The industrial town of Middlesbrough is located in Tees Valley, North Yorkshire, England. Previously thought to be a town in North East England, it had a protracted history on the legal stipulation of its location. In this post, discover things to do and attractions in this offbeat English town. For accommodation, we had previously stayed overnight at the no-frills Travelodge in Middlesbrough for GBP 50 (double room without breakfast). This is a decent accommodation option for budget travellers due to its good location – short walking distance to town centre.
1. Visit the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA)
The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) is a contemporary art gallery located in the town centre. The gallery is situated across Centre Square, a popular public space in Middlesbrough.
2. Bottle of Notes Sculpture
The sculpture is located next to MIMA, was created by two famous artists (Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen). It is almost 35 feet in height and designed to tilt at an angle.
3. Shopping at Middlesbrough High Street and Shopping Centres
In addition to Middlesbrough’s high street, there are essentially four shopping centres located right in the middle of town. They include Cleveland Centre, Hillstreet Shopping Centre, Captain Cook Square and Dundas Shopping Centre.
4. Visit the Campus of Teesside University
Teesside University is a former polytechnic which gained public university status in 1992. Its main campus, situated in the town centre is consisted of several modern buildings which make for good photo taking opportunities.
5. Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is home to Middlesbrough FC, a well-known football team in England – they won the League Cup in 2004. The stadium has a capacity of 34,742 seats.
6. Middlesbrough Town Hall
The Middlesbrough Town Hall is located along Albert Road in Middlesbrough. The Victorian-style building is a Grade II* listed building with a picturesque decorative fountain on its facade. Teesside University’s graduation ceremonies have been regularly held at the town hall.
7. Tees Transporter Bridge
The Tees Transporter Bridge is Teesside’s landmark and a symbol of its industrial heritage. The bridge provides crossing over River Tees and is the longest working transporter bridge in the world. It is also a tourist attraction for extreme sports (e.g. bungee jumping) enthusiasts.
8. Road Trip Across North York Moors National Park
It is highly recommended to travellers to the region to rent a car and drive across the unique North York Moors National Park from Middlesbrough. The Park is located about 20 miles south of Middlesbrough. An interesting touristic spot in the Moors is the Hole of Horcum which is Yorkshire’s Grand Canyon. Horcum Dyke is a ‘wall’ above the hole used as a vantage point. If you are not keen on driving, we would recommend the Whitby and North York Moors day tour from York by Viator (USD 73).
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