Whitby

[savemejebus]

Hi all,

We've booked a little weekend away to Whitby for the end of the month, me DH & 2y/o.

Can anyone advise what we can do while there? Obviously eat lots of fish and chips and go on the beach but it's September and probably going to be crap weather so was wondering what family friendly activities we could do within walking distance please - we've 3 days to fill and not really "chilling out" holidayers!

(Tried tripadvisor but not sure Whitby Abbey or Monument will hold my child's attention for long, the little heathen 😂)

[Ellapaella]

I used to live half an hour from Whitby so went a lot when DS1 was young. One of our favourite things to do was get a boat trip out around the harbour and back, spend a bit of time in the amusement arcades (DS loved this not me ) and then I'd tempt him with the tat shops so I could have a meander round all the little interesting shops on the abbey side of the bridge.
Followed by fish and chips of course.
Oh and DS used to love a donkey ride on the beach.
A short drove away is Robin Hoods Bay and Sandsend - both lovely places to visit.

[SaffyWall]

Falling Foss waterfall/cafe is fab.
Playdales Farm Park is fab for kids - about 30 minutes from Whitby
Dalby Forest
Ravenscar has an amazing colony of seals that you can go and see

[ThatLibraryMiss]

Robin Hood's Bay is ace for rockpooling, and a 2-y-o won't care about the weather as much as you will.

[savemejebus]

Some more fab ideas, thankyou! I'm excited

[BikeRunSki]

@Sewsosew

There’s a big fun pool place at Scarborough now I think?

Alpamare

[Sewsosew]

There’s a big fun pool place at Scarborough now I think?

[BikeRunSki]

North York Moors railway reopened about a month ago. Check times though, possibly fewer trains out of school holidays.

Sea life centre at Scarboriugh

[YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut]

Don't rule out the Abbey - we go to Whitby every year (missed our trip this year 😭) and had good days out there with DD when she was both 2 and 3. Most of it is outdoor ruins so good for running about! The Pannett Park play park is really good as others have said. Boat trips out into to the harbour are a big hit with DD.

We've never bothered with the steam train as we travel down from Scotland by train and there's only so much time I want to spend on a train in a week, even if some of it is on an interesting steam train!

I love Whitby, but we've always been lucky with weather since we've been going with a small person. There isn't really an awful lot of indoor entertainment for little kids unfortunately.

[savemejebus]

Never mind, just read the Dracula Experience website 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

[savemejebus]

Aaahhh this is all such fab advice, thankyou!!! We're really excited

Will be checking all of these out so Thankyou. Aware will have to book things in advance but she will love crabbing! Silly me didn't even think of that.

I might sound stupid for asking this but I'm DESPERATE to do the Dracula museum thing - I'm assuming I can't bring a 2 year old into that??? (Wishful thinking!)

[NotSoFlatStanley]

@savemejebus - have a wonderful trip - lovely part of the world. The steam train mentioned is also fun.

[cupofdecaf]

Pannet park is near the west cliff.
There's soft play a short drive away mini-monsterz-whitby.myshopify.com/
The boats at ruswarp might still be running. There used to be a small train near there as well.
199 steps up to the abbey, go down the piers, look at the light house/ whale bones. Get a cake from Bothams. There's a place in town that does painting plates/ mugs etc for children.
There's also several boat trips, the more expensive for whale watching and cheaper short trips.

[Kidssendingmenuts]

Dracula's castle, beach, amusements, crabbing, fish and chips, sea life centre in Scarborough, swimming at alpamare over in Scarborough, steam train to Pickering, flamingo land is near Pickering too about 50 min drive away. I love going round all the little shops and getting a lucky duck from Whitby glass too.

[Funf]

Crabbing top advise.
Collect shells from the beach, buy small terra cotta plant pot and glue shells on with tile adhesive.

[ODFOx]

Crabbing! You'll only need to catch one and your 2yo will remember it for ever!
Let it scuttle back to the edge of the quay and jump off (like in Finding Nemo).

[savemejebus]

@NotSoFlatStanley and @Funf Thankyou! I'll check them all out 👍🏼👍🏼

We've been before but when she was a few months old so were happy just to tootle about. Those days are long gone! X

[NotSoFlatStanley]

Panett Park in Whitby looks lovely and as though it has a good play area, my kids are older so no longer go to play areas. We holidayed in Robin Hood’s Bay this year, and had days out in Whitby and Scarborough - Peasholm Park here. Runswick Bay and Sandsend are also lovely beaches and lots of fossils to be found.

[Funf]

Used to be fossil walks in Robinhoods bay might be worth Google?

[willywillywillywilly]

Check in advance that you can though! That article says the trains to Whitby are coming back but check on the North Yorks Moors Railway website or phone number to make sure x

[savemejebus]

@willywillywillywilly ooh that's a great idea, thankyou!

[Spied]

I love Whitby.
Not sure whether it's very 2yo friendly however.
Sorry.

[willywillywillywilly]

You can go on the steam train to Pickering which is a nice thing to do!
www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/08/north-yorkshire-moors-railway-steam-trains-set-for-whitby-return.html/amp