A Family-Friendly Guide to the North York Moors
The North York Moors National Park is a fantastic place for a family holiday, with plenty of activities and events to keep everyone busy. Our guide to the best family-friendly activities in the North York Moors takes in woodland walks, educational attractions, historic buildings, treetop adventures and wildlife spotting – something for all tastes.
Family walks in the North York Moors
For those who love the chance to get out together in the fresh air and explore, here’s our pick of family walks in the North York Moors.
Dalby Forest
Covering a mighty 8,000 acres in the east of the park, Dalby Forest is criss-crossed with paths that are great for families to explore, either on foot or on a mountain bike (available to hire). For walkers, there’s a choice of waymarked trails ranging from the accessible 1.5-mile Ellerburn Trail to the 6-mile Bridestones Trail, taking in landmarks, viewpoints and art installations and the opportunity to spot local wildlife. Meanwhile, cyclists can take their pick from several (graded) bike routes of up to 22 miles.
But that’s not all. For younger children, there’s a gentle mile-long Gruffalo party trail with games and activities to complete along the way, as well as carved wooden sculptures to find. If your kids are reluctant walkers, we’re sure you’ll be able to tempt them with paintballing, archery, bushcraft or outdoor laser tag at the Dalby Activity Centre, and teenagers can go wild on the zip lines, Tarzan swings and aerial obstacle course at Go Ape Dalby Forest.
Local tip: The Dalby Forest Visitor Centre has information on all the trails and activities, as well as a café where you can grab a bite to eat.
Falling Foss Tea Garden and Waterfall
A pretty 30-foot waterfall in Sneaton Forest, Falling Foss is a great place for kids to paddle and play, with the added bonus of a charming 18th-century tea room close by. The woods surrounding the cascade are home to a Fairy Trail for young children, The Hermitage – a cave carved in a huge boulder topped with two ‘wishing chairs’ – and a number of trails to explore.
The national park’s website has comprehensive details of a short but beautiful walk to the waterfall along the May Beck stream, and you can reward yourselves with a cup of tea and a slice of cake at Falling Foss Tea Garden when you get back.
Whitby Beach
If you love a family day out by the sea, the traditional seaside resort at Whitby is the place for you. Backed by a promenade lined with colourful huts, the long sandy beach between West Pier and Sandsend is great for walks, swimming, sandcastle building and kite flying, with rock pools where children can hunt for treasures, and boulders for clambering.
Battery Parade, near the West Pier, has cafés, fish and chip shops and amusement arcades, as well as donkey rides in summer and views of the Whitby Harbour lighthouse.
Local tip: Check the tide before you visit or start a walk – much of the beach is covered at high tide, and low tide is by far the best time to come. If you’re planning on swimming, the North Sea is pretty cold at most times of year, so a wetsuit is a good idea.
Wildlife and nature experiences
Whitby whale watching
Did you know you could go whale watching in Yorkshire? In summer, when there are huge shoals of spawning herring offshore, these magnificent creatures arrive on the coast to feed. It’s hard to beat the sense of wonder and excitement that comes with spotting a whale at sea, and a family excursion comes highly recommended.
Trips run by knowledgeable guides run daily (weather permitting) from July to October, but late summer (August to September) is the best time to see minke and humpback whales. There are sightings of seals, dolphins and sharks, as well as seabirds including gannets and puffins, throughout the year.
The distinctive yellow boats of Whitby Coastal Cruises depart from the Brewery Steps in Whitby’s Lower Harbour. Trips (for ages 12+) last for between four and eight hours and can go miles out to sea, so wear warm, waterproof clothing and bring some food.
Local tip: Book in advance, bring binoculars for the best viewing experience, and don’t forget your camera.
Seal watching at Ravenscar
As well as visiting whales in summer, Whitby also has its own colonies of common and grey seals that live below the cliffs along the coast. The biggest group can be found at Ravenscar, where there are often more than 300 to spot. If you’d like to observe them in their natural habitat, you can get a good view from the foot of the cliff near the Ravenhall Golf Course, where the route to the rocky beach is clearly signposted. It can be a bit of a scramble to reach the beach, so wear decent footwear, and try to time your trip at low tide – at high tide, the beach is covered.
Common seals usually give birth in June or July, so summer is a great time for a family visit. Grey seals love the large flat rock furthest from the beach (take binoculars), and their pups are usually born in November.
Local tip: Please bear the safety of the seals and your family in mind. Don’t get too close, (especially when there are pups around), keep quiet, and leave your dog at home. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust website has information about seals and how you can watch them safely.
Educational attractions
Ryedale Folk Museum
The fascinating Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole (open Saturday to Thursday from 10am) explores the rural heritage of the North York Moors. There are more than 20 relocated heritage buildings to explore on its open-air site – including a medieval manor, a 1950s village store and an Iron Age roundhouse – many with original furnishings and historic artefacts on display. Interactive exhibits encourage you to learn about traditional rural trades and crafts, and to discover what life was like in the national park over the past few centuries.
There’s also a farm area where children can meet and feed chickens, pigs and sheep, and see traditional implements and machinery. In summer and during school holidays, there are events and activities for families, including storytelling, trails to follow, art workshops and historical reenactments, and the pretty orchard and gardens are a great place for a family picnic.
The Moors National Park Centre
If you’re curious about the history and culture of the North York Moors, the national park’s (free) centre at Danby Lodge is a great place to learn. Alongside exhibitions and displays on nature, local industries and life in the park, there’s an easy-access path through Crow Wood with a nature trail to follow, an adventure playground, a labyrinth and a ‘mud kitchen’ in the woods where younger children can get their hands dirty.
The centre’s website also has details of lots of extra events and activities for families that take place during the summer and school holidays, including stargazing, guided walks and art workshops.
Captain Cook Museum Whitby
Set in the 17th-century house on Whitby Harbour where he served his apprenticeship, the Captain Cook Museum (open daily March to November, from 9.45am) celebrates the life of the famous explorer Captain James Cook.
Alongside original artefacts from his adventures there are fascinating exhibitions exploring Cook’s training, life in the Royal Navy and the voyages he took, plus detailed model ships and a replica of his cabin.
A visit here is a great way for families to learn more about one of Yorkshire’s most famous sons.
Local tip: Just across the River Esk on the opposite side of the harbour, you can climb aboard the Bark Endeavour Whitby, a replica of Cook’s famous ship that offers 25-minute trips around the harbour and along the coast, with an informative audio commentary. Trips usually run between April and October; check the website for details of exact sailing times.
Fun-filled activities and events
There are lots of great places to enjoy a family day out in the North York Moors. We've picked a few of our favourites here.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Have you always wanted to take a ride on a steam train? The fabulous North Yorkshire Moors Railway can make your dream come true, with daily journeys between Pickering and Whitby from late March until the beginning of November.
The pretty 24-mile trip includes stops at three heritage stations en route where you can hop off to explore. At Grosmont you can visit the company’s engine sheds, but the best one for families has to be Goathland, which doubled as Hogsmeade Station in the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – a great place for a selfie.
The railway also runs special services including gin- and beer-tasting journeys, and Santa Specials at Christmas. And of course, if you want to really splash out, you can ride in the engine (16+, book well in advance).
Danby Show
Held every August, Danby’s the popular Danby Show has been running for more than 150 years, and is always a good bet for a family day out. Alongside the traditional beauty competitions for livestock including horses, cattle and sheep, you’ll find stalls selling local produce and hand-made crafts, and displays of vintage farm machinery and motorcycles, as well as all sorts of food to try.
Family-friendly entertainment includes brass bands, falconry displays, show jumping, Punch and Judy shows and sheep dog trials.
If you’re keen to attend – or maybe compete? – you can find an exhaustive list of all the competitions and activities at this year’s event on the show’s website.
Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage
Visit Yorkshire in September to attend the weekend-long Staithes Festival, when the cobbled fishing village of Staithes celebrates the moor’s artistic community through exhibitions and pop-up galleries in the village’s cottages, walks, talks, live music and street food. It’s a great way to meet the local community, as well as to enjoy some delicious fresh seafood, and kids can burn off any extra energy with a run around on the beach. And if you’ve always wanted to learn how to make a lobster pot, you can do that too.
Planning your North York Moors family trip
Whether it’s waterfalls, steam trains, beaches, zip lines or whale watching that float your boat, you’ll find no end of family-friendly things to do in the North York Moors. Now it’s time to start planning your trip.
If you need somewhere affordable to stay, check out Pitchup’s collection of campsites in the North York Moors.