and communities from Sunderland and around the world. The free event takes place at the Northern Area Playing Fields, Washington, from 11am – 5pm. As well as featuring the popular kite festival, the event plays host to innovative street theatre, exhibitions and international cuisine as […]





Karting North East

Karting North East offers you the opportunity to experience real outdoor racing on our 1200 metre British Championship circuit. Our new fleet of 390cc Biz Thunderkarts offer greater speeds, responsive handling and with on-board displays showing race data, ensure your party enjoys an adrenaline fuelled experience. With up to 25 drivers racing head to head […]





Monkwearmouth Museum

Take a look inside a real Victorian railway station and visit the fascinating ticket office. Watch trains pass by, ‘drive’ a full-size bus cab and let off steam in the brand new children’s gallery. There is also a regular programme of temporary exhibitions and family activities. With a £1million refurbishment to improve accessibility and better […]





North East Aircraft Museum

The North of England’s premier collection of Aviation History and the largest Aviation collection between Yorkshire and Scotland. We have over thirty aircraft on display in various phases of restoration as well as numerous aero engines and other aviation related material. We also have a number of displays reflecting aviation history across the North East […]





NORTH EAST ANGLING SHOW

The first North East Angling Show, which is being supported by Sunderland City Council, is being held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 15th, 16th and 17th April 2011. The show will be open to the public and will feature Game, Coarse, Carp and Sea Angling. small boats and kayaks – and other relevant exhibitors. FRIDAY […]





Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art

Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art brings dynamic and exciting work by artists from the UK and abroad to the city. The gallery opened in 1995 on the top floor of the city library and arts centre at the heart of Sunderland city centre. The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art offers opportunities to artists to create […]





Penshaw Monument

Penshaw Monument is built on Penshaw hill, located opposite Herrington Country Park. It was built in 1844 in honour of John George Lambton, the first Earl of Durham. The Monument stands 136 metres above sea level. It was designed to be a copy of the Theseion, the Temple of Hephaestus, in Athens. It has also […]





SK8CITY – Wheeled Sports Park

SK8CITY, the region’s biggest Wheeled Sports Park at Silksworth Sports Complex Sunderland is a state of the art park for skateboarders, roller bladders and BMX’ers. Designed by skaters for skaters of all levels, whether you are totally serious about wheeled sports or just keen to have a go. Give it try. The park features the […]





Sunderland International Airshow

Sunderland International Airshow is the biggest free airshow in Europe! The two-day event, which attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators to Sunderland’s stunning coastline at Roker and Seaburn, is on from 10am – 6pm. The action packed flying programme features front line jets, vintage aircraft, a parachute display team and aerobatic teams. The spectacular Red […]





Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens combines a museum, art gallery, exhibition space and Winter Gardens to create a stunning visitor attraction in the heart of the city centre. Exciting interactive displays and a host of hands-on exhibits tell the story of Sunderland from its prehistoric past through to the present day. It was established in […]





Sunderland National Glass Centre

Explore the full history of glass making in the UK and see cutting-edge examples of the contemporary glass maker’s art – all for free! Sunderland has a long history of glass making and this modern glass and steel building is dedicated to the creation, exploration and presentation of glass. Just up the road is St […]





Sunderland Wall

Sunderland wall has some of the best route setters in the country, testing the ability of beginners and top climbers alike. You will not find a higher, more impressive Competition Wall in the UK and probably Europe! The climbing wall has an area of 900m2, with future plans taking it up to over 2,500m2! The […]