A Summer Holiday in North Yorkshire

Enjoy the magical world of the Enchanted Forest at Stockeld Park, with every path leading to a new adventure. With hidden playgrounds along the way and plenty of interactive play activities to entertain the whole family, including a talking tree, zip wire in Spider’s lair and a giant teapot slide, let your imagination run wild!

During the summer at Stockeld Park, you can enjoy the sunshine in Woodsands Cove, our large sandpit area filled with swashbuckling adventure play. Pick up ice cream from nearby Gretel’s Cabin and then continue your journey around our beautiful lake. Perfect for an unforgettable family day out in Yorkshire!

On a rainy day, the Playhive is one of Europe’s largest and most original indoor playgrounds! Discover four interconnected worlds of space, air, the jungle, and sea! Adventure across high-level walkways and down spiralling tunnel slides! There’s no place like it!

A day for the whole family at Newby Hall. Explore the award winning gardens by foot, on the miniature railway or by boat.

The children will love the exciting Adventure Garden with climbing frames, bridges, sandpit, an aerial slide and pedalo boats. Tarantella interactive water play area also provides hours of fun with jets of water spring out from the ground, forming arcs of different height and length, making a spidery pattern in three dimensions.

Take an enchanting ride on the miniature railway, which runs along the River Ure with fantastic views of the gardens or enjoy a relaxing boat trip on a 25 minute cruise up the river with regular sightings of kingfishers, herons and occasional otters.

Take a stroll in the wonderland of tree trails, nature trails, lakes and idyllic picnic spots at Thorp Perrow. Home to one of the UK’s finest collections of trees, including five national plant collections and a leading centre for raptor conservation.

Children will love the adventure playground, watch the daily flying displays at the Bird of Prey centre or hand feeding the wallabies in the Mammal Centre. Meet the owl and falcon hatchlings in the spring, visit Meerkat Island and take a walk through wallaby wood!

Summer sees a riot of colour and an abundance of wildlife. We celebrate the warmer months with family fun days, concert events and a fun children’s trail throughout the summer school holidays.

Lunch at the tearoom is a delicious place to visit all on its own, with homemade food set in its own peaceful garden, surrounded by colour!

Set in 84 acres of farmland near Thirsk in North Yorkshire, Monk Park Farm is a fantastic day out in Yorkshire with the family. Meet the animals in the barn, feed the lambs or pet the baby goats. Get up close with the wallabies, deer and alpacas on a barrel ride through the fields or take a stroll around the nature trail and spot local wildlife in and around the lake. There are lots of animals to meet and feed along the way!

The adventure playground and extended petting barn are great places to learn and make some furry friends. Kids can also blow off some steam and can race their friends around the electric pedal car arena.

A trip to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal should not go amiss. For an easy day out, you can stroll through the grounds and gardens and just soak in Yorkshire history. As one of the largest and most preserved Cistercian monasteries in England, you don’t find it hard to gaze in awe at the grand columns and imposing tower.

Wandering from the ruins of the abbey to the water garden, you will find one of the best-surviving examples of a Georgian water garden in England. Lunch by the ornamental lakes, canals, temples, and cascades, which provide a succession of dramatic eye-catching vistas. There is a cafe which you can sit at as you lunch, or bring your own and sit close to the water’s edge.

One trip will keep you coming back for more.

Get yourself to The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle. A museum unlike any other, you will find plenty of precious items to adore as you work your way through each room. Purpose-built by John Bowes in the 19th Century. Built in the style of a French chateau, you can learn how this building was created out of love. Linger on the love story of John and Josephine, and admire the large collection of items and art which the family had, as well as the additions since.

Many travel from across the world to visit The Bowes Museum, especially to see the art collections, as well as the beloved Silver Swan. We are lucky to have this museum on our doorstep, and we highly recommend that you make the most of your visit by popping in for the day to learn and fall in love with some Yorkshire history.

There are plenty of grounds to explore around the museum, so if it is a nice day when you visit, be sure to wander around.