Searching the web for the best places to visit in North Yorkshire for first-timers? In this post, you can find expert advice + a curated list of the Top North Yorkshire Attractions that you shouldn’t miss during your visit.
As England’s largest county, it’s no surprise North Yorkshire has a vast array of things to do and see. Charming market towns, sweeping fells, ancient ruins, and areas of outstanding natural beauty lie unassuming in every part of the region. In my opinion, it is one of the best places to visit in the UK.
Less rugged (and more quaint) than common tourist destinations such as Scotland and unquestionably more serene and green than the flashy capital of London, North Yorkshire is a true taste of rural England. It’s an area that I think all tourists to the UK should endeavour to work into their travel plans.
I’ve been lucky enough to call North Yorkshire home for over 15 years and have spent most of this time exploring locally. For me, the best things to do in North Yorkshire are simply getting outside to enjoy the landscape and the historic treasures that lie within it.
For first-time visitors, it may be a little overwhelming about what the highlights are in North Yorkshire. Especially if you have limited time.
So from a local perspective, here are the top places you absolutely need to see in North Yorkshire if you haven’t visited before.
Top Places To Go In North Yorkshire, including the best things to do in North Yorkshire
Brimham Rocks
If you think you’ve seen impressive geological rock formations elsewhere in the world, then think again. Nothing will quite compare to those at Brimham Rocks.
The formations at this National Trust site have been eroded over thousands of years by wind, ice, rain, and snow. The result is some incredibly intricate and interesting designs. Nature’s very own art sculptures you could call them.
Walking the many kilometres of open moorland, you can get right up close and admire the various intriguing shapes. There are even rocks that look like a giant bear and a turtle, and depending on where you stand, you can see your very own imaginative interpretations.
The best part of all? You are allowed to climb and explore the rocks all you like. So bring a picnic, put on some good shoes, and get back in touch with your inner child.
Entry to Brimham Rocks is free (you just have to pay for parking) so it would be silly to miss it. In my opinion, it’s one of the best natural National Trust sites in North Yorkshire and where I recommend every visitor to go.
Pro Tip: Save Money by getting a York and Beyond Pass. This pass gives you entry to 50 attractions in York and beyond. See JORVIK Viking Centre, Castle Howard, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Rievaulx Abbey and many more sights.
York
York is a stunning Viking city and my favourite metropolitan place in North Yorkshire. You simply can’t come to Yorkshire and not visit York’s wonky houses, stunning Gothic architecture and magical cobbled streets. When it comes to beauty and history, York cannot be rivaled.
The Shambles is probably the most famous street, with its fourteenth-century leaning timber frame buildings that are now full of quirky and magical boutique shops.
This lane was apparently the inspiration behind the set of ‘Hogsmeade’ in J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter books. If you’re a fan, you especially can’t miss a visit to ‘The Shop That Must Not Be Named’.
To understand York’s impressive and prominent history, visitors must see the Jorvik Viking Museum and walk the Roman City Walls which once used to protect the city from intruders.
If you’re around in February, you may just see the city flooded with Vikings as part of the annual Viking Festival celebrating Norse heritage.
For a taste of what it was once like to live in York, have a look at Treasurer’s House, a wonderfully preserved private manor house (now owned by the National Trust), right next to the imposing and incredibly impressive York Minster.
York is an ideal place to spend a long weekend if you can spare it. There are numerous B&B’s and hotels set within heritage buildings.
My favourite good value accommodation is Minster Walk Guesthouse, a 300-year-old coaching inn located at a prime central spot on a sleepy street, next to the river and behind the characterful stone of the City Walls.
There is so much to see and do in York, not forgetting plenty of great cafes and pubs, like Valhalla York for some traditional mead and pies. You’ll no doubt leave York wanting to move there (like I do every single time I go).
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Nunnington Hall
Nunnington Hall is a Yorkshire manor house located in Ryedale, named after the Rye River that flows just past the house from the village of Nunnington.
A gorgeous period mansion with beautiful walled gardens and wild-flower meadows, the residence itself is topped only by its picturesque setting.
I’ve spent many a happy day exploring Nunnington Hall growing up. Inside, the rich interior and period detailing takes you back to another era and for the young ones, it’s brought to life with the help of organised quizzes and games.
In addition to the house and gardens, there’s something going on at Nunnington Hall all year round, be it galleries or high-profile exhibitions or events.
Entry fees apply.
Robin Hood’s Bay
Seaside fishing villages don’t get much cuter than the cluster of red rooftops perched along the cliffs at Robin Hood’s Bay. Known for its fantastic cliff walks, vast rugged beaches, world-class fossil hunting, and quaint tea rooms, Robin Hood’s Bay shows off the northeastern coast at its best.
Once a prime destination for smuggling contraband, the narrow alleyways, and tightly packed cottages are great fun to walk around in an attempt to understand its illegal past.
You can quite easily spend a leisurely day trip to Robin Hood’s Bay, especially on a sunny day. But don’t bring a picnic – for lunch, you can’t miss a trip to the famous Trenchers for fresh seafood and later in the afternoon, a trip to the nearby Falling Floss Waterfall for a walk and afternoon tea at their cafe.
Rievaulx Abbey and Helmsley
A few minutes walk from the historic market town of Helmsley is one of England’s most powerful Cistercian monasteries, Rievaulx Abbey.
It’s now mainly ruins, but the grandeur of this incredible architectural feat can be enjoyed simply by walking around. It’s hard to believe that these remnants are over 800 years old yet have stood the test of time as well as they have.
Once you’ve admired the ruins, the museum at the Abbey is a fascinating way to get up to speed with its past. It shines a light on the Abbey’s intriguing history and brings to life the simple livelihood of the monks who resided there.
Helmsley itself is also absolutely worth checking out whilst you’re visiting the nearby monastery. It’s a pretty sleepy medieval town with a couple of pubs and cute, independent shops. But the stone houses, idyllic river, and surrounding countryside makes the market town all the more scenic.
The journey to Helmsley is popular with cyclists and bikers due to its attractive wide and bending road through the pretty countryside. It’s also the start of the Cleveland Way Trail so there are plenty of great walks to enjoy nearby.
North Yorkshire Moors
For those inclined to wilderness walks and wild, untamed scenery, the closest you’ll come to this in England is probably at the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. Nearly 1,500 kilometres of pink heather and yellow flowering gorse, interrupted by woodland, hills (and the occasional field or farm), awaits the intrepid hiker.
The woodlands here are ancient and are home to some of the most mature trees in Northern England. In spring, you may be lucky enough to catch the forest floor carpeted in brilliant bluebells.
With only a few hamlets and small villages within the National Park, you may find yourself (and no doubt some wildlife), the only person on the track. Well, at least on the way to one of the many country pubs that is.
Tips before you visit North Yorkshire
Before you come to North Yorkshire, here are a few tips to ensure you have a smooth and enjoyable visit:
- You’ll need a car. Some of these places are not well connected by public transport and are quite remote.
- For a more meaningful experience, instead of opting for a chain hotel, enjoy a local, independent bed and breakfast and book directly through the accommodation’s website.
- If you’re in the area for a while, how about buying a National Trust or English Heritage visitor pass so you can visit multiple historic sites cheaply?
- On a Sunday, make sure you head to a small country pub (with an open fire if you can find one) to enjoy a traditional Sunday Roast Lunch with all the trimmings (not forgetting Yorkshire Puddings and lashings of gravy of course!)
North Yorkshire is not only my home but also one of my favourite places in England right up the top of my list alongside Northumberland and the Lake District.
In Conclusion
I hope these places have given you an insight into just a few of the top places you need to visit in beautiful North Yorkshire for your first time. I’m sure you will leave North Yorkshire wanting to come back and explore a second, third, and fourth time…
This is a guest post by Tamara from Travellingtam.com
Tamara is a marketing manager, travel writer and blogs about solo female travel and music at Travelling Tam. Originally from North Yorkshire in the UK, she currently resides in Melbourne (at least for now). When she isn’t travelling, furiously writing or attending a rock gig, you can find her hiking, trying to get her unimpressed cat to sit on her lap or eating (too much) good food and drinking (even more) Australian red wine.
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