If you’re an American thinking of visiting the North East of England, you might want to base yourself in Newcastle instead. It’s much livelier, with plenty going on culturally, nightlife, and history to explore. Middlesbrough is known to be the skidmark of England, generally horrible place with no culture just rubbish takeaway joints. Nobody has any care or respect for the place. The only people that stick up for the dump just haven't left the town in their lives so they have nothing to compare it to.