York or Whitby with teens ?

[rookiemere]

Booking a UK break for summer. Have options in both these cities, both with parking and walking distance into the town. Can't take ddog if we go to Whitby, but he can board with our dog walker.
Going to ask DS friends DM if her DS would like to come with us. Both boys are 15 so presumably would mooch around the town.

I'm thinking Whitby would be better for some reason but not sure why.

We took our 3 teens to York last Summer and had a blast. They enjoyed the ghost walk and chocolate Museam. We did the Viking experience as well.
Whitby sounds nice as well, but I have never been !

I'm liking the sound of the York Chocolate museum - that definitely sounds worth a trip .

Whitby is lovely. We had a few nights there around NYE when DS was a lot younger and I loved the slightly quirky vibe of the place. Plus excellent fish and chips.

Oh and a mountain biking day sounds great too @fellrunner85 as DH could participate - he feels a bit left out these days.

I take my teen to both and I'd say if they are likely to want to mess about on the beach and stuff then Whitby is better. Yes York is great but unless they are big museum nerds (ds and I are) once they've done the shops on their own that's kind of it. I don't think teen ds would amuse himself for a week in York

Took my teens to York a couple of years ago and they loved it. However, we are city breaks kind of family.

Got the York pass and they really enjoyed... The York dungeons, the chocolate story (make your own chocolate lollipops), the river cruise, the evening ghost tours, and some of the more interactive museums. As DD was studying gcse history at the time, she even found the nuclear bunker interesting. Oh and how could I forget the shopping outlet!??
There was also a WW2 camp just outside York that they really enjoyed too.

Can't speak of Whitby - never been.

Hurrah ! I have just booked Whitby, feel quite positive about it and decided we'll go there anyway even if other teen can't join us. We have relatives who live near Middlesborough so they might take DS to Flamingo Land.
I just hope our plans don't get scuppered by coronavirus. I don't want to get all excited again about something that doesn't happen .

But some great ideas for York so definitely at least a day trip there.