Yorkshire is one of England's finest counties for a family day out. With a coastline of golden sandy beaches, rolling countryside dotted with adventure farms, world-class museums in historic York, and not one but two theme parks, there is something to delight children of every age -- and keep the grown-ups entertained too. Here is our guide to the very best family attractions across the county.
Theme Parks: Thrills for All Ages
Flamingo Land Resort
Set across around 375 acres of North Yorkshire parkland near Malton, Flamingo Land is the county's flagship family attraction and one of the few places in the UK that combines a full-scale theme park with an accredited zoo. Thrill-seekers will find eight major rides including Hero, a popular roller coaster, and Mumbo Jumbo, which once held the Guinness World Record for the steepest drop on a roller coaster.
Younger visitors are far from forgotten. The park has a generous selection of junior rides, a splash zone for warm days, and a zoo home to over 140 species of mammals, reptiles and birds. You can easily spend a full day here without running out of things to do. The resort also offers on-site holiday accommodation if you fancy making a weekend of it.
Flamingo Land's main season typically runs from late March through to the beginning of November, with special winter events on selected dates outside the main season.
Lightwater Valley
Closer to Ripon, Lightwater Valley is a family adventure park with over 35 rides and attractions tailored particularly for younger families and children under 12. The park operates on a pay-once, ride-all-day basis, which makes it excellent value for families with small children who want to go on their favourite ride again and again.
The park entered an exciting new chapter in late 2025 when it was acquired by the Mellors Group, who have announced ambitious plans for new rides and attractions. While it remains firmly focused on younger families, the aim is to broaden the appeal for all ages. Lightwater Valley typically opens for the season at the end of March.
Museums: Learning Disguised as Fun
National Railway Museum, York
If your children have even a passing interest in trains, the National Railway Museum on Leeman Road in York is an absolute must. Better still, general admission is completely free, making it one of the best-value family days out in the whole of England.
The museum's collection features over 100 locomotives and nearly 300 items of rolling stock. Children can stand face-to-face with Mallard, the world's fastest steam locomotive, and marvel at a genuine Japanese Bullet Train. The interactive Wonderlab gallery (the Bramall Gallery) is a particular highlight, offering explosive live science shows and 18 hands-on challenges including a human wind tunnel and the chance to launch a rocket.
For younger visitors, there is a train-themed play area, a miniature railway, and two on-site cafes for refuelling. The museum is open seven days a week from 10:00 to 17:00, closing only over the Christmas period.
JORVIK Viking Centre, York
Stay in York and head to Coppergate for a journey back over a thousand years. The JORVIK Viking Centre is built on the very site where archaeologists uncovered remarkably preserved remains of the Viking-age city of Jorvik. Visitors ride through a reconstruction of Viking-era streets, complete with the sights, sounds and -- famously -- the smells of 10th-century life.
Children tend to find the experience absolutely gripping. The combination of the ride-through reconstruction and the genuine archaeological artefacts on display brings history to life in a way that textbooks simply cannot match. It is particularly good for Key Stage 2 children studying the Vikings, but younger and older children enjoy it just as much.
Farm Attractions: Animals and Adventure
Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley
Cannon Hall Farm near Cawthorne in South Yorkshire is a working farm that has been welcoming visitors since 1989. Run by the Nicholson family, the farm gained national fame through its Channel 5 television series and has grown into one of the region's most popular family attractions.
The farm is home to sheep, goats, pigs and a wide variety of other animals, with over 750 lambs reared annually during the busy lambing season in spring. Beyond the farmyard, children can explore one of the largest adventure playgrounds in Northern England and tackle what is billed as the biggest tube maze in Europe. There is also a reptile house, a nocturnal animal house, a well-stocked farm shop and several places to eat on site.
Piglets Adventure Farm, York
Just fifteen minutes from the centre of York, Piglets Adventure Farm on Towthorpe Moor Lane is a delightful spot for families with younger children. The farm offers an animal barn where children can meet and feed piglets, goats and guinea pigs, plus a farmyard trail with an optional quiz to keep curious minds busy.
Outdoor activities include bouncing pillows, crazy farm golf, a barrel train ride and go-karts. During the summer months, a maize maze adds an extra element of adventure. The piglet maternity ward, where visitors can see newborn piglets with their mothers, is a particular crowd-pleaser.
Outdoor Adventure: Into the Trees
Go Ape Dalby Forest
For families with slightly older children who crave adventure, Go Ape at Dalby Forest in the North York Moors is hard to beat. Set amongst towering trees on the southern slopes of the national park, the centre offers two main experiences.
The Treetop Adventure is suitable for children aged 4 to 10 who are over one metre tall, offering an hour of wobbly bridges, intricate crossings and a zip wire finale. The more challenging Treetop Challenge is aimed at those aged 10 and over (minimum height 1.4 metres) and features longer zip wires, higher platforms and the infamous Tarzan Swing.
Dalby Forest itself is a wonderful place to spend time, with two play areas for children, an Enchanted Wood featuring living willow arches and carved wooden creatures, and plenty of walking and cycling trails. Go Ape operates in all weathers except icy, stormy or high-wind conditions, so it works well as a day out even when the forecast is not entirely promising.
Beaches: Traditional Seaside Fun
Yorkshire's coastline offers some of the finest family beaches in England, with traditional seaside towns that have been entertaining families for generations.
Scarborough South Bay
Scarborough's South Bay is a large sandy beach with excellent facilities for families. The beach is spacious enough for ball games and kite flying, and children can enjoy donkey rides, crazy golf, trampolines and an outdoor paddling pool. Colourful beach huts line the promenade, and the town itself has no shortage of fish and chip shops, ice cream parlours and amusement arcades. The imposing Scarborough Castle provides a dramatic backdrop and is well worth a visit in its own right.
Filey Beach
A little further south along the coast, Filey offers a glorious sweep of soft golden sand that regularly features in lists of England's finest family beaches. The pace here is gentler than Scarborough, making it ideal for families who prefer a quieter day by the sea. Children love the Coble Landing area where they can watch fishing boats being launched by tractor, and the Country Park at the top of the cliff has an excellent play area. Glen Gardens, a short walk from the beach, offers a boating lake that has been entertaining families for decades.
Whitby West Beach
Whitby's West Cliff beach combines a beautiful stretch of sand with the atmospheric backdrop of the famous abbey ruins and the old town's red-roofed houses tumbling down the hillside. The beach has colourful beach huts, a children's paddling pool and donkey rides, and has held Blue Flag status recognising its water quality and facilities. After a morning on the sand, families can climb the 199 steps to Whitby Abbey, explore the quirky streets of the old town, or simply refuel with Whitby's justly famous fish and chips.
Planning Your Visit
Yorkshire is a large county, so it helps to plan around geography. York makes an excellent base for the National Railway Museum, JORVIK, and Piglets Adventure Farm. The coast is easily reached from York in under an hour for Scarborough, Filey and Whitby. Flamingo Land sits conveniently between York and the coast near Malton, while Lightwater Valley is best combined with a trip to the Yorkshire Dales. Cannon Hall Farm is in South Yorkshire near Barnsley, making it more accessible from Sheffield, Leeds or Wakefield.
For the best value, look out for family tickets at the paid attractions and remember that the National Railway Museum is free. Many of the theme parks and farms offer discounted advance booking online, so it is always worth checking their websites before you visit.
Whatever your children's ages and interests, Yorkshire has a family day out to match. From toddlers feeding lambs at Cannon Hall to teenagers conquering zip wires at Dalby Forest, the county truly has it all.
