Whitby, Scarborough and York with a 5 and a 2 year old - things to do reccommendations please

[Blatherskite]

We've booked our accommodation, just got to narrow down the list of things to do to a more manageable list.

I haven't been to Whitby, Scarborough or York since I was a free and single uni student and not with children of any age before so I'm not sure where would be best to take them and where is best avoided. I know pubs in Whitby but that's not going to help with this trip and I fancied the Yorvik centre but am now wondering if it's going to be suitable for 2yo DD? We're going for a week in June during the school holidays and over the Jubilee bank holidays so it might be really busy.

Any recommendations - or discouragements - would be very much appreciated.

scarborough has the sealife centre near the beach so you could go there and then a picnic and play on the beach afterwards. a trip on the little train near the sealife centre. there is also the park to walk around and the last time we were there (last year) there was a lot of building work going on down near the park/sealife centre,

If it rains there is a nice soft play area if you drive from Scarborough to Pickering ( it's before you get to Pickering, near the Land Rover dealership). It's sign posted but easy to miss, it would be on your left on an industrial estate.

Building work is now finished and the little train to the sealife is lovely. The park opposite has peddle dragons for the lake and there will be an old style band on for the weekend usually. It will be packed and parking will break your heart. Go early.

Try get a half price voucher or something for sealife - they are expensive.

Look at the museums, the Rotunda does fossil walks and info tours on how to look for fossils.

PlayDale farm - very good, lots of indoor play if weather pants.

Betton Farm - nice little play area and lots of info on bees and honey etc. Nice grub!

Other things:

Pickering - most visited steam railway in UK. It is lovely. Just chug up to Goathland, have and ice cream and come back. Or you can do the longer jaunt to Whitby. Or just hang about and soak up the atmosphere. There is a website you can check out.

For lunch a farm cafe called Cedar Barn a mile outside Pickering. Has outdoor play, fruit picking if the season is right an the food is just amazing. Family friendly - you can ask for pretty much anything and they will see what they can do. Bookings only Sunday.

Thornton-le-Dale 3 miles from Pickering and cute as a button. Ducks to feed and icecreams, a pot decorating place some gift shops and a little wander. That's about it.

Dalby Forest - just brill but maybe a bit old for your dc. Great for a bike ride, also the best adventure playground for miles. Costs a £7 in to the forest. Excellent visitor centre and bike hire.

Castle Howard - my all time fave. Fab fab fab adventure playground, amazing grounds, tractor type drive down to lake, lovely gift shops, amazing house - my idea of utopia.

Tis a magic place for preschoolers around these parts!

Robin Hoods Bay - ace for pretending to be pirates and smugglers and soaking up the atmosphere

There is a soft play area in the Scarborough town centre as well called Playzone.

Have a look at this website for ideas too.

My parents live near Scarborough and Whitby is nice for a walk on the beach with rock poo,l sand, fish n chips, ice cream and such like but not on a wet day.

York is great for a day out at places like the York Railway Museum and a pizza afterwards if it is raining.

i dont want to go anywhere you might encounter rock poo!
Yes to railway museum, and generally wandering round the town in york and whitby

Castle museum in York is good, reasonable entrance fee and spent a long time in there. Last time we went mine were 3, 7 and 11.
The river cruises are good as well.

Whitby for us was all about the beach and walks up to the abbey via the stairs, walk up to see the whale bone arch and the late lunch in the magpie fish and chips restaurant. Definatley worth booking to avoid the queue.

Railway museum is fab - and so free. I do like free.

Can't beat the real thing at Pickering though!!!

Come to Pickering and go on the railway. I live here and DH drives steam trains and my boys never get bored of going on there. Goathland is a lovely little and you can go to the engine shed at Grosmont.

The railway museum is great too. We all enjoyed Castle Museum in York, also just outside is Clifford's Tower. The amazing view is worth the walk up the stairs.

Whitby Abbey is really good as is Scarborough castle.

Magpie cafe in Whitby really is not worth the wait or the money. Most local people I know won't go near the place.

We like going on one of the boat trips at Whitby. We really like the little Endevour(sp)

Dalby Forest is great fun. There is a brilliant playground there and it is fab for getting the kids to let off some steam.

Have a lovely holiday.

McKayz - Pickering railway is fab. Even standing on the platform and watching the trains is great. I've probably seen your DH!

MoreBeta It is amazing. I love the smell too. I've been lucky enough to go on the footplate with him twice and there is nothing as amazing as that.

We stayed in Whitby last year and had a great time just pottering, goin to Robin Hoods Bay for rockpooling and exploring other beaches. Brought back memories of my granny taking us to sands end as children. For the railway we got on at whitby and went to Goathland then there is a nice little walk to a waterfall, perfectly doable for the 5 year old (mine were 4 and 2 and the 2 year old walked most of it too) which loops round so you can then get the train back again.

I wouldn't do Yorvik with little ones.

Thanks everyone. There are some really good suggestions here. We have 6 days to fill in all - 4 with a base in Scarborough and 2 more with a hotel room in central-ish York.

I definitely want to take them to the Abbey and to do some rock pool dipping at Whitby. They'd both love a steam train so need to fit that in in Scarborough and were thinking about the Sea Life centre too. The castle museum and Railway museum have been recommended in York too.

Off to do some googling :)

We always head to Dalby Forest when we can - there are two fab playgrounds and my kids love it.We went on the pickering railway and loved it. Goathland brings back memories of picnics with my gran and paddling in the stream.
If we head for the coast it has tended to be Sandsend and Filey that we go to.

Castle Howard also great for a day out.

Haven't been to the Sealife Centre in Scarborough for a while but the boys really enjoyed when we did.
Would also echo the York suggestions of the Railway Museum (keep meaning to take ds4 there but have never got round to it) and the Castle Museum. Have also done boat trips on the river and enjoyed them.

We're going to Scarborough in JUly with a 5yo and 22mo and are planning on Flamingo Land.

Another no to Jorvik. Your DC are too young & it is too expensive.
Castle Howard has a lovely outdoor play area. Take a picnic and sit on the lawn watching the people ducks/swans.

The Dig, York (must book in advance). Very suitable for these ages and they will love the replica of the largest poo ever dug up! It's not always on display but they wil show you if you ask!
Whitby for the beach and the fish and chips ( The Magpie is best)
North Yorkshire Moors railway is vey pricey but good.
Waterworld swimming pool for slides and lazy river.
Creepy crawlies play centre
Monk Park Farm

Mixed reviews for Magpie here.

DS loves lazy rivers so I'm going to look up Waterworld. The creepy crawly play centre sounds like it might be fun too.

You guys are making my list longer not shorter! :)

Don't forget the Viking poo! Ds loved that.

Peasholm park in Scarborough North bay- boat rides, battle ship show (check park posters for times), feed the geese, take but to few the squirrels, stop for ice cream in cafe.

This can be followed by train ride to sealife centre.

Donkey rides on Scarborough beach.

Playdale farm park is fabulous and you can easily spend a day here.

Scarborough south bay - lots of amusement arcades, pirate ship boat ride out to sea, funfair, ice cream parlour, fish n chips.

You can catch an open top bus from the north bay to south bay (always my dc's highlight) and then walk back-there is a cafe halfway.

In York my DC's enjoyed boat ride along the river, climbing Clifford's tower, watching street theatre, fairground carousel ride, cakes at Betty's and visiting the Disney shop.

Oooh, a train to the Sea Life Centre. That sounds like fun. Where do you catch it from?

Wolds Way Lavender

Our best afternoon out when we were in the area.

Though there's no mention of the giant games maze on the website which was the best bit!

You can't miss the train station, it is across the road from peasholm park as if you are walking towards beach (we usually park in indoor swimming pool car park which is also next door) It's called north bay railway if you google. There is a little shop where your DC can buy flags to wave.

After the sealife centre there is a nice little pub across the car park which serves lovely food and the part of the beach near pub has rock pools so don't forget your buckets and nets