Marina Activity Centre

The Marina Activity Centre sits right on Seaham Harbour, and it's a proper working waterfront rather than a polished tourist trap. You'll find watersports equipment here - kayaks, paddleboards, that sort of thing - and the whole setup feels genuinely geared towards people who actually want to get on the water rather than just take a photo.

It's ideal for families with older kids or active adults. Younger children might find it a bit dull if they're not water-confident, but teenagers will get a kick out of trying paddleboarding or kayaking in the harbour itself. The setting is genuinely lovely - industrial heritage meets working marina, with old pit buildings still dotted about reminding you this was a coal port not that long ago.

You're only a couple of miles from Peterlee, so it's easily reached, and The Barn at Easington - a top-rated holiday park - is just 2.5 miles away if you're basing yourself in the area. Worth checking their website for current opening times and activity prices before you head down, as the centre operates seasonally.

Allow a couple of hours minimum if you're having a go at something. The real charm here is that it doesn't feel engineered for tourists - you're genuinely at a working harbour watching actual boats and getting a flavour of what this bit of the Durham coast is actually about. Not Instagram-famous, but authentic.