With a four day Easter weekend coming up, there may be time for families to fit in a quick staycation next weekend - at the very least a day trip.
But if you have to wait until summer for your holiday, keep in mind Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, which has just been named one of the 10 best railway-themed family holidays in England by Guardian Travel. The news comes ahead of it hosting its annual steam gala, which takes place on April 9 and 10, where it will host 20 road steam engines and rollers, along with 25 internal combustion vehicles.
The open-air museum has a Waggonway, Colliery Railway and narrow gauge lines on its site, while Rowley Station has been moved and faithfully reconstructed to look as it would have in Edwardian times, with guests able to look around the signal box, waiting rooms and yard.
Visitors can also make their way around the museum by the Beamish Tramway, which currently travels in a horseshoe between The 1900s Town and Foulbridge, as well as learning more about the birth of the railways at the Pockerley Georgian Waggonway. And even for those who aren't into railways, there's still plenty to do - with a 1900s pit village, colliery and town showcasing life before the First World War, a Second World War themed farm, and the newly opened 1950s town.
A spokesman from Beamish Museum said: "Beamish Museum offers visitors a chance to experience engines which are replicas from the very early days of steam travel, and we operate locomotives of varying gauges. The museum regularly hosts steam and transport-related events such as our upcoming Steam Gala, which attract a number of visiting locomotives, as well as our regular Transport Collection Thursdays where visitors get the chance to see some of our amazing transport collections which are less often on display at the museum.
"We are thrilled to have been recognised as one of the best family railway holiday destinations in England and we hope that our visitors continue to enjoy all that the museum has to offer."
And for those who are looking to take the railway theme up another notch, they can stay in a converted railway carriage at nearby Beamish Glamping. The carriage, which opened to customers in early 2021, has a wood-burning stove inside, and a private hot tub on the outdoor decking.
The Guardian Travel's article read: "Travel back in time at this unique open-air museum in County Durham. As well as steam train rides families can stroll through a pit village from the 1900s and explore an Edwardian railway station. Finish with a stop at the vintage fish-and-chip shop."
If you want to read the full article on the best railway-themed family holidays in England, click here.
