Honest Mum’s Top 5 Family Days Out in Yorkshire

Since returning to my Yorkshire roots these last few years, after 11 long years in London, I’ve not only rediscovered old hunting grounds, but I’ve fallen upon new, fun days out for all the family in this beautiful country we call Yorkshire!

Here, I share my top 5 child friendly days out:

1. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park

One of the world’s most renowned open air galleries, this park steals our hearts all year long, whatever the season (or weather) merging our love of art and nature in one. The exhibitions change but they always include at least 60 sculptures in the open air. Stimulating yet reflective and restorative, I find inner peace the minute we enter the YSP from playing pooh sticks in the stream to taking in the giant bunny sculpture, ‘Sitting’ by Sophie Ryder (the boys’ favourite) and watching the kids run carefree through the geese saturated greenery, happy as can be!

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park on daytripfinder

2. Robin Hood’s Bay

This family’s ultimate happy place in Yorkshire, we escape there several times a year, usually staying in picturesque cottages or luxury log cabins by the sea at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, Robin Hood’s Bay. Perfect for a day out or a much longer stay, we delight in playing on the beach, scoffing fish and chips and ice cream (come rain or shine) and journey to seaside towns Whitby and Scarborough for fresh fish and more fun with the kids on the pier.

Robin Hood's Bay

Robin Hood’s Bay on daytripfinder  | Image ©Peter Broadbent

3. Eureka Museum, Halifax

Brilliant scientific fun for the under 8’s, both my children aged 3 and 1 relish in the endless opportunities each room provides from deserts to mines, under the sea and into the human body! A captivating world of discovery, perfect for all the family. We immediately bought an annual pass on first entry!

Eureka Museum on daytripfinder  | Image ©Peter Broadbent

 

Eureka

 

Eureka

train museum-mew
©Peter Broadbent

4. National Train Museum, York

An award winning train museum that will keep you fascinated all day long! Home to 300 years of locomotive history, you can marvel and even climb aboard trains, watch working train workshops, participate in Story Time and even play in the outdoor play area and ride the child friendly outdoor train! My sons adore this museum and so do I!

National Train Museum on daytripfinder

Train

5. Hesketh Farm

Close to the breathtakingly beautiful Bolton Abbey, this working farm, home to 1000 livestock including cattle, sheep and pigs is a favourite of my eldest child, Oliver. Now closed for the winter, opening in Spring 2014, you must take your kids, who will marvel at the many animals, enjoy tractor rides outside (small and large) along with the play park on the hill top overlooking rolling hills and views that will never fail to make them (and you) smile.

hesketh farm

Hesketh Farm on daytripfinder

Yorkshire is truly wonderful!

Enjoy!

Photographs (c) Peter Broadbent

Photo of author

Dominic Sawyer

Dominic has been writing on the web since 2000. He has a BSc (Hons) degree in Biological Sciences from Nottingham University and his research thesis has been published in journals. With a foundation in painstaking research he found his passion for travel and has worked in the sector for 20 years. He has written a book about travel and has extended his expertise to consumer research across the travel and leisure sector.