Fun-Filled Family Days Out in Yorkshire
Keep the whole family entertained with these fun-filled days out this summer
York Maze
Plan your day out at York Maze. It’s home to one of the largest mazes in the world, and has been created with more than one million living, growing maize plants! Find your way through the maze to find the the six challenge points… and points mean prizes. Plus, there’s a Jurassic-themed maze, the maze of illusions, a music-themed maze, and a mineshaft maze with a labyrinth of crawl tunnels, bridges and overhead walkways to get lost in. More than 20 rides and attractions mean the kids always have something to do, and don’t miss the Crazy Maze Show.
Elvington Lane, York YO19 5LT
01904 608000
yorkmaze.com
Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park
More than 35 rides and attractions keep the kids busy at Lightwater Valley, alongside daily entertainment – all tailored to children under 12. Get dizzy on the Spin Bug, go wild on the Jeep Safari, or take in the views from the Skyrider. Your children will also love the countless outdoor play areas, Splash Falls and the Hall of Mirrors. Look out for Ebor the friendly dragon and arrange a meet and greet with Rex the Valleysaurus. Why not challenge your whole family to a round of adventure golf?
North Stainley, Ripon HG4 3HT
01765 635321
lightwatervalley.co.uk
The Plotters’ Forest
The Plotters’ Forest is Raby Castle’s immersive adventure playground within their Christmas tree plantation, with opportunities for children to explore around every corner. Grab a trail sheet to keep them busy. They will climb, slide and jump to their heart’s content and toddlers are welcome too – with a special area for them to explore next door. Meanwhile parents can relax among the treetops on the deck of the Plotters’ Pantry.
Staindrop DL2 3NF
01833 660888
raby.co.uk
Darlington Hippodrome
A 1,000-seat Edwardian era theatre in Darlington, the Hippodrome hosts plays, opera, comedy, music, dance, pantos and both local and touring shows. The theatre underwent a huge restoration in 2016 and 2017 and sits adjacent to The Hullabaloo, which is specifically created for children and families to play and learn (but also hosts family-friendly shows). Children will love Fireman Sam’s stage show on 23rd July and In The Night Garden Live on 16th and 17th August, and you can book tickets now for Little Women in September and October.
Parkgate, Darlington DL1 1RR
01325 405405
darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
The Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival
The Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival takes place across nine days in July, starting at Pontefract with a music night and ending on a high at York Racecourse with their Music Showcase. This year the family-friendly festival takes place from 18th July to 26th July. From a Queen tribute band in Pontefract to a circus-themed raceday in Redcar, this is the opportunity to enjoy a family day out at the races. There’ll be child-friendly activities at racecourses in Catterick and Thirsk too, and highlights in York include performances from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natasha Bedingfield and Ronan Keating.
Racecourses Yorkshirewide
goracing.co.uk
Web Adventure Park
At Web Adventure Park, your children can enjoy unlimited rides on fairground favourites, challenge their friends on the ninja course, make a splash on the giant water play pillow, dig in the sand and meet the animals. On rainy days, make the most of their indoor play where there’s also a baby sensory zone. Throughout the summer holidays there’ll be live performances, daily sports days and a huge sandpit. Bring a change of clothes if you’re heading to the foam-filled fun zone. Don’t miss Webbinton, the park’s role play village.
Wigginton Road, York YO32 2RH
01904 692221
webadventurepark.co.uk
Kynren – An Epic Tale of England
An open-air theatrical event in Bishop Auckland, Kynren runs every Saturday evening throughout the summer (from 19th July to 13th September this year). A 90-minute show, it’s unlike anything else you’ll see in the UK – all about England’s history, myth and legend. It’s performed by a 1,000-strong cast and crew (and live animals) on a 7.5-acre outdoor stage and features daring stunts and horsemanship and dazzling pyrotechnics. Kynren has just been voted the North East’s Event of the Year by Destination North East England and as well as the pre-show Viking Village, visitors this year will love the reimagined royal scene featuring brand-new choreography and an original score, bringing Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee to life.
Bishop Auckland, County Durham DL14 7SF
01388 436030
kynren.com
Diggerland
This year, Diggerland is celebrating 25 years of family fun, and children and adults can ride, drive and operate real diggers, dumpers and full-size construction machinery. So if your child has ever dreamt of riding a real JCB, this is the perfect day out for you. Take in the views from the Skyshuttle, go off-road on the Groundshuttle, or battle your friends and family on the dodgems. There are indoor and outdoor play areas and go-karting too!
Willowbridge Lane, Castleford WF10 5NW
01634 711711
diggerland.com
The Forbidden Corner
A staple of family days out, The Forbidden Corner attracts visitors to adventure through its labyrinth of underground tunnels and chambers, passing strange statues, grand follies and confounding dead ends. At every turn of this four-acre garden there are decisions to make, tricks to avoid and discoveries to delight.
Tupgill Park Estate, Middleham, Leyburn DL8 4TJ
theforbiddencorner.co.uk
The York Dungeon
Satisfy your morbid curiosity with this creepy journey through the darkest corners of York’s 2,000 year history, which brings together an amazing cast of actors, special effects, stages and scenes. You’ll come across actors armed with frightening (but fun) facts, bringing history to life with the help of plenty of gory special effects across 10 immersive shows. The dungeon covers everything from the plague to Guy Fawkes and everyone’s favourite highwayman Dick Turpin, as well as the city’s ghosts. It’s scarily good fun!
12 Clifford Street, York YO1 9RD
thedungeons.com/york
York Cold War Bunker
A fascinating piece of history, this two-storey, semi-subterranean Cold War bunker was built in 1961 to monitor nuclear explosions and any fall out in Yorkshire in the event of a nuclear war. One of only 30 in the UK, during its Cold War operational period, the building would have supported 60 local volunteer members of the Royal Observer Corps, with a 10-man scientific warning team on site to collate details of any nuclear bombs and subsequent radioactive fall out. Now an English Heritage Scheduled Monument, it was opened to visitors in 2006. In the windowless interior you can see a control room equipped with original monitoring devices; a ‘hot bed’ dormitory where staff took turns to sleep; plant and communications rooms; and a sewage ejector unit. The air-filtering system, water and supplies could hold out for just 30 days. Visits are by pre-booked guided tour only.
Holgate, York YO24 4HT
english-heritage.org.uk
Gameshow All-Stars
The first of its kind in the UK, Sheffield’s brand new gameshow destination means you can complete as if you are a contestant on your favourite TV gameshow. Here, you don’t just watch the game, you are the game – so step into the immersive space and become a contestant in a series of thrilling TV-style shows with pulse-pounding challenges and laugh-out-loud moments. But are you ready to be a star?
Leopold Street, Sheffield S1 2FB
gameshowallstars.co.uk
