Whitby

One of the best-known coastal towns in the UK, Whitby is brimming with rich history and tradition. The BBC say that the North Yorkshire coast is the most visited tourist destination outside of London. Having visited regularly myself, I can easily see why this is the case!

Made famous because it was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, Whitby has attracted visitors for generations, dating back to 1897. At that time, Whitby was just a regular fishing town / whaling port on the English coast. Whitby isn’t a town ashamed of its rich history with many attractions paying homage to the town’s past. If you visit, you can set sail on Captain Cook’s Endeavour replica, take a visit to the Dracula Experience (if you dare) or scale the famous 199 Steps up to the even more famous Whitby Abbey to find views like no-other in the world.

If you do visit, I recommend you take a walk along the beach and eat a stick of the famous Whitby rock (a hard type of sweet, which if you haven't tried you definitely should). Then, sit on the pier enjoying a portion of Whitby’s famous fish and chips, and enjoying the beautiful sea views.

I can promise you’ll be more than happy with your trip to Whitby!

Whitby steps and sea view

York Minster

Standing right in the centre of the city of York is York Cathedral, also known as York Minster. It's known for being ‘one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals’. Open for general visiting seven days a week, this Church of England cathedral features 14th and 15th Century stained glass, architecture, and elaborate tombs. It's really impressive to look at. However, if this isn’t exactly your cup of tea then fear not, York has much more to offer…

York minster

York

York really is a city that keeps on giving. This historic city is easy to get to from Leeds with the efficient park ‘n’ ride network, it allows you to travel around the city by foot, allowing you to take it all in. It's home to the National Railway Museum, York Minster (as already mentioned), York Dungeon, York Maze, the Shambles and York Brewery, not to mention the plethora of shops to suit every need. York is also well known for having a huge range of pubs/bars. Here’s a little fact, if you wanted to have a drink at a different place every day, you wouldn’t have to visit the same place twice in the same year in York.

York minster

Yorkshire Dales

No list of Yorkshire attractions would be complete without the Yorkshire Dales! It's known across the world for the spectacular views, the wide range of walks spanning over 2000 square kilometres and lush green scenery not seen anywhere else in the world.

The perfect place to help you wind down, the Yorkshire Dales is full of hidden gems to discover. Challenge yourself to climb the Yorkshire 3 Peaks (three of Yorkshire's highest hills, it's tough) or take a stroll to one of the 100’s of cosy coffee shops and tea rooms scattered across the unique scenery.

There are numerous attractions situated in this National Park such as Malham Cove, Forbidden Corner, Fountains Abbey, Black Sheep Brewery and Lightwater Valley to name just a few, all well worth a visit.

Sunset over the Yorkshire Dales

Leeds

Growing in size and receiving numerous investments, Leeds is slowly becoming a powerhouse in the North of the UK. Leeds is excellent for shopping with the luxurious Victoria Quarter (with a huge John Lewis), the impressive Leeds Trinity Centre, The Light or you could even spend an entire afternoon having a wander down Briggate. If markets are more your thing then there’s Kirkgate Market with a range of fresh groceries, clothes, jewellery, gifts etc. On a side-note this is also the birthplace of Marks and Spencer in 1884, with Michael Marks opening his Penny Bazaar stall in there.

Leeds also has a plethora of restaurants to suit any kind of dining experience; couples, birthdays, families, you name it. Experience fine dining at Tattu, the Italian experience at Livin’ Italy down by Leeds Docks or snack on street food at Trinity Kitchen. There really is something for everyone.

Why not soak up some culture at Leeds Grand Theatre, Corn Exchange or the Royal Armouries Museum? Or even have a Sunday stroll around Roundhay Park finished with coffee and a cake?

Next comes nightlife! Any night of the week, and type of needs, Leeds will have something for you. Anything from an easy-going and wallet friendly night at Beckett’s Bank Wetherspoons, up to a cocktail night at Neighbourhood or any of the numerous bars on Greek Street.

Leeds town hall

There's more...

This is by no means an exhaustive list of what you can get up to in Yorkshire, there’s far too much to cover in one go. But if you do want more of a gander of what there is to do then the Welcome To Yorkshire website is a great place to start: yorkshire.com.

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