11 of the Top Places To Visit in Yorkshire

As the county capital, York is the place to begin your Yorkshire itinerary. Start your day with a tour of the historic headline grabbers, combining a city tour with a visit to imposing York Minster, before walking the York city walls with a guide. Take a leisurely stroll down the Shambles (or explore with a guide on a haunted after-hours excursion), then grab a hearty pub lunch and a pint at one of the city’s many historic hangouts. Or, take a chocolate tour to round out the day.

When you’re done exploring, keep in mind that the quaint market towns of Harrogate (home of the original Bettys tea rooms) and Knaresborough are within easy day-trip distance.

Insider tip: The National Railway Museum may not sound enthralling, but will prove a surprising treat for visitors of all ages.

Over on the North Yorkshire coast, pay a visit to Whitby to enjoy lemon-topped, soft-serve ice cream (aka a “lemon top”); jet jewelry; and a crumbling 13th-century clifftop abbey that remains a highlight of this coastal town. Not to mention the Dracula association—Bram Stoker took inspiration from Whitby—and the biannual Goth Weekend held every spring and autumn.

Snacking on a cone of salt-and-vinegar–doused chips on the seafront is a rite of passage here, as is climbing the famed 199 steps and admiring Whitby’s whalebone arch. Or, skip town for a quick trip to either scenic Robin Hood’s Bay (just 15 minutes down the coast by car), or Staithes (20 minutes in the opposite direction).

Not much farther down the coast you’ll find Scarborough, the original seaside getaway and resort town, ideal for quick family-friendly getaways in Yorkshire. After building sandcastles on the beach, make a pitstop at Scarborough castle (just one of many in this vast county), and enjoy the Victorian-era buildings and parks, before whiling away the hours on the penny slot machines in the arcades. If you tire of Scarborough, just 35 minutes south you’ll find Flamborough, home to the jutting Flamborough Head, a white chalk promontory.

One of West Yorkshire’s tiniest (and finest) villages with an outsized reputation, Hebden Bridge—aka the Lesbian Capital of the UK—can be found tucked away in the Calder Valley. Here, you’re a mere stone’s throw from the natural beauty of Hardcastle Crags and the canal that cuts through town, as well as the final resting place of writer Sylvia Plath. (She’s buried in neighboring Heptonstall.) As well as fine scenery, and a splash of pop culture infamy, Hebden Bridge is also known for its wealth of independent stores, galleries, and pubs.

As the home of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge—which has you scaling Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough in under 12 hours—Yorkshire Dales National Park has plenty to offer the outdoorsy adventurer, although you can also visit on a day trip from York. But foodies won’t be disappointed by the Yorkshire Dales—this stretch of Yorkshire is also where you’ll Wensleydale, of Wallace and Gromit cheesemaking fame, as well as the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest (and perhaps coziest) pub.

Insider tip: The Peak District and North York Moors, Yorkshire’s other national parks, are not to be sniffed at either.

Sometimes known by its (ironically longer) shorthand name of “Brontë Country”—for, you guessed it, the famed trio of literary sisters who were born and raised here—Haworth remains a top destination in Yorkshire, whether you love literature, chocolate, or charmingly retro village vibes. The cobblestone high street is awash with quaint independent stores, while the wild and windy moors are full of pop culture potential, including Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse that was said to have inspired Wuthering Heights. Visit independently or combine with a tour of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Cricket fans—or the cricket curious—will want to try and snag tickets to a game at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium, the home of Yorkshire’s County Cricket team, before moseying into the city center for a quick Leeds highlights tour or spot of shopping in the historic Victoria Leeds arcade, Grade I–listed Kirkgate Market, or Trinity Leeds. From there, tour the food scene like a local; take a detour to The Tetley, Royal Armouries, or Leeds Art Gallery for a spot of culture; or settle in for dinner with a cocktail at one of the city’s top bars.

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Situated 45 minutes north of Leeds, Ilkley Moor served as the inspiration for Yorkshire’s unofficial anthem, “On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at,” a dialect folk song about a person not wearing a hat. Yes, really. Anyway, if you plan on visiting, wrap up warm and get to walking (or rock climbing): The heather-blanketed panoramas and paths of this spot are ideal for some outdoor adventure in Yorkshire. And once you’re done, make sure to stop by Ilkley, the small spa town of the same name, for a warming brew in a traditional tea room.

Hull may be among Yorkshire’s most overlooked destinations, one that has more to offer than first meets the eye—including one of the region’s most distinctive accents. Tour the city’s top museums and galleries, including Ferens Art Gallery and the Streetlife Museum, before heading to perhaps the star attraction of this coastal city: The Deep, an award-winning aquarium that juts out over the Humber Estuary. From there, return to the city center for gin-making workshops; ale trails; or to learn more about poet Philip Larkin, who called this “on the way to nowhere” city home.

Located in South Yorkshire, perhaps the least-commonly visited of Yorkshire’s four cardinal subcounties, Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I–listed stately home, thought to be among the largest in Europe. There, you can tour the grounds and gardens on an easy day-trip from major Yorkshire destinations including Leeds, Sheffield, and Huddersfield. And if you’re into all things grand and Downton Abbey–esque, Yorkshire has plenty of other stately homes to keep you occupied, including Castle Howard near York, Harewood House just outside of Leeds, and Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire.

Sheffield, South Yorkshire is perhaps better known for its pop culture heritage than its stellar attractions—think: the Arctic Monkeys; 1997 film The Full Monty; and Sheffield FC, the world’s first football (soccer) club. But the so-called Steel City is also home to great pubs; contemporary art galleries including Bloc Projects and the Sheffield Institute of Arts; and the famed Crucible—a must-visit for theater fans—all of which combine to make it the ideal destination for culture seekers. (As a bonus, the sprawling Yorkshire Sculpture Park is just 30 minutes up the road.)

Insider tip: Not convinced? Huddersfield—birthplace of both rugby league and Patrick Stewart—is an hour’s drive away.