Calling all West Yorkshire parents!

[LMW1990]

We are planning on buying a family metro ticket this weekend for £13 which allows us unlimited one day travel across West Yorkshire (and a little bit of North - Harrogate).

I'm looking for any ideas for free or very cheap attractions for 2 adults, an 8 year old and a 4 year old.

So far we've looked at the Media Museum in Bradford and the Royal Armouries but other suggestions would be welcome. The weather doesn't look too cracking!

If you're in Leeds City Centre, the Trinity Centre is undercover but feels like it's outside and Trinity Kitchen is a good place to eat.

Leeds Museum is free and a nice little museum. Weather doesn't look too bad on Sunday, so if you want somewhere outside for a walk/run around, I think Roundhay Park is best served by public transport from Leeds City Centre. Or if you are over Bradford way, Saltaire is nice - World Heritage site, with park, Salts Mill, canal and nice-ish village. Also a little railway and you can walk up onto the moor from the park.

A bit further to the south, you've got the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Where are you staying?

@barbaraofseville we actually live in Leeds (well just outside) but we thought we'd try some places we haven't been and also ditch the car for the day

Temple Newsam has a little farm, an old house and big grounds to run around. You have to pay for admission to the house and farm but the grounds are free.

Seconding the Leeds Museum: it's a fine example of a town museum.

IDK what public transport to the YSP is like. It's half a mile from nowhere so I think you'll use up a lot of your free day travelling to it.

Which side of Leeds do you live on?

There's a bus to the YSP (no 96). Not sure what the times are from Wakefield, it takes about 30 minutes.

In Wakefield you have the Hepworth gallery really close to Wakefield kirgate train station. The museum is ok and there's a few nice places to eat.

I'm from Wakefield. We live in Tingley.

Oh, sorry, I thought you were here for the weekend. In that case, I'd stick to centrally located places, or those on good bus/train routes.

It can be a real pain getting around our county on public transport - buses only once an hour, and having to change, meaning it's a real 'cut your nose off to spite your face' exercise if you have a car.

Maybe look at where you can go on the train? Knaresborough, Ilkley, Saltaire. I've walked over the moors from Saltaire to Ilkley, had lunch and a wander around Ilkley and got the train back, but I think its' quite a trek.

Have you been to the coal mining museum?

I'm guessing you've been to Eureka in Halifax. That's a decent day out.

Williams Den is a bit far out I think, but definitely an option for another day.

I didn't rate the Media Museum tbh. Might be ok for little ones though. How about Hawarth?

If you're in Tingley, and can presumably get a bus to Wakefield easily, the Sculpture Park might be a good choice for Sunday, as you'll avoid the parking fee.

Or Newmillerdam south of Wakefield, Or Pugneys and Sandal Castle combination - you can walk across the fields between these.

Where have you been before and what sort of things do you like doing?

There's a Wacky Warehouse and pub at Stanley Marina if you have young DC but I don't know how much it is.

We live in Tingley.

So you can get to Leeds, Huddersfield, Halifax and Bradford easily. What about Hailfax? The Piece Hall's updating is finished and it's all re-opened, there's Eureka! and Shibden Hall and the Bankfield Museum.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

We've been to some of these before but worth another visit for the younger one especially. Eldest is going to NCM with school in a few weeks.

I'll have a look at all of these a little later! Thank you x

If NCM not on, then second Pugneys and Sandal castle. Café at both places. Good playground with zip wire, miniature railway and bike hire at Pugneys.
Also agree that media museum is not brill for those ages, but Lister Park in Bradford is good.

Salts Mill then through the park and up onto the moors on the tramway

St Ives estate at Bingley is a lovely huge park

Haworth via Keighley Steam railway

Ilkley - moors and the riverside park is nice

Cartwright Hall gallery in lister park usually has a children’s exhibition

Eureka of course - and piece hall for the adults

...Bradford based parent of a toddler with no car for the last 2 years (not envy)