Towns to visit in the north, ideas please.

[Shipley]

Along the lines of Whitby, Scarbrough, Bridlington, Filey, York, Harrogate. Where else is there that has attractions to walk around and is a destination in its own right to walk around and have lunch? X

I'd second what @YouTheCat said above. Museums like The Hancock, or The Centre for Life are great for children.

I would also recommend Cragside and Wallington Hall, and finally, Tynemouth Village is fab too. Stunning beaches and surfing, an aquarium and an adventure playground.

Durham, lovely town and you can go to Beamish.

Hull. The Deep is fab. There is also a great museum quarter with several really good, family friendly museums. We spent 2 days there and didn't get round everything. I was really pleasantly surprised.

Edinburgh, proper north.

I’m not far from you OP. We like Alnwick garden and it’s kids trail and there is also the castle next door. Thorp Perrow is on my to-do list this summer too www.thorpperrow.com/

Durham city is lovely, compact and friendly.

I also really like Barnard Castle, it's a small town but there is the castle and some nice cafes. There are also the ruins of an abbey nearby, which is worth a visit.

Helmsley, a small market town in North Yorkshire, there are some nice shops and a castle that is worth a visit. Parking can be a bit awkward though.

Richmond, also North Yorks, is also a nice place to spend a few hours (and, yes there's a castle).

Ilkley,
Skipton,

Burnsall
wetherby
If you go to Whitby you have to have fishn chips, it’s the law!

Oh and Kynren if you haven’t seen it already. A truly amazing performance elevenarches.org/

I agree with other posters, Durban city centre is pretty dull for a family but if you don't mind venturing away from city centre then beamish is a must! I live super close and don't realise how lucky I am sometimes. Lots of pubs nearby if you'd rather eat elsewhere too.

Having a good laugh here in the East Midlands that some people consider Bakewell & Buxton to be in the north!

The Lakes are probably your best bet. Kendal is lovely.
Alnwick is gorgeous and lots of beaches within driving distance plus Newcastle not too far away.

You’ve mentioned all on my stamping ground of N Yorks
Haven’t rift but I think you missed Northallerton

Hull.

The Deep, museums quarter, lots of independent shops, a marina, a cathedral... Also lots of events coming up eg food festivals, a children's literary festival, humber street seen (huge family friendly music festival), hanse day, freedom festival...

Could link it with a trip to the Number Bridge and a walk along the foreshore or could travel down the road to Beverley.

Thirsk is also a little gem
We often go to the really ancient cinema

@Klopptimist the fountains are treated and if you take a look at the planning drawings before the fountains were built, it shows children playing in them so they are being used exactly as they were designed to be. The toilets under Victoria Statue now let children dry off and there is a lovely little shop called Chance Gifts just off the square which encourage you to dry off there.

OP - forgot to say that Hull also has 2 theatres and lovely parks including one with a boating lake, land train and a Victorian splash boat.

Newcastle is chock full of activities for kids and places to go and museums. Nice centre and quayside.

Alnwick also great for kids if its a nice day.

Knaresborough is nice for a day, Mother Shipton's Cave just out of the town & then in the town the river is fun. There's not much to do in the town itself, if you've seen one northern market town you've seen them all (e.g Wetherby)

Another hurrah for Hull here. The museums are all free to enter, and the Ferens art gallery has a lovely children's art room and a decent cafe. Then you need to go to East Park, meet the wallabies and llamas and ponies, walk through the aviary that was opened by Kim Wilde (I know!!) and go on the boating lake.

Or you could go up the road to Hornsea for a nice beach visit and then a trip to Hornsea Freeport to laugh at the shops and the music, and visit Bugtopia to play with tarantulas and go into the butterfly house.