Darlington Travel Guide

Tourist Guide
Photo by Ian  Hall
Darlington is a historic market town in the Tees Valley, with the town centre newly pedestrianised allowing you to stroll around at your own leisure.

With so many things to see and do in Darlington, and indeed the wider Durham area, Darlington is a great base to explore what this English county has to offer. From townhouse hotels to cosy country bed & breakfasts and guesthouses, there is a range of accommodation choices to suit all tastes and budgets.

Darlington has become a smart choice for shoppers with a lot independent and boutique designer shops for a town of this size, making it easy to find something different. For a night out, enjoy the relaxed friendly atmosphere of Darlington town centre, with an abundance of restaurants and stylish bars, which offer that friendly north east welcome.

Discover the Famous Railway Heritage

The people of Darlington are immensely proud of the town’s world famous rail heritage, so a visit to the Railway Centre and Museum is a must. The museum explains the history of the railways and the impact they had on the people of Darlington. There are also plenty of interactive exhibits that children will enjoy.

Raby Castle in Darlington is fantastic. Take a tour and learn more about its previous inhabitants. The large gardens are lovely with deer roaming freely, providing a wonderful setting. Take the kids along to witness these animals close up.

Just south of Darlington town is the Croft Circuit, which has a year round programme of car and bike racing. If you are a fan of high speed competition, the highlight of the season is the annual British Touring Car Championship weekend in Darlington.

Get to Know Durham

Venture further into Durham and stop of at Durham Cathedral, a world heritage site. The cathedral is a well preserved with plenty to see and admire throughout. Climb its never-ending spiral staircase and be rewarded with fantastic views over Durham at the top.

Bowes Museum should not be missed either a popular attraction for fashion designers. Each room has lots of outfits, furniture and decorations on show and is well worth a visit.

Hardwick Park in Sedgefield is great for a day trip with the whole family. With a mini assault course, ducks to be fed and a variety of walks to choose from, there is plenty to keep the whole family entertained.

The George, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western
The George, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western
3 out of 5
B6275, Darlington, England
The price is £47 per night from 2 Jun to 3 Jun
£47
per night
2 Jun - 3 Jun
Stay at this hotel in Darlington. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking and breakfast. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their reviews. Popular ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (133 reviews)
Clean and spacious rooms.
"Very clean, warm, spacious rooms in the annexe. A very competitive price. The actual main hotel and bar could probably benefit from a but of a recamp."

Reviewed on 6 May 2024

The George, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western
Hall Garth Hotel, BW Signature Collection
Hall Garth Hotel, BW Signature Collection
3 out of 5
Coatham Mundeville, Darlington, England
The price is £49 per night from 2 Jun to 3 Jun
£49
per night
2 Jun - 3 Jun
Stay at this 3-star golf hotel in Darlington. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking and 2 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular ...
8/10 Very Good! (470 reviews)
A nice country club hotel with plenty of character
"The hotel is quite dated which adds a lot of character to the property. The general areas are relatively clean but the room we were booked in has seen better days. There were some cobwebs near the windows and the floor was a bit dusty. We arrived almost midnight and quite tired so didn’t really do ..."

Reviewed on 29 Apr 2024

Hall Garth Hotel, BW Signature Collection
Mercure Darlington Kings Hotel
Mercure Darlington Kings Hotel
4 out of 5
9-12 Priestgate, Darlington, England
The price is £50 per night from 2 Jun to 3 Jun
£50
per night
2 Jun - 3 Jun
Stay at this 4-star eco-certified hotel in Darlington. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 restaurants and 2 bars/lounges. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
8/10 Very Good! (661 reviews)
"The staff were lovley and very accomodating to requests reception offered local food recommendations which we went to and totally enjoyed thanks for a nice stay"

Reviewed on 20 Apr 2024

Mercure Darlington Kings Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Durham City Cottages
Durham City Cottages
2 out of 5
Brandon Lane, Durham, England
Stay at this cottage in Durham. Enjoy free parking, a garden and housekeeping. Popular attractions Brancepeth Castle Golf Club and Oriental Museum are located ...
7.6/10 Good! (345 reviews)
"Property needed a deep clean. I sneezed a lot and had black dust come out of my nose. Heating didn’t work sometimes and the room was quite cold. I booked through Expedia and check out said 11 am and I wasn’t told any check out time by the owner. On the morning of check out a cleaner knocked at the ..."

Reviewed on 22 Apr 2024

Durham City Cottages
Listed Stone Built Folly with original gothic features
Listed Stone Built Folly with original gothic features
Seaham
Stay at this cottage in Seaham. Enjoy a garden. Popular attractions Blast Beach and Hawthorn Hive Beach are located nearby.
9.8/10 Exceptional! (146 reviews)
Beautiful Accommodation / Location
"Brilliant place to stay as a family, very clean and lovely place to stay, location by a private farm in the sticks you’re surrounded by grass, views, water and horses it’s beautiful. Great size accommodation and with modern kitchen and bathroom making staying here great. Located close to mainly areas, ..."

Reviewed on 11 Apr 2024

Listed Stone Built Folly with original gothic features
White House Cottages
White House Cottages
3.5 out of 5
The White House, Brandon Village, Durham, England
Stay at this cottage in Durham. Enjoy free parking and a computer station. Popular attractions Brancepeth Castle Golf Club and Oriental Museum are located ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (26 reviews)
The lovely, quiet location of Brandon Village
"The Hen House cottage was a great place to stay for our trip in the Durham area. The village of Brandon is a beautiful location for going for walks in the countryside and with a great pub/ restaurant called the Bay Horse Inn on 50m away it’s a perfect place to stay. The village is very close to the ..."

Reviewed on 5 Feb 2024

White House Cottages
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Reviews of Darlington

4.1
Top destination
5 - Excellent
22
" "5 - Excellent 33.84615384615385%
4 - Good
30
" "4 - Good 46.15384615384615%
3 - Okay
9
" "3 - Okay 13.846153846153847%
2 - Disappointing
4
" "2 - Disappointing 6.153846153846154%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
3 Dec 2019

A good town for shopping.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
16 Nov 2019

Darlington is a very vibrant and friendly town.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
24 Aug 2019

Area quiet and peaceful.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
16 Aug 2019

Great leisure facilities! Loads of bars, restaurants, shops and cinema close by. I went to meet friends and know immediate area well. Hadn't realised the hotel was so close to centre!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
2 Jul 2019

Great place to live in and visit.

3/5 - Okay

Mr
17 Jun 2019

This Q. is not relevant. The property is in a rural village miles away from Darlington, a busy large town!

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