Ten of the Best Family Days out in Yorkshire

Yorkshire is absolutely chocka-block with amazing family days out, there is so much to pick from that I had a tricky time narrowing it down to our favourite ten! These are our absolute must-do picks and places that we’ve been back to time and time again and enjoyed every minute.

I hope you find something your family will love and hopefully it will become a place you can return to regularly.

South Yorkshire

Yorkshire Wildlife Park

I firmly believe that Yorkshire Wildlife Park is one of the very best days out in Yorkshire. The park is not a zoo it is an Animal Rescue Centre and the team there do an amazing job at rescuing and keeping safe animals from around the world.

The park has a huge range of animals in species appropriate enclosures. Our faves have to be the giraffes and tigers. You can get spectacularly close to the giraffes! The tiger enclosure gives an amazing high level view which means that everyone, even little kids can get an excellent view of the animals.

The park itself is well laid out and has plenty to see and do. When we’ve visited the park has not been overcrowded as it is spacious and and it’s always clean and tidy.

There are a range of food and drink options on site and plenty of shopping areas to satisfy everyone (we always end up bringing home an animal cuddly of something we have seen!). Plenty of parking is available and is free.

The park run various seasonal events and activities throughout the year and there is usually a range of talks daily.

Top Tip!

Whilst you are there why not check out The Yorkshire Hive a gorgeous independent shopping area on the same site as the wildlife park? There are some fab shops and a lovely cafe here.

Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park

Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park is in Sheffield and is quite a new addition to the area. The Theme Park is perfect for younger children and ‘tweens’ with a wide range of rollercoasters and rides. A firm favourite has to be the Rapids ‘Apache Falls’ – you definitely get absolutely soaked!

There are so many options including rides, a mini farm, golf and play areas. There’s even a rock climbing wall which is included in the entry price – perfect for if the weather turns a bit wet! Food and drink options are decent but there are picnic facilities as well if you want to bring your own.

The theme park is definitely worth a visit if you have younger kids and tweens.

Top tip!

Do the rapids last as you really do get soaking wet (or bring a change of clothing along with you!)

Tropical Butterfly House Wildlife Park

An underrated gem; a beautiful and well kept small wildlife park which is focused on a beautiful indoor glass butterfly house. The butterfly house itself is fantastic with so much to see and learn about. The staff are lovely and super knowledgeable, the site run plenty of talks and sometimes you get to handle some of the animals and creatures which is interesting.

There are tonnes of other animal enclosures including ringtail lemurs who are so entertaining to watch. Make sure you check out the ‘bird display’ which takes place regularly throughout the day, it’s really interesting.

Top Tip!

With plenty of eateries to choose from and several different play areas it is well catered to families. A particular favourite is Lottie’s Coffee Shop which is located at the entrance to the park. If the weather is good take a seat outside at Lottie’s, there are beautiful views across the neighbouring countryside and you might get a visit from the resident peacock who wanders amongst the table!

Cannon Hall Farm

The best farm in the area and very reasonably priced. With a wide range of facilities and activities for families there’s something for everyone. The farm itself is well looked after and there’s lots of different animals to see.

Cannon Hall also has a fun climbing area with lots of options of a different ages, a tunnel maze and a lovely indoor soft play area which is great in poor weather.

The farm run a lot of seasonal events; the pumpkin path in the October half term is always a highlight, pick a pumpkin and carve it on site. The Christmas events here are equally brilliant, we really enjoyed the Elf event that we attended – it was magical!

Cannon Hall Farm is only one part of the site, there is a fab country park with beautiful areas for walking, a gorgeous house and a lake to see.

Top Tip!

When it comes to food you can’t beat Cannon Hall. Try The White Bull restaurant which is located just outside the entrance to the farm. The White Bull is well known for it’s delicious, locally produced fare. The award-winning farm shop is also not to be missed!

North Yorkshire

York Maze

An a-MAZE-ing maize maze! The best maize maze in Yorkshire. Absolutely huge and the pattern of the maze is changed every year so you can go back and experience something new each time. It’s incredible fun for all the family.

The maze usually opens its doors between July and September each year when the maze has grown to its full height. Check the website here for this years dates.

The Giant Maze has 1 million maize plants and covers over 8 Wembley sized football pitches! It’s certainly big enough to get lost in all day. In fact it’s the largest maze in Europe!

There are plenty of other activities to enjoy at York Maze once you’ve found your way out, including brilliant climbing areas and playgrounds.

Food and drink options are really nice at York Maze with plenty of options to choose from and something for everyone.

Tickets must be booked in advance as the site do not allow walk-ups. There is a large, free car park on site.

Top Tip!

York Maze is now a cashless site so make sure you have your debit card handy.

Whitby Abbey

Whitby is a stunning coastal town on the North Yorkshire Coast. There’s plenty to do in and around Whitby and the fish and chips are a must (we really like Hadley’s Fish & Chips on Bridge Street). Beaches close by such as Sandsend are absolutely stunning and Runswick Bay is an absolute must visit for fossil hunters!

Enjoy a stroll along the old cobbled streets of Whitby below the Abbey to while away the time and pop into a cafe to fuel up in anticipation of climbing the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey!

You’ll first arrive at St Mary’s, a very pretty cliff top church founded in 1110, have a look around and then walk on up to the Abbey itself. The Abbey is managed by English Heritage so members can access the ruins free of charge otherwise you can book online or get walk up tickets; it is a popular destination so advance booking is advisable.

The Abbey is a well known focal point in Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and is therefore a draw for many ‘alternative’ dressed folks, which is always fun to see. The Abbey is also a cornerstone of the ‘Goth Weekend‘ held bi-annually in April and October/November in Whitby.

I particularly enjoy visiting the Abbey later in the day; it is spectacular and very atmospheric when the sun is setting – a great time for the perfect photo!

English Heritage run lot of activities throughout the year but a highlight has to be the ‘Illuminated Abbey‘ which is running in October 2025 with access between 6pm and 9pm.

Top Tip!

Whilst you’re in Whitby check out one of the locally run ghost tours for a fun and spooky addition to your Abbey visit!

East Yorkshire

RSPB Bempton Cliffs

The RSPB site at Bempton Cliffs is a beautiful nature reserve on the cliffs of the North Yorkshire Coast.= between Bridlington and Filey. A small but well run site popular with locals and tourists alike.

The site has a lovely cliff top walk where there is plenty to see – binoculars are super helpful here to really take advantage of the views all that Bempton has to offer.

Bempton is the best place to spot puffins in England. The puffins come into land to breed in the spring time and they are the most adorable birds ever!

Last time we visited we were lucky enough to see an albatross; these birds usually inhabit the Southern Hemisphere and so are rare to see in the UK. It was an amazing feeling to witness his visit to the area!

The visitor facilities are really nice and the shop is great for a souvenir or two.

Top Tip!

Don’t forget your binoculars they really make a visit here more special. If you don’t already have a pair the shop on site has a wide range available to buy at various price points. You can also hire binoculars on site for a small fee.

Whilst you’re in the area we would really recommend you pop across to Flamborough Head and North Landing which are stunning.

West Yorkshire

Eureka!

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a stunning landscaped park with a huge variety of sculptures placed at intervals around the gardens. With a variety of largely landscaped areas and huge wild sections plus a lake there’s tonnes to see.

The sculptures blend well with the park and often tell a tale. Various artists and artistic styles are featured at the park and as such it is a great educational experience for both kids and adults.

The park also offer new exhibitions through out the year which are well worth a visit.

There are a lot of food and drink options available at the site, all of which are lovely but there’s plenty of space for a picnic!

Pre-booking is recommended to ensure that you can visit as tickets are limited. Parking is available is free.

Top Tip!

Visit the lake and try to spot the heron! The lake is absolutely stunning at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Stockeld Park

Located just outside Wetherby, Stockeld Park is a popular destination for families. A wonderful adventure park with a difference; the year is split up into ‘Adventures’ where the park is transformed with seasonal decorations. The main attraction for sure is the Enchanted Forest. Walk around this amazingly transformed forest with it’s gorgeous decorations for a magical experience! We visited during the Christmas period and it truly was a magical Christmas adventure.

There’s plenty of indoor fun at Stockeld Park too with The Playhive – one of Europe’s largest indoor play areas.

Be sure to visit the Magical Maze which is made up of 2 miles worth of twisting paths. Can you find your way out?! The maze is spectacular at Christmas time as it’s lit with thousands of tiny fairy lights.

Top Tip!

Make sure you book in advance as the park has specific opening times at different time of the year. Check out the website for further info and the dates for each ‘Adventure’.

I hope you have found lots of new ideas and places to visit. Let us know in the comments if you like any of these places too, or plan to visit soon? Do you have any other recommendations?

If you fancy travelling a little further afield check out our review of the Harry Potter Studio Tour here