North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire spans historic cities, spa towns and a dramatic coastline. York leads with its walled streets, minster and centuries of history, while genteel Harrogate offers gardens and Victorian elegance. Nearby Knaresborough sits dramatically above the River Nidd, and Ripon, England's smallest city, has a fine cathedral and ancient market charter. Richmond, on the edge of the Dales, pairs a Norman castle with cobbled charm.

On the coast, Scarborough brings traditional seaside bustle with two bays, while Whitby draws visitors with its abbey ruins and fishing harbour. Inland, Thirsk and Pickering suit those wanting quieter market-town life, the latter a gateway to the North York Moors railway. To the west, Skipton, Settle and Ingleton offer walking country and access to the Yorkshire Dales, with Settle and Ingleton the more rural bases for exploring waterfalls and limestone scenery.

North Yorkshire covers a lot of ground, and where you stay depends on what sort of trip you're after. York has the greatest concentration of choice, from grand city hotels like The Grand to characterful townhouse stays such as Guy Fawkes Inn and Franklin Mount Boutique Guesthouse, all within walking distance of the Minster and the medieval streets. Harrogate offers a more genteel base, with Rudding Park among the options for those wanting spa comforts and countryside on the doorstep.

Along the coast, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and Filey suit a slower pace, with harbourside guesthouses and B&Bs like Dillons of Whitby and The Coal Merchants House putting fishing quays and clifftop walks within easy reach. Smaller B&Bs such as Aldebaran and Lee-Side tend to fill quickly in summer, so it's worth booking ahead if the coast is your focus.

Across the county, the choice generally comes down to city convenience versus coastal or rural quiet, with plenty of family-run options bridging the gap on price and character.

North Yorkshire covers a lot of ground, and its days out reflect that. York is the obvious hub, with York Minster towering over a centre packed with attractions like the Jorvik Viking Centre and quirky additions such as The Wizard Walk of York and Star Street Escapes, plus plenty of trapeze, paintball and treasure hunt style activities for a livelier visit.

Outside the city, the market towns offer their own draws. Ripon has its long museum heritage through the Ripon Museum Trust, Richmond mixes castle grounds with modern additions like its Mystery Treasure Trail, and Skipton and Harrogate make good bases for exploring the Dales edge. Further out towards Bentham and Tadcaster, attractions thin out but reward those after tree-top adventures or a quieter pace, such as Raven Tree Top Adventure.

With so many options, it helps to decide whether you want a full day in York or a mix of smaller stops across the county, since travel between towns can eat into the day.

North Yorkshire's dining scene stretches from stone-built market town pubs to more ambitious kitchens making the most of local game, moorland lamb and Whitby-landed fish. Clapham, tucked below Ingleborough, sets the tone for much of the Dales: unfussy pubs serving proper Sunday lunches after a day on the fells, with menus built around whatever the surrounding farms and rivers provide.

Choosing where to eat here often comes down to what kind of day you've had. Walkers and cyclists tend to want a warm fire, a pint of local ale and a hearty plate rather than anything too elaborate, and that's where the county excels. Elsewhere, particularly in the bigger towns, you'll find more polished restaurants doing modern British cooking or exploring other cuisines entirely.

With over two thousand restaurants and pubs across the county, it's worth deciding whether you want a destination meal or a good local before booking, since the two experiences differ considerably and both are done well here.

North Yorkshire's size and variety mean camping and glamping here covers a lot of ground, from coastal sites near Whitby and Hunmanby to farm pitches deep in the Dales around Skipton and Leyburn, and woodland spots close to the North York Moors at Pickering and Snainton. With 672 sites listed, the choice runs from simple grass pitches to well-equipped pods and shepherd's huts.

Dales locations such as Nethergill Farm and Malhamdale Glamping suit those wanting fell walking and quiet valleys, while sites nearer Helmsley Meadows or Alum House Littlebeck put you closer to the moors and heather-lined tracks. York's outskirts, including Skipbridge Farm Glamping and Aldwark Bridge Glamping, work well for combining a city visit with a rural stay.

Richmond and Thirsk offer a useful middle ground, with campsites and glamping like Church Farm Camping and Bridge House Campsite giving easy access to market towns and castles alongside open countryside. Posh pods and cabins at places such as Hunmanby Follies and Cherish Glamping suit shorter breaks where comfort matters more than roughing it.

North Yorkshire's size means self-catering cottages come in very different settings, from stone-built retreats on the edge of the Moors to converted barns and mill buildings near the Dales. Places like The Millsteam Barn or Paper Mill Cottage reflect a common pattern here: old agricultural or industrial buildings turned into comfortable holiday homes, often with the original features kept intact.

Coastal towns and market towns each offer a different pace, so it's worth thinking about whether you want to be within walking distance of shops and pubs or tucked away down a quiet lane. Cottages such as Chapel Cottage or Langford Villa suit those wanting a village base, while properties like Chainbridge Cottage or Pasture House lend themselves to more rural stays.

With so many options across the county, it helps to decide on location first, then narrow down by size and style, whether that's a cosy bolthole like Celestria or something larger such as Orchard Retreat for a group.