Yorkshire
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Yorkshire - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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20 Recommendations
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1. National Railway Museum
A must for train lovers, Britain's biggest railway museum houses part of the national collection of rail vehicles. Don't miss such gleaming giants of the steam era as the Mallard, holder of the world speed record for a steam engine (126 mph), and a replica of the prototype steam engine, the Rocket. Passenger cars used by Queen Victoria are on display, as is the only Japanese bullet train to be seen outside Japan, along with railway-related art, posters, and memorabilia. You can climb aboard some of the trains and occasionally take a short trip on one. There's also a miniature railway, very popular with kids (£3.50). Admission is by pre-booked ticket only.
Leeman Rd., York, York, YO26 4XJ, England03330-580058Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. when school is in session -
2. Newby Hall
Built in the 1690s by Sir Christopher Wren with 18th-century additions and interiors by Robert Adam, this country house, still home to the original family, is one of Britain's finest examples of 18th-century interior decoration. Of particular note is the ornamental plasterwork, Chippendale furniture, the domed Sculpture Hall devoted to Roman statuary, and the Tapestry Hall, which boasts priceless Gobelin tapestries. The 25 acres of gardens are justifiably famous; a double herbaceous border running down to the river separates garden "rooms," each flowering during a different season. A miniature railroad, playground, dollhouse and teddy bear exhibitions, and pedal boats amuse kids. Entry to the house is restricted to one-hour guided tours, which run from April to September.
Skelton-on-Ure, North Yorkshire, HG4 5AE, England01423-322583Sight Details
Rate Includes: £26, £24 pre-booked; gardens only £22, pre-booked £19, Closed Mon. Sept.–June. -
3. Bark Endeavour
This scaled-down replica of Captain Cook's ship was built by local craftspeople using original drawings and specifications, and it includes hardwood decks, detailed rigging, and carved timber moldings. The ship runs 20-minute tours of Whitby harbor and excursions along North Yorkshire's Jurassic coast as far as Sandsend, accompanied by commentary on Cook's life and Whitby sights. Note that sometimes tours don't run in bad weather.
Pier Rd., Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3PU, England07305-722908Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5 harbor tour; £10 coast tour -
4. Castle Museum
In an 18th-century building whose elegance belies its former role as a debtors' prison, this quirky museum includes a replica York street that re-creates the Victorian shopping experience, notable domestic interiors, more than 100 historic patchwork quilts, a toy gallery, and Christmas cards sent during World War I. You can also visit the cell where Dick Turpin, the 18th-century highwayman and folk hero, spent the night before his execution and an exhibition that looks back on 400 years of fashion.
Tower St., York, York, YO1 9RY, England01904-687687Sight Details
Rate Includes: £14 -
5. DIG
This reproduction of an archaeological dig in and beneath an old church is a great way to inspire an interest in history and archaeology in young people. A venture by the people behind the Jorvik Viking Centre, DIG is supervised by knowledgeable experts. Kids dig in the dirt to "find" Roman or Viking artifacts, and everyone heads to the lab afterwards to learn what previous archaeological finds discovered on the site have revealed about former inhabitants.
St. Saviourgate, York, York, YO1 8NN, England01904-615505Sight Details
Rate Includes: £8; joint admission with Jorvik Viking Centre £16 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
You can take a scenic ride on this preserved heritage railway from the station in Bolton Abbey. If you really enjoy your ride, you can even take a two-hour course on how to drive a steam train. Steam trains run every Sunday in winter and daily in summer, but hours vary greatly, especially in spring and fall, so it's best to call ahead.
off A59, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 6AF, England01756-710614Sight Details
Rate Includes: £13.50 round-trip, Closed Jan.–Mar.; Thurs. and Fri in Sept.; Mon. and Wed.–Fri. in Oct. and Apr–July; and Mon.–Sat in Nov. -
7. Ghost Hunt of York
Tour–SightThis tour for "boils and ghouls" takes a slightly tongue-in-cheek approach to the haunted locations, employing props, illusion, jokes, and audience participation. The tours start at 7:30 pm nightly in the Shambles.
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8. HM Bark Endeavour
Whitby now has two replicas, under different ownership, of Captain Cook's ship the Endeavour: the original 40% scale model and this full-size version with 30-foot tall masts. Kids can visit a recreation of the captain's cabin where they can plot his journey on a magnetic map or learn how to tie nautical knots, as well as investigating what the ship's medical, sanitary, sailmaking, and disciplinary arrangements would have been. There's also a restaurant (not authentic) on-board.
Endeavour Wharf, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1DN, England01947-600511Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5, Closed Mon. -
9. Jorvik Viking Centre
This child-focused exhibition re-creates, based on extensive research, a 10th-century Viking village, with everything from a blind storyteller to the slaughter yard awash in offal. The olfactory element is especially popular with children (even the open sewer), as is the Disneyesque "travel through time" machine that propels you above straw huts and mannequins wearing Viking dress. Commentary is provided in six languages. Kids get a lot out of it, but adults are unlikely to learn anything new. A small collection of Viking-era artifacts is on display at the end of the ride. Admission is by pre-booked time slot only.
Coppergate, York, York, Y01 9WT, England01904-615505Sight Details
Rate Includes: £13.50; joint admission with DIG £16 -
10. Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Haworth is one stop along the route of this scenic 5-mile heritage railway between Keighley and Oxenhope through the picturesque Worth Valley, as seen in numerous film and television shows including The Railway Children and Peaky Blinders. Many of the trains are pulled by handsome steam engines. Frequent themed special events add to the fun.
Station Rd., Haworth, Bradford, BD22 8NJ, England01535-645214Sight Details
Rate Includes: £13.50 round-trip, £20 Day Rover ticket, Closed weekdays except for school vacations -
11. Magna Science Adventure Centre
A 45-minute drive south from Leeds to Rotherham brings Yorkshire's industrial past into focus at Magna, a widely respected science museum housed in a former steelworks. Smoke, flames, and sparking electricity bring one of the original six arc furnaces roaring to life in a sound-and-light show. Four pavilions engagingly illustrate the use of fire, earth, air, and water in the production of steel. In summer there's an outdoor water park.
Sheffield Rd., Rotherham, Rotherham, S60 1DX, England01709-720002Sight Details
Rate Includes: £15.95 -
12. Moors National Park Centre
This flagship visitor center of the North York Moors National Park sits on the banks of the River Esk, near Danby. There's an exhibition with interactive displays about the history, wildlife, and landscapes of the Moors, as well as a gallery with work by local artists and artisans. While parents relax in the café. children can scramble up the kids-only climbing wall or enjoy the beautiful outdoor play area.
Lodge La., Danby, North Yorkshire, YO21 2NB, England01439-772737Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekdays Jan.–mid-Feb. -
13. National Science and Media Museum
Bradford, 10 miles west of Leeds, is known for this renowned museum that looks at the science and culture of audiovisual technologies. It's a huge and highly entertaining place, with seven galleries displaying the world's first photographic negative, the latest digital imaging, and everything in between. There are also three cinemas, including an IMAX theater, that show recent releases.
Little Horton La., Bradford, Bradford, BD1 1NQ, England033-0058–0058Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. during school year -
14. Royal Armouries
Occupying a redeveloped 13-acre dockland site 15 minutes from the city center, this National Museum of Arms and Armour now houses a collection that originally began in the reign of Elizabeth I, when selected objects were displayed at the Tower of London, making it the United Kingdom's oldest museum. Four collections (the 100 Years War, the Battle of Waterloo, Arms of the First World War, and Arms from the Tower) and five themed galleries (War, Tournament, Self-Defense, Hunting, and Oriental) trace the history of weaponry through some 4,500 objects. The state-of-the-art building is stunningly designed: see a full-sized elephant in armor, models of warriors on horseback, and floor-to-ceiling tents, as well as spirited interactive displays and live jousting demonstrations. Shoot a crossbow (extra charge), direct operations on a battlefield, or experience an Elizabethan joust (around Easter and the end of August).
Armouries Dr., Leeds, Leeds, LS10 1LT, England0113-220–1916Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. in Sept. -
15. Ryedale Folk Museum
This excellent open-air folk museum explores the rural way of life from the Iron Age to the 20th century through more than 20 historic buildings (some restored, some reconstructed) including a medieval crofter's cottage, a 16th-century glass kiln, a full-scale reconstructed Iron Age Roundhouse, an Edwardian daylight photography studio (the oldest in the country), and workshops for traditional trades like blacksmiths, cobblers, wheelwrights, and saddlers. Kids can try out activities like calligraphy and pottery, practice driving a child-size tractor, and feed the sheep and rare breed pigs in the farm area. All entry is weather-permitting.
Off A170, Hutton le Hole, North Yorkshire, YO62 6UA, England01751-417367Sight Details
Rate Includes: £8.95, Closed mid–Nov.–mid–Mar. and Fri. -
16. Sea Life Scarborough Aquarium
North BayThis aquarium and marine sanctuary is a great—if rather expensive—way to entertain the kids for an afternoon. You can see marine habitats and creatures from around Britain and further afield: otters, penguins, jellyfish, loggerhead turtles, and octopuses. The rescued seal pups are particularly popular. Admission is by pre-booked online ticket only.
Scalby Mills Rd., Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 6RP, England01723-373414Sight Details
Rate Includes: From £19.95 -
17. Thackray Museum of Medicine
Even the squeamish won't balk at the exhibits in this museum devoted to presenting social and medical history in a kid-friendly way. Educational but entertaining interactive displays take you back to the disease-ridden Leeds slums of the 1840s, reveal the realities of surgery without anesthetics, and explore the history of childbirth. The museum is popular with school groups on field trips. It's a mile east of the city center and accessible by Buses 16, 42, 49, and 50.
141 Beckett St., Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7LN, England0113-244–4343Sight Details
Rate Includes: £11.50 -
18. Valley Gardens
Southwest of the town center, these 17 acres of formal gardens include a children's boating lake, tennis courts, skate park, adventure playground, paddling pool, and a little café.
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19. York Dungeon
This history-themed attraction takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to exploring the more violent and gory aspects of York's history. Lurid lighting, lots of fake blood, special effects, and costumed actors enliven episodes from the careers of infamous residents like highwayman Dick Turpin, revolutionary Guy Fawkes, Viking king Eric Bloodaxe, the Lost Roman Legion, and more, all to a soundtrack of wailing, screaming, and agonized moaning. As you might imagine, it's popular with kids, though not suitable for those under 8. Admission is by pre-booked timeslot only.
12 Clifford St., York, York, YO1 9RD, England01904-632599Sight Details
Rate Includes: £19.95; £17.95 online -
20. Yorkshire Air Museum
Located on a 22-acre former World War II Bomber Command base, this independent museum showcases more than 60 historic vehicles and aircraft, many of which are still in working condition and are certain to delight aviation enthusiasts. Planes range from early-20th-century biplanes and gliders, such as the Eastchurch Kitten (the only surviving one in the world), to Spitfires, other World War II–era planes including a German Messerschmitt, and contemporary fighter jets like the Mirage 4. There are also exhibits devoted to military vehicles, aircraft weaponry, and Royal Air Force uniforms. The museum is home to a memorial and gardens commemorating British and Allied service members who lost their lives in conflict.
Halifax Way, Elvington, York, YO41 1AU, England01904-608595Sight Details
Rate Includes: £12
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