Ideas for a staycation public transport from Newcastle please?

I have some time off soon an a bit of a celebration so am looking for ideas for some day- or two day trips from Newcastle.

Any recommendations please? The destination needs to be reachable by train or bus as we don't drive.

So far my shortlist is:

• York, an overnight stay, museum gardens, guided walks and vintage shops.
• Edinburgh, probably just one day, traditional sightseeing (it's been years since we have been), good food.
• Durham (our favourite day trip location)
• IKEA (yes, really )
• Possibly Alnwick but I'm not sure what the gardens are like in mid- October
• Possibly Whitby, last visit was 1986 so things may have changed a bit, depends on weather

I honestly don't know Scotland at all, so that would be intriguing. Long train trips in nice scenery are great, some cobblestones are required and good food or nature walks hit the spot. Other favourites are botanical gardens or grand estates, vintage shops, guided tours with local volunteers.

Thanks for sharing any memories and recommendations from this part of the island.

 

Hi,

Some comments from a couple of neighbours who have just visited York and Whitby on long weekends, to their surprise for late September both were " absolutely heaving " clearly everyone, particularly overseas visitors, had the same ideas with restrictions being lifted.

If interested York does have the Railway museum, though our choice for Edinburgh would be visiting the Royal Botanic Gardens.

 

(1) Edinburgh, Cream Tea in Princess Street.
(2) York, Railway Museum.
(3) Any garden centres you can find.

 

Thanks everybody, I'm getting so inspired! We are not even remotely interested in railways so York Railway museum is a must- I wouldn't have thought of it.

(We love museums in general, and are always on a hunt for the most unlikely one. There is a Staircase Museum in Durham that proudly displays some real staircases, plenty of photos and literature too- most delightful place )

This is a very nice corner of the planet to live in