Sunderland - and beyond! Suggestions please!

[Quinno]

I've decided to really splash out (!) and spend a little bit of my redundancy money/holiday on a beer trip oop nurf. Thanks to Grand Central offering me a 20% discount, I've bagged first class tickets up to Sunderland for £50.

My knowledge of the area is non-existent, I've never set foot in that bit of the country before.

I am assuming that Sunderland is no more than a day's worth in terms of proper quality, so I have two days spare.

Newcastle is the obvious destination to take care of a day. Everyone tells me it's a cracking drinking city.

Any suggestions for where else is a good bet (no further than 45mins from Sunderland BR)?

Or any absolute must-visits in Sunderland/Newcastle/general area? I don't mind braving a trip out somewhere unusual outside of the city centre if it's worthwhile...

And if anyone wants to hook-up, then feel free. I arrive on the 18th of May mid-afternoon and depart mid-afternoon on the 21st.

[Maldenman]

I studied in Newcastle so know it very well and still visit now and again, but Sunderland I know nothing about. In the Toon, the best bits are around the Quayside and Ouseburn, a bit out of town going east towards Byker but walkable. In the centre there are a few good choices just off the Bigg Market but the area itself is swamped at weekend and either side.
Durham is worth a trip, I've been considering that for my annual mini getaway alone few days, plus there are a few good choices to be had a half hour metro ride out to Tynemouth. Never been but I understand Darlington has something to offer too. Hexham worthy of a punt too. Enjoy wherever you go.
If it is purely a beer trip then ok but if more is involved a trip up the Northumberland coast is recommended, some fantastic places up there.

[Real Ale Ray]

You will most prob do Sunderland in an afternoon. Some good pubs to look out for are, Fitzgeralds, Dun Cow, Isis, Saltgrass and the Kings Arms, which was disappointingly closed on our visit. If you're into your Inventory pubs, you have The Mountain Daisy at Milfield. Only prob is they only have keg offerings and you have to ask to let you have a nose at the tiled bar, which was shut on our visit. If you are heading to Newcastle from Sunderland, I found the overground train quicker than the Metro.

The Crown Posada, The Bridge hotel, and Bodega are good ones. There is an excellent Spoons near the station on three floors called Union Rooms. In Durham, I recommend the Victoria Inn and in Darlington I would go for the Half Moon and the Quaker house.

The choice in Newcastle and Durham is fairly extensive, I advise you to spend the week up there!

[rpadam]

The Crown Posada, The Bridge hotel, and Bodega are good ones.
All run by the local Sir John Fitzgerald chain, as is the aforementioned Fitzgeralds in Sunderland and the one in Whitley Bay - always worth a look if you find one of their outlets.

In central Newcastle, there is the other Bridge (the one under the Tyne Bridge), the Centurion at the central railway station (yes, really!) and many others. Even the Pitcher & Piano down on the Quayside is worth a visit for the view (especially at sunset, but not on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night).

Walking east a bit on the north side of the Tyne, you get the Cluny at Ouseburn and the Cumberland Arms (hidden away up the hill towards Byker but definitely worth the effort...).

On the Gateshead shore, you can get to places like the Wheat Sheaf at Felling and the Alum at South Shields on the metro.

To revert to the original question, I have only been to two of the 'spoons in Sunderland but this leaflet may help:

http://www.camradurham.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SlandRealAleTrail_Feb2014.pdf