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.

We're looking forward to rock pool dipping :) Buckets and nets are a must.

Off to google the railway...

Can I ask what you did at Wolds Way Lavender Joking?

HI OP, Joking by a different name here.

DC were 6, 5 and 2. We walked around the small "formal" style beds which included a small pond and waterfall. We walked along the long lavender field beds looking at and smelling the different types of lavender flower and discussing the bees (which we only intereste din the lavender and weren't intrusive). We went in the wooden shed and watched the short film about lavender oil production and looked at the distillery equipment. We didn't bother to go on the small railway around the site, though don't really remember why now.

Then we wandered slowly along the pre-determined nature walk and read the wooden plaques about the plants and wild animals. There were a couple of tractor things placed you could climb all over. Another area with statues and sculptures and maybe scarecrows amongst the bushes. Then we did what the children lhad been looking forward to: The Giant Games Maze. This had been planted out of willow several years previously and had 10 giant traditional wooden games (think connect four, quoits, etc) in clearings. However the willow had failed and the outline of the maze was, quite frankly, a bit shite, but we didn't mind, it meant we could see the DC as they ran around playing all the different games while DH and I managed a whole game of giant chess. And there was no irritating being lost in the maze, you could just step over/through the willow walls.

There was a small tea shop and shop which had overpriced lavender-based products.

I don't recall it being expensive to get in and it wasn't a whole day, only an "extra" kind of place, maybe 2 hours, but we thought it seemed like a granny-type idea when we read the leaflet we'd picked up. but we all really enjoyed it and it was a bit of a highlight.

Maybe more info than you wanted!

No, that was brilliant thank you. I have to admit, I looked at the website and it did seem very granny-ish, you sell it much better than they do - they should give you a job

Well, so much for cutting down my list! Apart from dropping Yorvik, it's only gotten longer!! Still, I now have a good choice of things to do each day and some good back ups for if it's raining or we manage to find ourselves at a loose end - which is unlikely! I have a feeling we might have to plan another trip to the area to fit in all the things we'd like to do but won't have time for another day!

I've ordered our tickets for the Sea Life Centre with my Tesco vouchers too so they've cost £11.50 rather than the almost £40 it would have cost to buy them on the door

Oh yes Wolds Way Lavender is lovely. My toddlers have always enjoyed it.

Be certain to order any SeaLife tickets ahead or get some sort of free pass thing. There are plenty of 'free children' tickets knocking about at the moment.

I'm happy to collect and post to anyone who wants them. Though you may find a better deal tbh.

There are 2 for 1 tickets on Tesco cereals at the moment, along with lots of other places I should imagine.

I think our clubcard voucher tickets will be better value though.

I live in Whitby :)

I have 3 children 6 and under.

Things I would recommend...

Sandsend beach- best beach for children and you don't have to walk up the cliff at the end! Although it gets VERY busy if the weather is nice and there's not that much parking.

North Yorkshire Moors railway @ Grosmont, my children just like to go and watch the trains from the platform and visit the engine sheds, we rarely actually go on the train.

Sealife centre in Scarborough - although it's VERY expensive (you can usually get deals on tickets though, especially if you buy a local paper)

Falling Foss - waterfall, walk and a lovely tea garden which is very resonable.

Danby Moors Centre - FREE, outside play, gardens, woodland trail and a Moors museum.

Mini Monsters soft play, expensive but good.

Robin Hoods Bay is lovely. Runswick Bay also lovely but no quite as busy.

Whitby Abbey.

Dalby Forest

Castle Howard

We're local and like the Magpie, although we tend to go off season to avoid the queues, they also only take a limited amount of bookings. Most of the fish and chips shops are good, try Fusco's as an alternative.

There's absolutely loads to do round here with children, hope you have a good time :)

Our kids love the railway museum and it's free so I'd say that's a good one to do.

They also loved Flamingo Land. They were 2 & 4 when they went and I was worried there wouldn't be enough to do but actually we could have easily spent another day there as we didn't really manage to look at the animals much at all. No idea how pricey it is though (expect it's a lot!) as it was paid for by someone else.

Playdale farm has been recommended by friends but we didn't get chance to go.

In Scarborough we were lucky and it was a nice day and the kids were quite happy digging in the sand for quite some time.

Can I also recommend runswick bay for a nice beach near Whitby. The thing to do around the shale/slate cliffs is to look for fossils - there used to be loads. I spent hours on that beach as a kid!

Ooh, I'm glad you asked, OP! I'm going to York (well, near York) with my 12-mnth-old DD next month.

www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk but you will need to book. Beningborough Hall, about 8 miles of York has a good kids play area and is in a lovely location.

Should say 'north of York'

We have just been to Whitby. Went to the magpie the first night although the food was lovely we found it all very squashed in there which made it quite an uncomfy experience. We then found Trenchers which was fantastic better food, better service and plenty of space!

Sandsend beach is amazing, DS (2.5) loved it there. He also loved catching water at robin hoods bay!

I would only go to the sea life centre if you find a discount voucher!