When you visit North Yorkshire, you’ll soon embrace the great outdoors. Bring your walking shoes for uphill climbs across Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors to castles and abbey ruins that frame the landscape, and afterwards, recharge in regal spa town tearooms and market town pubs over jugs of locally brewed Ruby Ale. One of the best things to do in North Yorkshire of all is amble round historic York, with its gothic York Minster cathedral decked out in stained glass. Get lost in cobbled snickelway passages, or take in ancient forts and bridges on a River Ouse cruise.
Places to visit in North Yorkshire
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24 hours in Whitby
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Scratch the surface of the Gothic, historic and dramatic seaside town of Whitby, perched on the Yorkshire Coast.
8 places to switch off in North Yorkshire
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Feast your eyes on dramatic coastal scenery, historic abbeys, and hidden villages on your next short break to the Yorkshire coast.
Rainy Day Activities: Step back in time at York Castle Museum
Travel back in time on a rainy day at this trend-setting museum, which transports visitors back through 300 years of history.
Location: York, North Yorkshire
Go ghost hunting in ‘Europe's most haunted city’
York claims to be the world’s first city to run ghost walks – you’ll soon see why, with tales of murder, mayhem and gore at every corner.
Location: York, North Yorkshire
Get your jazz hands out for the Scarborough Jazz Festival
Each September, the annual Scarborough Jazz Festival on Yorkshire’s north coast provides the ideal tonic for music lovers to wash away those summer blues.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Be royalty for a day at Scarborough Castle
Take an audio tour around the Castle, enjoy breathtaking views from the headland of the North Yorkshire Coast and have tea in a historic building.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Explore historic Whitby Abbey
Discover how over 2,000 years of history made Whitby Abbey one of England’s most important archaeological sites.
Location: Whitby, North Yorkshire
Delve into the story of Dracula
Probe into the dramatic history of Bram Stoker’s Dracula in the very place where the stories of the bloodthirsty vampire were born.
Location: Whitby, North Yorkshire
Find yourself face-to-face with gigantic outdoor sculptures
Each face reveals a story as you meet the gigantic outdoor sculptures that span the width and breadth of the seaside resort.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Experience the locations that have inspired great literature
The constantly changing scenery, dramatic landscapes and distinctive character of Yorkshire’s people have all been sources of literary inspiration.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Bag some bon bons at England’s Oldest Sweet Shop
Evoke happy childhood memories with hundreds of retro sweets at The Oldest Sweet Shop in England.
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Journey into the world of the dinosaurs at Dino-stone Park
Escape to the lost world of dinosaurs at this inventive theme park.
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
Be crowned king of the castle in glorious Skipton
Exercise your princely skills at North Yorkshire’s marvelous Norman keep.
Location: Skipton, North Yorkshire
Enjoy the ultimate free flying experience over North York Moors
If you’ve got a head for heights and the being ratcheted up to a thousand feet fills you with excitement, a gliding lesson might be just the ticket.
Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire
Relive the sights and sounds of wartime Britain at Eden Camp
Be transported back through time from an ex-POW camp in Malton, North Yorkshire, to life in wartime Britain on both the home front and on the front line.
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
October Events: Party hard at England's biggest indoor world music festival
Take a journey through the world of music at Whitby’s annual Musicport Festival, an event full of excellent live music and cultural diversity.
Location: Whitby, North Yorkshire
Taste fresh seafood caught straight out of the harbour
Overlooking Scarborough’s harbour, this spacious restaurant serves the very best seafood dishes and the finest fish and chips on the seafront.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Bathe in autumn colours close to the Falling Foss waterfall
If ever there was a magical woodland walk, it’s the two-mile circular trail through the trees from May Beck to the charming Falling Foss waterfall, all within Little Beck Wood Nature Reserve.
Location: North York Moors, near Whitby, North Yorkshire
Enjoy a weekend break in picturesque Helmsley
For a National Park town known historically for its castle and market, Helmsley these days is more about makeovers, macchiatos and boutique beds.
Location: Helmsley, North Yorkshire
Love springs eternal in the romantic spa town of Harrogate
A beloved destination for romantic breaks, this elegant spa town has luxurious hotels, top restaurants and exotic Turkish Baths.
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Indulge in all things vintage in York
‘York Does Vintage’ better than anyone else as the city’s affordable vintage fair in Merchant Adventurers’ Hall transports you to bygone eras.
Location: York, North Yorkshire
September events: Pop-up galleries and festival arts in North Yorkshire
The Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage in North Yorkshire invites visitors to experience a unique weekend featuring 130 artists in 90 pop-up galleries.
Location: Whitby, North Yorkshire
September events: Steam into autumn at North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Get on board the North Yorkshire Moors Railway this autumn with a varied diary of events offering a great way to spend time with family and friends.
Location: Pickering, North Yorkshire