| Holiday Ratings | |
| Recommended days | 3 |
| Budget | £ |
| Difficulty | Easy |
York is a great place for a city break and has endless potential as there are so many amazing places nearby. This was a long weekend in York with the kids and we stayed at the Hilton which is just opposite Clifford’s Tower, in the heart of the historic city. On this occasion we didn’t visit the Minster and did a few day trips to nearby attractions that were mostly child friendly.
Yorkshire Lavender Fields
Our first stop was a surprising choice by the kids but it was the Yorkshire Lavender fields. To be fair these were very photogenic and had a great cafe, it was just a rather innocuous place to visit in Yorkshire!
Whitby Abbey
After lunch we continued on to Whitby Abbey, I think the kids were hoping to see some traces of Dracula but they enjoyed the ruins nevertheless. We didn’t visit the town itself and the abbey is on an imposing position on a headland with a substantial amount of the structure remaining.
Whitby Abbey 
Whitby Abbey 
Whitby Abbey 
Whitby Abbey 
Whitby Abbey 
Yorkshire Lavender 
Whitby Abbey 
Whitby Abbey 
Whitby Abbey
Clifford’s Tower
After breakfast the next morning we spent some visiting the city itself and Cliffords Tower. This has now had a large refit and a new visitors centre I think but when we went there was just a few information boards. The kids enjoyed climbing to the top though and the city has plenty of historic buildings and streets to keep visitors occupied.
Yorkshire Air Museum
The afternoon was my choice and as the weather was a bit mixed we headed to the Yorkshire Air Museum. For me this was an excellent choice as there were a lot of iconic aircraft there and the wingspan of the Victor meant the kids and Deb could shelter from the rain whilst I took photos! We did all like it here, it was very much a project of passion and this showed through in the guides and exhibits.
Hardwick Hall
After dinner in the hotel restaurant, looking across at the illuminated tower, we had an early night ready to leave the next day. On the way home we stopped at Hardwick Hall, Deb’s choice and an amazing monument to a very clever lady. Bess of Hardwick rose from relatively poor roots to became one of the richest cosmopolitan ladies of the age. The two houses she has at Hardwick are both spectacular examples of Elizabethan architecture, one run by English Heritage and one by the National Trust.
Another long weekend in York that was good for the soul. We had time together with no distractions, saw some great new places and learned some history too. As always, it’s great what you can achieve in a few days away.
2010