The best summer days out in Yorkshire

As the school summer holidays are now upon us, we’ve pulled together a handy guide to some of the best days out in Yorkshire, packed with day trip destinations to keep your children and grandchildren fully entertained.

Days out for adrenaline junkies

From treetop adventures to trampoline parks, snowboarding, escape rooms and go-karting, there’s plenty to keep thrill-seekers busy in Yorkshire this summer:

• Go Ape in Dalby Forest offers adventure for all the family. The thrill factor is set to the max with a jaw-dropping treetop challenge, treetop adventure, forest segways and twilight zips.
• Xscape Yorkshire really does have something for everybody including 4D golf, aerial adventures, urban climbing, trampoline parks, a VR experience, Lazer zone, snozone, tenpin bowling, escape rooms, a laser maze, and adventure golf.
• Stockeld Park is filled with adventure playgrounds, an outdoor roller rink, a maze, inflatable zone, go-karts, and you can even hire a buccaneer bumper boat and head out for a spin around the lake!

Days out at theme parks

Thrill-seeking teenagers and younger family members may also enjoy a day out at a theme park, and if that’s the case, we’ve picked three of the best for you to take a look at:

• Lightwater Valley offers Europe’s longest roller coaster amongst its sky-high thrill rides and there are plenty of family rides too, including Splash Falls and the Wild River Rapids. Younger guests will love the outdoor and indoor play and can take a tractor ride at Eagles Creek Farm.
• Flamingo Land has record-breaking rides across eight themed areas – Riverside One, Flamingo 1, Metropolis, Splosh!, Dino-stone Park, The Lost Kingdom, Children’s Planet and Muddy Duck Farm. There’s also an award-winning zoo.
• Diggerland has a range of rides and drives from the Skyshuttle to dumper trucks, JCBs and diggers. You can check the height requirements before you go to see which rides and drives are suitable for children of different heights (from under 80cm to over 175cm, with everything in-between).

Days out for animal lovers

• Tropical World is an indoor wildlife park where you can see meerkats, butterflies, monkeys, snakes, meet the animal keepers and complete the little explorer trail. There are special talks and events throughout the summer holidays and under 5’s go free.
• The Deep is one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world. The Lagoon of Light is full of tropical fish, amazing corals and mangrove trees, the Endless Ocean is home to White tip reef sharks, Nurse sharks, Grey reef sharks, Zebra sharks, Honeycomb whiptail rays, Green sawfish and a pair of rescued Loggerhead sea turtles, and the Kingdom of Ice is home to the resident VIPs – very important penguins!
• Sea Life Scarborough has 20 resident Humboldt penguins, who you can get up close and personal within their walk-through home, Penguin Island. There’s also a new Turtle Rescue Centre, an ocean tunnel walkthrough where you can watch sharks, tropical fish and Loggerhead turtle swim over you.

Historic days out

• Jorvik Viking Centre takes you back in time to experience the Viking Age and discover York’s fascinating Viking legacy. With an updated ride experience and state-of-the-art galleries showcasing 1,000-year-old artifacts, it is a must-see for visitors to York.
• The York Dungeon is a 75-minute journey into more than 2000 years of York’s darkest history, brought to life by actors in immersive sets with thrilling special effects. So much fun it’s scary!
• Mother Shipton’s Cave is England’s oldest visitor attraction. Set within historic woodland, it is said to be the birthplace of a famous prophetess, Mother Shipton, whose cave is situated next to the Petrifying Well, with waters that turn objects to stone. This summer, Mother Shipton’s School for Witchcraft and Wizardry will sort visitors into a schoolhouse and introduce them to their magic teachers for lessons including Flying and Potions!

Days out for culture vultures

• Harewood House is one of the Treasure Houses of England where visitors can enjoy exhibitions of contemporary art, a rare bird garden, a farm experience, over 100 acres of exquisite gardens, and for the summer holidays, it will be offering days of family fun with crafts, clay, and music-making.
• York Minster is a masterpiece in stained glass and stone and is one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals. Visitors can experience its vast spaces and breath-taking medieval architecture, discover its Roman roots and learn about the Minster’s role in Viking York.
• National Science and Media Museum has just launched a new exhibition exploring the sights and sounds of space. Hello Universe opened to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing and takes visitors on an interactive journey through the sights and sounds of space.

Where to stay in Yorkshire

Yorkshire is also a popular region for static caravans thanks to its scenery and beautiful coast. With a Willerby holiday home or lodge, you could visit every attraction in the area from the comfort of your home away from home.

To explore all our parks in the region try our park finder tool here or for more information contact our friendly team here.