Top 5 Family Attractions in Yorkshire
With the Easter holidays just around the corner and the weather warming up, everyone is looking for fun ways to keep the family occupied during the downtime. Luckily for those of us based here in Yorkshire, this doesn’t necessarily mean jetting off to somewhere sunny – there’s plenty to do right here on the doorstep without breaking the bank!
We’ve rounded up our top 5 family days out in Yorkshire – and with theme parks, zoos and museums (to name a few) there’s something to keep everyone entertained right outside our front door.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park, South Yorkshire
Located in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, Yorkshire Wildlife Park is home to an array of animals – including the only polar bears in an English zoo! Visitors can watch lemurs swing overhead in the walkthrough enclosure of Lemur Woods, visit one of the largest tiger reserves in the whole of Europe, and see a number of endangered species being rehabilitated in their world-class conservation programmes.
First opened in 2009 the park now attracts over 323,000 visitors per year – it’s variety of animals and focus on learning makes it the perfect family day out. YWP offers a range of activities every day, from informative talks to live feeding demonstrations, so it’s easy to keep little ones busy. Dining is always important for a day out with the whole family, but they’ve got that covered, too – there are several different themed cafes and restaurants available to stop at for a bite to eat, or picnic areas available if you’d prefer to bring your own lunch. The park also has a variety of gift shops in Safari Village selling everything from gourmet sweets to craft beers, so everyone will be able to pick up the perfect souvenir!
Magna Science Museum, South Yorkshire
Based just outside Rotherham in South Yorkshire, Magna is the perfect day out for any budding young scientists. Separated into four ‘pavilions’ the museum explores the elements – earth, air, fire and water – in a physical way; it’s science you can see, giving young learners the opportunity to get to grips with the elements hands on. With a fire tornado, the chance to work a real JCB and a live demonstration of the old steel works (amongst a range of other exciting activities) there’s plenty to marvel at, creating the perfect balance between fun and learning.
During the summer months, head outside to the SCI-TEK outdoor adventure centre or make a splash at the AQUA-TEK water centre, which is coveted as ‘one of the UK’s largest outdoor water play zones.’ These are perfect for the warmer weather, meaning they’re only open in peak season from 23rd May – but the rest of the museum is open all year round with plenty to do!
XSCAPE, West Yorkshire
If you’re looking for a place that really does have something for the whole family, then XSCAPE in Castleford is a sure-fire hit. With everything from shopping outlets and restaurants, cinemas and escape rooms to aerial ropes courses and snowboarding sessions, there’s guaranteed to be something that everyone will love, whether you’re looking for something relaxing or a little more high octane.
XSCAPE boasts an indoor ski slope, state of the art cinema, escape rooms, bowling alleys, laser zones, trampoline parks – the list is almost endless. You’ll never run out of things to do here so it really is a great day out for everyone, and with a huge list of restaurants to keep you topped up in between activities you really can make a day of it.
Flamingo Land, North Yorkshire
It couldn’t be a round up of great family days out without throwing a theme park into the mix! Flamingo Land in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, combines the thrill of a theme park with the fun of a zoo and their on-site accommodation means you can enjoy your visit even longer! Their attractions range from kids rides to thrill rides so the whole family can join in the fun – the park reopens for the summer season on March 27th. Until then, you can visit over 140 species in their zoo, with keeper talks daily and outdoor play areas to let off some steam. You’ll also find a range of cafes and bars dotted around the park to grab a spot of lunch – and if you want to extend your trip, check out their accommodation and short break packages, ranging from caravans to luxury suites.
Go Ape, West & North Yorkshire
Looking for something a little more outdoorsy? Go Ape is perfect for little thrill seekers – aerial adventures on a high ropes course in the woods would be enough to get anyone’s adrenaline pumping! With a Treetop Adventure course for little climbers to the 15-meter-high Treetop Challenge for the more seasoned of the bunch, everyone will be able to enjoy themselves in the great outdoors – and it’s great for building teamwork, too! The obstacles, platforms and treetop zipwires give you plenty to do; courses range from 1-3 hours depending on the difficulty. The West Yorkshire site in Leeds is in the grounds of Temple Newsam, so finish the day off with a walk around the beautiful stately home and treat yourself to lunch in the tearoom. If you’re heading to the North Yorkshire Dalby branch then you’ll be able to enjoy their specialist off-road Forest Segways, or immerse yourself in the beauty of the forest at night with their after-hours Sundown Trees experience, where you’re invited to enjoy the ziplines after dark (this course has limited dates and availability, so be sure to book ahead!)
Of course, these are just a few of the amazing days out to be had here in Yorkshire – we’ve got museums, seaside and a whole bunch more. You don’t need to jet off to enjoy a great day out!
