Start with the coast at Roker
Roker’s promenade, beach and pier give a coastal visit several possible starting points. A walk towards Seaburn can be paired with coffee or a meal, without needing a tightly packed itinerary. Choose the distance around the weather, daylight and the people coming with you.
Roker Pier can close at short notice in poor conditions. Lighthouse tours are separate bookable activities, rather than access included in a promenade walk. Use the pier operator’s current information and follow closures at the site.
Explore Culture House in the city centre
Culture House at Keel Square is free to visit and houses the City Library, exhibitions and spaces for learning and creative activities. Some sessions require their own booking even though general entry is free. Its programme includes family activities alongside adult workshops and exhibitions.
The venue’s visit page explains entrances, nearby transport and parking. Sunderland station and Park Lane provide different arrival points, so use the route that suits your onward plans. A library stop can fit around shopping or a meal in the centre.
Choose a performance or a castle visit
The Fire Station on High Street West hosts music, comedy, theatre and special events. Arts Centre Washington offers another programme of performances, films, exhibitions and workshops. Washington is within the wider city, but it is a separate journey from Sunderland city centre.
Hylton Castle on Craigavon Road combines a historic setting with bookable visits and community events. Choose a specific visit or activity through the castle’s own programme. General interest in the building does not establish that a tour is running when you arrive.
Make an outdoor plan beyond the seafront
Penshaw Monument and nearby woodland offer a different landscape from the coast. The National Trust’s visitor page is the starting point for the site, access and travel information. The approach involves a hill, so choose it with your group’s mobility and conditions in mind.
For an indoor cultural plan, use current venues rather than old attraction lists. Sunderland Museum is closed for redevelopment and the National Glass Centre has permanently closed. Our events guide focuses on activities with current organiser information.
Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
More local guides
- About Sunderland: coast, river and local neighbourhoods
- Sunderland community contacts: local help and ways to get involved
- Shopping in Sunderland: independent shops, homewares and local stops
- List your business in the Sunderland Directory
- What’s on in Sunderland: November and December 2026