General information
During opening times the gift shop sells takeaway hot drinks and snacks as well as souvenirs and gifts.
There is public toilets and car parks in the wider reserve on the headland and food truck and ice cream van are usually on site at the North Car Park.
Parking
We recommend using your parking ticket to visit nearby car parking in Whitley Bay for food with an assortment of places to eat or bring a picnic if you want to make a day trip out of your visit (we do not have a café on site).
Charges and more on car parking can be found here.
Dogs
Dogs are permitted on the island and causeway on leads, the beaches are dog friendly in the reserve but please avoid wildlife disturbance.
Assistance dogs are permitted inside the visitor centre and lighthouse.
Causeway
Access to the island is via a causeway and ramp, 5 minutes walk from the car park. There is a ground floor visitor centre with disabled toilet during opening times. There is an accessible beach to the south of the reserve with equipment that can be borrowed. More here.
Conservation
A team of conservation volunteers from St. Mary’s Island Wildlife Conservation Society and wetlands conservation group are based on the reserve and support responsible wildlife watching and conservation.
If you are rockpooling or fossil hunting in the reserve please follow the signage to share our spaces responsibly. No drones are permitted in the reserve without consent to fly.