North Yorkshire offers a mix of historic cities, national parks, castles, and coastal resorts with well-connected transport links and rich cultural heritage.
Goddards House and Garden in York is an Arts and Crafts historic house museum with well-preserved 1930s interiors and an extensive formal garden featuring a cruciform lily pool. Originally built for the Terry chocolate family, it now operated by the National Trust offers indoor heritage exhibits and outdoor garden exploration.
10–11 Oct, 17–18 Oct…
Visitors can follow a family-friendly trail through Goddards Gardens, finding hidden owls and collecting letters to solve an owl-related word. Completing the trail earns a sticker.
Roseberry Topping is a distinctive hill in North Yorkshire offering scenic outdoor experiences with panoramic views, historical significance, and geological interest within the North York Moors National Park.
8–12 Oct (another 3 days)
An exhibition of artwork by A-level students from The Northern School of Art, inspired by Ormesby Hall and the stories of Ruth and Jim Pennyman. Visitors can see photography, ceramics, textiles and paintings displayed in different rooms of the house.
East Riddlesden Hall is a 17th-century historic manor house in West Yorkshire featuring well-preserved interiors, a medieval tithebarn, walled gardens, and a tea room, offering both indoor and outdoor experiences. It is notable for its architecture, royalist symbols, and as a filming location for various TV series and films.
7 Oct, 10–14 Oct…
An exhibition by textile artists Textilia 3, featuring artworks inspired by East Riddlesden Hall’s architecture, historic collection, past inhabitants and landscape. The works use techniques including stitching, felt, mixed media, ceramics, dyeing and print.
Keighley is a historic market town in West Yorkshire featuring Victorian architecture, a heritage steam railway, diverse cultural attractions, and a vibrant shopping and food scene.
Whitby Abbey is a historic 7th-century Benedictine abbey ruin overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff in Whitby, North Yorkshire. The substantial ruins are a Grade I listed building cared for by English Heritage, featuring a site museum in Cholmley House. The abbey is known for its role in the Synod of Whitby and for inspiring Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Whitby is a historic coastal town in North Yorkshire, England, known for its iconic abbey ruins, maritime heritage, and literary connections including Bram Stoker's Dracula. It offers a mix of cultural experiences, scenic cliffs, beaches, and vibrant festivals.
Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire is a combined theme park, zoo, and holiday resort offering 50 rides including 8 roller coasters, a large collection of exotic animals, live shows, and accommodation options. Visitors can explore themed zones, enjoy water rides, animal safari experiences, and regular live entertainment events. The resort caters to families with child-friendly attractions and on-site dining options.
Nunnington Hall is a Grade I listed 17th-century country house in North Yorkshire featuring rich historic interiors, art collections, and period furniture. The hall sits beside the River Rye and is surrounded by organically managed gardens and orchards. It is managed by the National Trust and open to visitors interested in English heritage, architecture, and gardens.
Byland Abbey is a substantial ruined Cistercian monastery in North Yorkshire, England, featuring extensive remains of medieval church buildings including a grand church with a famed rose window, cloisters, and a gatehouse. It is an open historic site maintained by English Heritage, situated in the scenic North York Moors National Park.
Brimham Rocks is a natural Site of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire, England, known for its fascinating weather-eroded rock formations spread across heathland and woodland in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site offers outdoor exploration, notable geological features, diverse flora and fauna, and is popular for family visits and rock climbing. Facilities include a National Trust visitor centre with food offerings and child-friendly discovery trails.
The Deep is a public aquarium in Hull featuring extensive marine life exhibits including Europe's deepest shark tunnel and a large tropical lagoon, offering interactive and educational experiences for visitors of all ages.
Thornton Abbey is a historic medieval abbey in Lincolnshire, renowned for its large surviving monastic gatehouse and Gothic ruins. It offers visitors an outdoor experience exploring significant architectural and archaeological remains of a prestigious Augustinian priory founded in the 12th century. The site is managed by English Heritage and requires booking for visits.
Kirkham Priory is the ruins of a 12th century Augustinian monastery located on the River Derwent in North Yorkshire, known for its historic gatehouse ruins and its use as a training site for D-Day military vehicles in WWII, now managed by English Heritage.
Fountains Abbey is a historic ruined Cistercian monastery near Ripon, North Yorkshire, with architecture dating from the 12th century. It is part of Studley Royal Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring landscaped gardens and industrial heritage. The site is owned by the National Trust and maintained by English Heritage, offering visitors extensive ruins, exhibitions, and scenic outdoor areas.
13 Oct (next Tuesday)
A volunteer-led tour of Fountains Mill explores the estate’s oldest building, its 12th-century origins and how it has changed over the years.
Mount Grace Priory is a well-preserved Carthusian monastery ruin in North Yorkshire offering visitors both indoor historical exhibits and outdoor exploration of medieval monastic buildings and woodland setting. The site features a reconstructed monk's cell and a museum presenting the site's history, located within the scenic North York Moors National Park.
Tropical World in Leeds is a butterfly house and animal attraction featuring multiple climate-controlled tropical houses with live animals, aquariums, and themed exhibits including rainforest, desert, and nocturnal environments. It also has a cafe and gift shop for visitors.
Beningbrough Hall is a large Baroque mansion near Beningbrough, North Yorkshire, featuring historic interiors, extensive gardens, and an art gallery exhibiting 18th-century portraits. The venue includes a restaurant, garden shop, and activities for families including a wilderness play area.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct
Harvest at Beningbrough celebrates seasonal garden produce with guided tours of the walled garden, harvest displays, apple-pressing demonstrations and tastings. Some dates also feature jam and curd tastings or dried flowers for sale.
White Rose Centre is a large indoor shopping mall in Leeds offering over 120 stores, multiple dining options including two food courts and an outdoor dining terrace, an 11-screen cinema, and a children's outdoor play area. It provides free parking and public transport connections, making it a family-friendly retail and leisure destination.
Morley is a historic market town in West Yorkshire known for its heritage in textiles and coal mining, vibrant market and cultural events, and accessible location near Leeds with good rail and bus connections.
Nostell Priory is a historic Palladian house in West Yorkshire, England, featuring original 18th-century furnishings, extensive parkland with lakeside walks, notable artwork and furniture collections, and a rich monastic history dating back to the 12th century.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Explore 30 Pikachu trading cards illustrated by different artists, learn facts about the character and design a Pikachu trading card of your own.
Ponderosa Zoo in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, offers visitors a mix of indoor and outdoor experiences with a diverse collection of animals and facilities including a reptile house, lakeside restaurant, and adventure play area. It emphasizes conservation education and therapeutic engagement with animals.
Dewsbury is a historic market town in West Yorkshire known for its industrial woollen textile heritage, diverse cultural community, and landmarks like Dewsbury Minster and Dewsbury Town Hall.
Richmond Castle is a well-preserved Norman enclosure castle in Richmond, North Yorkshire, featuring a 12th-century keep with panoramic views, significant medieval history, and managed by English Heritage as a public tourist attraction.
Richmond in North Yorkshire is a historic market town renowned for its medieval castle, Georgian architecture, and vibrant cultural scene, serving as a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
St Stephen's is a major shopping centre in Kingston upon Hull featuring a wide variety of retail stores, dining options, a cinema, and cultural venues such as Hull Truck Theatre and the Albemarle Music Centre, attracting over 10 million visitors annually.
Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park in North Yorkshire offers a wide variety of rides and outdoor family-friendly attractions across a large park area. Originally a fruit farm, it evolved into an amusement park known for The Ultimate roller coaster, once the longest in Europe. The park focuses on activities for children and families with themed zones, play areas, and seasonal events.
St Peter's Church in Barton-upon-Humber is a former parish church renowned for its Anglo-Saxon architecture and archaeological significance. Now operated by English Heritage as a museum, it showcases the history and excavations of this Grade I listed building.
Barton-upon-Humber is a historic market town in North Lincolnshire, England, located on the Humber Estuary near the Humber Bridge. It offers rich archaeological sites, medieval churches, cultural events, museums, and a vibrant local food and pub scene.
Ormesby Hall is a Grade I listed 18th-century Georgian mansion in North Yorkshire, offering visitors a blend of historic indoor interiors, including plasterwork and Victorian kitchens, alongside expansive gardens and estate walks. The venue showcases local heritage with a public model railway and hosts various events throughout the year.
21–31 Aug, 3–7 Sep…
Secrets of the Collection: Art is an exhibition at Ormesby Hall showcasing the Pennyman family’s artistic legacy and their connections to prominent artists. The exhibition displays highlights from the Pennyman art collection and the stories behind them, held on the first floor of the house accessible only by stairs. It takes place during the open days of Ormesby Hall, with normal admission charges applying and no booking needed to attend.
Middlesbrough is a historic port town in North Yorkshire known for its industrial heritage, cultural venues, parks, and modern university presence.
Gawthorpe Hall is a Grade I listed Elizabethan country house located on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire. The house features historic architecture with roots as a pele tower, extensive restoration by Charles Barry, ornamental gardens, and serves as a trailhead for the Brontë Way footpath. The site also includes Burnley Football Club's training complex on its grounds.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition across five rooms displays historic textiles collected by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, including embroidery, patterned and printed fabrics, wool work, metallic threads and costume pieces, presented around the theme of colour.
Burnley is a historic market town in Lancashire, England, known for its industrial heritage as a major cotton production centre and ongoing advanced manufacturing, as well as cultural attractions including historic mills, museums, music festivals, and a lively nightlife scene.
Scarborough Castle is a historic 12th-century medieval fortress perched on a rocky headland overlooking the North Sea and the town of Scarborough. Visitors can explore its ruined keep, extensive curtain walls with towers, and an exhibition housed in the 18th-century Master Gunner's House. The site also includes earlier Iron Age, Roman, and Anglo-Scandinavian archaeological remains, and offers spectacular views and family-friendly events throughout the year.
Scarborough is a historic seaside town in North Yorkshire, England, known for its sandy beaches, castle, cultural venues, and vibrant tourism and fishing industries.
Rievaulx Abbey is a substantial ruined Cistercian monastery located in North Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1132, it is maintained by English Heritage and offers visitors an outdoor historical experience of medieval monastic life and industrial heritage within the scenic North York Moors National Park.