If You Go: Northeast Roadtrip!

When my friend Christine booked her trip with reward miles, she flew into Leeds and out of Edinburgh.  This provided the most perfect excuse for a Northeast roadtrip.  We managed to pack in castles, crazy seafood, and extensive shopping in just 48 hours.  For friends who are local, this was a great itinerary and fun few days!

Day 1 - Northeast Coast 

• Seaham Beach: Known for its seaglass, the beach is super pebbly and if you dig just a bit there are shards of sea glass to harvest.  Apparently a century ago there was a bottle factory not far from the beach.  A great morning! 
• Alnwick Castle: Famous for being the site of Harry Potter's castle in movies 1+2, Alnwick is exactly what you think a castle should look like!  For kids, it has a Quidditch pitch and its garden is stunning...and includes the Poison Garden (which shows up on every crazy garden list).  After you're finished with  your visit, stop by the Tree House for a coffee...the largest in the UK (maybe Europe!)
• Barter Books: This is an old train station that has been converted into an incredible used book store.  If you have a kid who is into trains (my brother was!) - this is the perfect place to visit and find some inspiration to read.  
• Marshall Meadow Country House: Adorable hotel along the coast.  The northernmost hotel in England, you can stroll to the border of Scotland within a 10 minute walk.  The restaurant here is unbelievable...you MUST order the seafood platter.  My biggest regret was not having my phone with me to snap a photo of this incredible food! 

Day 2 - Edinburgh 

• Britannia: The Queen's Yacht from 1953 - 1997, the tour allows visitors to see the famous state rooms, the navigation rooms, and the sailor's quarters.  It was really amazing to see this...especially after seeing other palaces like Buckingham and Windsor.  A true floating palace!
• Edinburgh Castle: P and I had visited before, but we had a great visit with much better weather this round.  Amazing history and always great to see the crown jewels.
• Marchbrae: This is where I got the original gifts from Edinburgh, which Christine loved...soo we went back to visit.  I came home with a new Harris Tweed Coat for Alfie + lots of fun scarves for gifts.  Love this shop! 
• Apex Grassmarket: Love the Apex hotel brand so much...this one did not disappoint!  In addition to giving us a nice big room with two beds, we also were upgraded to a castle view room.  Walking distance to the best boutique shopping, this was a great spot for a night!