Fun Family Days out in the UK
Yorkshire East Coast

Racking your brains to think of fun family days out in the UK? Try some of these ideas around the beautiful Yorkshire east coast. The ideal spot for fab days out, and fun holidays in England....

It doesn’t really matter whether you are spending your holidays in England in Yorkshire, or if you are lucky enough to live here all year round… The Yorkshire east coast is a fantastic place to spend your family days out in Yorkshire and the UK…

I find the Yorkshire east coast a really beautiful place to visit – whether rain or shine, summer or winter… In fact, I sometimes feel the coast is all the more beautiful, dramatic and rugged when it is deserted, in the middle of winter…

In the summer it is quite a different experience – the scenery is gentle and sparkling, and the atmosphere is one of happiness, laughter and bustling fun…. Both lovely, just different!

Even if the weather gets too bad (and hopefully it won’t!), there are still plenty of things to do and places to go, where you can stay warm and dry… or search out cosy tea shops and pubs, where you can indulge in a delicious hot chocolate, or glass of wine, in front of a roaring fire (perhaps after a bracing walk? … or instead of?)…

Look out for attractions in the lists below with a * - this signifies that the attraction is a good idea for a rainy day…

This page isn’t all encompassing – it’s just some places that we think will make some really great visits for family days out in the UK. These are all places where we have been and enjoyed, or places that we have heard lots about, and really want to go….

Also see What's On...

So, what kind of family days out in the UK are you looking for?

Traditional Seaside Family Days Out
History and Culture
Attractions and Activities
Entertainments
More Ideas

Days out and holidays with dogs

Look for the red star *, to signify ideas for rainy days out…

Traditional Seaside Family Days Out

• The main towns for a real family traditional seaside experience are Scarborough and Bridlington. Both have:
  • lovely sandy beaches
  • an attractive seafront, for a relaxing promenade
  • all the usual gift shops and seaside amusements
  • a harbour/marina
  • a small pier
• Whitby is another, really pretty seaside town, with a more quaint and old fashioned feel to the others – I really like it!

  In 2006 ‘Holiday Which?’ Magazine voted Whitby the UK’s number 1 beach, for having ‘a postcard-perfect harbour’ – it really is photogenic!
  More about Whitby.

• Also visit:
  • Hornsea
  • Filey
  • Withernsea
  for that traditional seaside experience for family days out in the UK.

Find out more about best Yorkshire coast beaches

History and Culture

• Yorkshire, and this area of the Yorkshire coast, has been a big player in British history, so you will find plenty of historical and cultural tourist attractions for fun days out in the UK. Don’t think that these are all stuffy and boring sites – they’re not! Amongst this list, find:
  • atmospheric and romantic ruins…
  • fun, interactive centres…
  • parks and gardens…
  • elegant stately homes…
  • and more…

• Fossil Coast (between Staithes and Flamborough)
• Rudston Monolith (the tallest standing stone in England, Rudston, nr Bridlington)
• Wheeldale Roman Road (amongst the moors, nr Goathland, Whitby)
• *Jorvik Viking Centre (York)
• Skipsea Castle (ruin)
• Clifford’s Tower (York)
• Scarborough Castle
• * Burton Agnes Hall and Manor House (nr Bridlington)
• Wharram Percy Deserted Medieval Village (nr Malton)
• Gainsthorpe Medieval Village (nr Brigg, Lincolnshire)
• *Merchant Adventurers’ Hall (York)
• *York Minster
• Whitby Abbey
• Gisborough Priory (Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland)
• *Bridlington Priory
• *Bridlington Bayle Gate Museum
• Thornton Abbey and Gatehouse (Lincolnshire)
• Kirkham Abbey (nr Malton)
• Rievaulx Abbey (nr Helmsley)
• Mount Grace Priory (nr Thirsk and Northallerton)
• The Endeavour (Replica of Captain Cook’s historic ship, HM Bark Endeavour – floating museum and sailing trips, Whitby)
• *Captain Cook Museum (Whitby)
• *Castle Howard (stately home, nr Malton)
• *National Railway Museum (York)
• *Eden Camp (WWII museum, nr Malton)
• *Elvington Air Museum (nr York)
• *York Cold War Bunker
• *York Castle Museum
• *Yorkshire Museum (York)
• *DIG York (archaeological experience, York)
• *Sewerby Hall (Bridlington)

Find out about Yorkshire in British history

Return to the list of things to do along the Yorkshire east coast

Attractions and Activities

• These are fun activities - excellent ideas for family days out in the UK. Some are outdoors, but many are indoors (and suitable for all weathers):

• Dalby Forest (walks, trails and forest activities)
• ’Go Ape’ at Dalby Forest (‘high wire forest adventure’)
• Husky Trekking (at ‘Pesky Husky’, Staintondale, Scarborough. Winter only)
• Staintondale Shire Horse Farm (nr Scarborough. Summer only)
• Filey Bird Garden and Animal Park
• *Sealife Centre and Marine Sanctuary (Scarborough)
• Flamingo Land (theme park and zoo, nr Malton)
• *The Deep (massive aquarium, Hull)
• Peasholm Park (park/gardens, Scarborough)
• *North York Moors Railway (steam trains, Pickering into the North York Moors
• North York Moors and Coastal Footpaths (National Park and Heritage Coast – walking and scenery)
• Birdwatching:
  • Bempton
  • Flamborough
  • Filey Brigg
  • Hornsea Mere
• Bondville Model Village (Sewerby, Bridlington)
• Park Rose Owl and Bird of Prey Centre (Bridlington)
• *Stained Glass Centre (Cayton, nr Scarborough)
• Cruckley Animal Farm (nr Driffield)
• *North Yorkshire Off Road Centre (4x4 off road driving, Whitby)
Return to the list of things to do along the Yorkshire east coast

Entertainments

• Keep yourself entertained and amused on an evening, by enjoying: trips to the theatre, musical entertainments, cinema trips etc. These are just some of the main entertainment centres around the Yorkshire coast area, but you will also find plenty of local venues putting on musical entertainments, jazz evenings, poetry readings and other events… Look in the local press for details.

Visit:

• *Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough (Alan Ayckbourn’s theatre)
• *Futurist Theatre, Scarborough
• *Scarborough Spa, entertainment venue
• *The Spa Bridlington, entertainment venue
• *Whitby Pavilion
• *Filey Evron Centre
• *York Theatre Royal
• *Grand Opera House York
• *Hull New Theatre
• *Hull Truck Theatre
• *Cinemas:
  • Futurist Theatre Cinema, Scarborough
  • Hollywood Plaza Cinema, Scarborough
  • McCarthy Cinema, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
  • Forum Cinema, Bridlington
  • Vue Cinemas, York
  • City Screen, York
  • Cineworld, Hull
  • Hull Screen Cinema
  • Odeon Cinema, Hull
  • Reel Cinemas, Hull
  • Vue Cinemas, Hull
  Return to the list of things to do along the Yorkshire east coast

  Some More Ideas for Family Days Out in the UK

  • Here are some more miscellaneous ideas for places to go and things to see and do in Yorkshire. All should make for some interesting family days out in the UK… they might be:
    • areas to visit
    • little towns
    • coastal areas
    • beaches
    • lighthouses
    • villages
    • etc…
  • They are all places of interest - places I have been and enjoyed, or places I have read about, or heard about, and want to go:
  
  

  

  The beautiful beach at Fraisthorpe is an ideal spot for beach and water sports.

  Visit:

  • Wolds Way Lavender (Lavender Farm, Wintringham, nr Malton)
  • *Scampston Hall and Gardens (nr Malton)
  • Flamborough Head (coastal area, lighthouses, nr Bridlington)
  • Staithes (pretty coastal village, nr Whitby)
  • Yorkshire Coast walk - Hinderwell to Staithes
  • Sandsend (pretty village near Whitby, with beach)
  • Robin Hood’s Bay (pretty coastal village, nr Whitby)
  • Runswick Bay (pretty coastal village and beaches, nr Whitby)
  • Hunmanby Gap (beach, nr Filey)
  • Fraisthorpe see picture, above (beach, nr Bridlington)
  • Skipsea (beach, nr Bridlington)
  • Spurn Head (nature reserve and lighthouses)
  • *Sledmere House (stately home, nr Driffield)
  • Thornton le Dale (pretty village, nr Pickering)
  Return to the list of things to do along the Yorkshire east coast

  I hope – actually, I’m sure - that amongst this lengthy list you will find some really fun, interesting and unusual family days out in the UK – summer or winter, rain or shine…

  There’s so much to see and do around here, I’m certain that you’ll not be bored…

  Also see What's On...

  Do enjoy yourself, and let us know what adventures you got up to…

  Contact us and tell us about your adventures and best days out at the Yorkshire coast… Read about other people's best days out...

  Find out more about the best Yorkshire coast beaches

  More information about days out and holidays with dogs at the Yorkshire coast

  Find out more about family days out in and around Whitby

  Find out more about family days out in and around Scarborough

  Find out more about family days out in and around Filey

  Find out more about family days out in and around Bridlington
  
  
  
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  Yorkshire East Coast Unofficial Guide

  Bringing you ideas and information for your British holidays, short breaks and days out in the UK...

  ...from Whitby to Scarborough, Filey, Bridlington, Hornsea, Withernsea, North York Moors and beyond…

  Discover and Enjoy Your Coastline…