The best things to do in Whitby with kids

I never tire of a day by the sea, and with its long sweeping beaches and crashing surf, the Yorkshire coast is fantastic for families – but if you’re wondering where to base yourself, it’s hard to beat Whitby with kids.

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From traditional seaside fun to some equally traditional sweets, a few famous inhabitants (fictional and otherwise!), boat trips, quirky shops and some great family attractions, you’ll find lots to entertain whether it’s sunny or you’re trying to fill a rainy day in Yorkshire.

So from Dracula to pirates and explorers, not to mention the famous 199 steps, I’ve picked my top 23 things to do in Whitby with kids to start you off.

For ideas of more things to do in Yorkshire with kids, check out my top picks

Climb the 199 steps

Even if you’ve only got one day in Whitby with kids, you can’t miss climbing Whitby’s 199 steps, leading from Henrietta Street up to St Mary’s Church and Whitby Abbey.

There are some helpful benches dotted along the way if you need to stop and catch your breath, and the views out to the sea are fantastic.

Also known as Jacob’s Ladder or the Church Stairs, they’ve led from the Old Town up to the church since at least the 14th century – the current steps are a lot easier to climb than the original painted wooden ones.

If – like us – you quickly lose count along the way, look out for the little circular discs with Roman numerals stamped on, to help you keep track. You’ll find them on every tenth step and the final step.

And if you need a distraction, you could always imagine yourself as Dracula, who leaped up the steps in the shape of a black dog, according to Bram Stoker’s story.

St Mary’s Church

Between the top of the 199 steps and Whitby Abbey, you’ll walk past St Mary’s church and its fascinating graveyard.

Another setting from Dracula, there’s been a church on this site since the 7th century, this one rebuilt in around 1110 after 9th century Viking raids destroyed the original. If you head inside the current building, most of it dates from the 18th century – keep an eye out for the old box pew inscribed, ‘For Strangers Only’.

Stroll along the clifftop path, looking down from east cliff to the mouth of the river and out to sea, before wandering past some of the old graves.

Many have been weathered into illegibility but some still show dates from the 17th century, while you can spot others with a skull and crossbones (not actually pirates, it was a sign of a mason or freemason being buried there).

The grave of Mr Swales, another character in Dracula, can also be found here, along with Arctic explorer William Scoresby, as well as a tiny grave said to belong to Tom Thumb, and an egg-shaped grave, which is supposedly that of Humpty Dumpty!

While you’re exploring, do bear in mind that this is a working church, not a tourist attraction and be respectful among the graves – and please don’t ask staff where Dracula’s grave is… he’s not real, after all!

Whitby Abbey

You don’t need to be interested in Dracula to be wowed by the dramatic ruins of Whitby Abbey, which has been standing on the cliff-tops here for centuries.

The Gothic arches are just one remnant of the building’s 1,500-year-old life; starting out in the 7th century, the small monastery turned into a thriving Benedictine abbey before being suppressed in 1539 under the Dissolution.

But as you explore its history, you can also discover tales of a 7th century abbess who helped shape the fledgling Church of England (and turned snakes into stone, apparently), as well as explore the museum to discover how it inspired authors through the ages.

Not just Bram Stoker, author of Dracula (though you can also see a rare signed copy of his novel on display), but also Caedmon, the first named English poet, along with medieval manuscripts and Anglo-Saxon crosses on display.

There are regular activities for families during school holidays, an Ammonite Quest to follow, interactive performances of Dracula (better for teens/tweens than toddlers!), plus more amazing views.

If you’re looking for places to stay in Whitby with kids on a budget, check out the family-friendly YHA Boggle Hole, just around the corner from Whitby Abbey, which has private rooms sleeping up to six

Take a walking tour of Whitby

If you fancy learning more about the town and its history, while still able to go at your own pace, download this self-guided walking tour of Whitby to tell you some of the legends and introduce you to some of Whitby’s most memorable characters.

The route takes you past some of the family attractions in Whitby, so it’s easy to combine exploring with visits, and gives you a great background to sites like the Endeavour Experience.

Walk the piers

There’s not one but two piers to wander along in Whitby – not the traditional pleasure pier you might find further south in England, but two arms of the harbour wall.

With one lying to the east and the other lying to the west of the harbour mouth, you can watch the sun rise and set over the waves here in summer (if you’re luckier with the weather than we were in August, when there was a reasonable chance of getting blown out to sea!).

The West Pier is the easiest one to explore, home to the 80 foot West Pier Lighthouse; you can climb the 81 steps up to the viewing platform around half-way up (for a small fee).

Keep an eye out for the fossils etched into the ground as you walk along too, including ammonites in the east pier.

Walk along the coast

If you can’t get enough of the views of the sea, or you’re looking for more of a challenge during a family holiday in Whitby, there’s a lovely walking route to Robin Hood’s Bay to try.

Part of the Cleveland Way, you can pick it up near Whitby Abbey, then it’s a near seven-mile hike (which can get muddy in bad weather, allow around three hours) although you could easily just stroll the first part before retracing your steps.

If you fancy wandering the whole way, there is a circular option to try which brings you back to Whitby – or you can hop on the bus, which takes about 20 minutes! Although reward yourself with some fish and chips in Robin Hood’s Bay before you do.

Take a boat trip

Even if you’ve only got one day in Whitby with kids, try to squeeze in one of the many Whitby boat tours that take you around the harbour or out along the coast.

When it comes to the best boat trips for families, it’s hard to beat the Black Pearl Pirate Ship – with swashbucklers and brigands at the wheel, kids also get chance to unleash their inner pirate on a 25-minute cruise from the harbour.

Or Whitby Coastal Cruises also has some great 20-minute trips along to Sandsend (no need to book, and under-fives go free), if you just want a taste. There are longer trips as well, plus special wildlife spotting boat tours.

If it’s wildlife you’re after, there are whale-watching cruises at certain times of year – better for older kids, the north-east coast is a fantastic place to spot minke whales, but you can also see humpback, fin and sei whales, along with dolphins.

And you can combine a chance to cruise up the Yorkshire coast with a chance to explore another lovely seaside town too with boat trips running between Whitby and Scarborough (and vice versa).

If you don’t want to cruise both ways, there’s a bus route back along the coast or you can bring bikes on board and head back along the Cinder Track, a disused railway line – it’s a 21-mile cycle passing through Ravenscar and Robin Hood’s Bay.

Most boat trips stop over the winter months, some only run certain trips outside peak season, so it’s always worth checking directly.

Ride the cliff lift

EDIT: Temporarily closed Now this one certainly won’t take you all day, but it’s always fun with kids – and saves a walk up or down the cliff with little ones.

First opened in 1931, Whitby Cliff Lift runs down West Cliff to the beach – after descending from the cliff top there’s a long tunnel out to the sands.

It will set you back less than £1 to ride up or down. The lift usually runs from April/May to September/October.

Hit the beach

There are over 20 beaches in and around Whitby, so you won’t be short of choice if you fancy a paddle and some sandcastles.

But if you’re staying close to the town, long sandy West Cliff Beach (also known as Whitby Sands) is a blue flag beach that’s great for a day out in Whitby with kids.

Walking distance from the town centre, there are lifeguards and you can even find donkey rides during the summer – it’s also worth knowing that from May to September, the beach is a dog-free zone.

You can also take surfing lessons at Whitby Surf School, hire deckchairs (and windbreaks!) as well as the beach huts. There are two miles of sand here, so perfect sandcastle building, and you’ll usually find a corner to make your own.

On the east side of the river is the smaller Tate Hill beach, another soft sandy stretch that’s relatively sheltered. Dogs are welcome here year-round.

Venture a little further from Whitby itself, and Sandsend Beach is another great beach with kids – quieter than West Cliff, there are rockpools at low tide and during the summer, part of the beach is zoned for swimming, although strong tides mean that younger kids should stick to paddling.

You can walk along the cliff and beach from Whitby (keep an eye on tide times though, to avoid getting cut off by the waves) or there are also several car parks nearby.

Find fossils

Yorkshire’s ‘dinosaur coast’ is a perfect place to go fossil hunting as well – keep your eyes open, and you can find ammonites among the shells and shingle (as well as Whitby jet).

Not everywhere is suitable if you’re hunting for fossils with kids though, as access can sometimes be tricky, but Saltwick Bay is one good option.

A couple of miles down the coast from Whitby itself, you can also join fossil hunting walks to Saltwick Bay, with an expert on hand to help you know what to look for.

They’ll also point out two places where you can see dinosaur footprints, including a place where a stegosaurus once trod long ago, as well as an ammonite graveyard.

That particular walk is only suitable for kids aged 6+, but if you’re travelling with younger kids (or fancy a second fossil hunt), there’s a shorter walk to Runswick Bay, to hunt for sea dragons – including ichthyosaur and plesiosaur fossils.

Or Sandsend Ness, beyond Sandsend beach is another place to try hunting for fossils too.

See the whalebone arch

Standing under Whitby’s 15ft whalebone arch is a classic family photo – and a reminder that the town’s fortunes were built, in part, on a trade that’s far less acceptable today.

The original 19ft arch was erected at West Cliff back in 1853, when the town was a centre for the whaling industry: it’s a good starting point for conversations about conservation with older kids, as well as being a key part of local history.

For more sensitive or younger children, who are likely to be upset by the thought, it’s near the Captain Cook memorial and not too tricky to avoid.

The bones were originally displayed on ships returning from sea to show the hunt had been successful, and the current arch is actually the third to stand on this spot.

This latest replacement was put up in 2003, and taken from a Bowhead whale (killed legally by native Alaskan Inuits).

Take an open-top bus tour

If you’ve worn little legs out climbing the 199 steps, or just fancy a quick way to see a lot of the highlights of Whitby with kids, climb aboard the Whitby Town Tour open-top bus.

You can hop on and off as you want, so it’s a good way to get between attractions, plus there’s guided commentary with some of the quirky and unexpected tales of Whitby (and its inhabitants) from days gone by.

Runs from March to November, and you pay when you board. The full route takes around one hour but your ticket is valid all day.

Hop on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

This lovely heritage railway runs for 24 miles from Whitby through the North York Moors National Park, stopping at a string of pretty stations including Goathland – which doubled for Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films.

With most trains pulled by steam engines, as well as family events throughout the year such as Santa specials and the Light Spectacular at October half-term, it’s a lovely way to see more of the countryside too.

Depending on the service, you may have a short stop at some of the 30s-style stations along the way for a few photos (although not always, so be careful not to get stranded!).

Perfect with younger kids (and if you happen to be visiting with grandparents as well!).

You could make the journey even more memorable by booking seats for the Pullman Dining Train for lunch on the move – everything from Yorkshire-themed menus to the Passage to India curry train.

Even if you don’t fancy a ride on the train – or don’t have time to fit it into a day in Whitby with kids – you can check the timetable and head over to the station to see the steam locomotive puffing along from the surrounding roads.

Not all of the NYMR services run to Whitby, but you can still hop onto an ordinary train to Grosmont to pick up the service there.

Find more ideas of great Harry Potter days out, as well as things to do in York for Harry Potter fans

The Endeavour Experience

You don’t even need to leave Whitby harbour to go on an adventure with a fascinating trip aboard HM Bark Endeavour, for a voyage through time with The Endeavour Experience.

Embarking on a visit to the life-size replica ship of Captain Cook’s famous ship of exploration and scientific discovery, you can explore the recreated ship, to see what life would have been like on board, including the ‘seat of ease’ and cat’o’nine tails.

There’s a chance to step inside the captain’s cabin, and hear about the narrow escape at the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the crew’s first sightings of indigenous Australians.

There are some great interactive exhibits, from making your own map to tying knots as well as singing sea shanties, stargazing, seeing the beautiful botanical drawings created on the ship’s journeys and discovering what some of the jobs on board would have entailed.

Captain Cook Memorial Museum

A great attraction to combine with a visit to HM Bark Endeavour, the Captain Cook Memorial Museum lets you learn more about James Cook, in the 17th century house where he lived when not at sea during his apprenticeship.

As well as seeing part of the house as it would have been furnished in the first half of the 18th century, you can discover exhibits on Cook’s life and career, from his time in Whitby to his decade of voyages into the unknown waters of the Pacific, South Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

Among the displays, there are letters written by Cook himself, as well as maps, model ships and other items gathered on his adventures.

Tucked away on Grape Street on the east side of town – once you cross the bridge, turn right, and you’ll find it in the red-painted building. Children under 16 go free.

​The Museum of Whitby Jet

Whitby is famous for its jet, which became hugely sought-after during the 19th century thanks to complicated Victorian mourning customs, and the seal of approval from Queen Victoria herself.

Wander around the streets of the old town, especially around Sandgate and Church Street, and you’ll find jewellery shops galore if you fancy owning your own piece of jet jewellery.

And on Church Street, you can also find the free Museum of Whitby Jet, a stone’s throw from the W Hamond boutique, which opened in 1860 and is one of the oldest places to make and sell Whitby Jet.

Set in the old Wesley Hall, the museum aims to introduce people to the stone and its history – why it’s found around Whitby, why people once thought it had magical powers, the Tudor royals who wore it and a chance to see the largest piece of Whitby jet, a whopping 21 feet long.

​The Whitby Museum

Another of Whitby’s quirky little museums, The Whitby Museum is the place to go to learn more about the town, with an eclectic collection covering everything from whaling and jet to Captain Cook, fossils and historic costumes.

Set in Pannett Park, in the centre of Whitby, there are also natural history collections, vintage toys and art, as well as the Ripley Cabinet of Curiosities with its unexpected mix of treasures.

Harry Potter fans (older fans, at least!) can also find a Hand of Glory here – a mummified severed human hand donated to the museum in 1935.

Free for children, there is also a free trail to pick up which covers the museum and park, as well as a separate trail on the Jurassic garden in the park (with Jurassic fossils on display in the collections inside too).

The Dracula Experience

You can’t escape Dracula on a visit to Whitby, so if you’re visiting with older kids, why not embrace it and revel in all things vampire at the Dracula Experience.

Aimed at age 13+, the attraction mixes animation and special effects with live actors to introduce visitors to Dracula’s connection to Whitby, plus the chance to see Christopher Lee’s cloak.

Expect lashings of old-fashioned fairground horror, and to jump at least once: this is more Hammer Horror kitsch than the seriously supernatural – it’s £7 for adults, £6 for kids (aged 6+), and you can expect to spend 30-45 minutes inside.

Have some fish and chips

It’s not a proper day at the seaside without fish and chips – and there are plenty of places to pick some up in Whitby, whether you want to eat them on the beach or to sit down inside.

If you’re looking for the best fish and chips in Whitby, it’s a hotly debated topic. The Magpie Cafe is one of the most famous, with a string of awards and a children’s menu.

But Trenchers regularly takes the top spot too, while Papa’s has been voted Britain’s best fish and chips – Hadley’s is great if you’re looking for a takeaway too.

For gluten-free options, head to Quayside which promises sustainable sourced fish as well as gluten-free dishes on request.

Or you’ll find a whole string of stalls along the harbour with seafood and fish – if you don’t fancy fish and chips, grab a crab sandwich instead.

Have a sweet treat

Once you’ve had your fish and chips (or once you’ve climbed those 199 steps), it’s definitely time for a treat.

If you’re keeping things traditional, it has to be ice cream: you’ll find plenty of flavours, but for a classic north east option, go for a lemon top – vanilla ice cream with a scoop of lemon sorbet on, including at Sandside Bar.

There are some great sweetshops too, with whole jars of old-fashioned sweets at Sandgate Sweet Shop and Hunter’s Sweet Shop, plus fudge from Justin’s on Church Street.

There are some great cakes to be found as well. Wander along Church Street for a string of cafes and tea shops – keep an eye out for Whitby lemon buns and Chocolate Japonaise (aka Jap Cakes) at Botham’s, as well as stalls on the market.

Pick up a souvenir

You’ll be spoiled for choice for somewhere to grab a souvenir, especially among the little alleys of the old town, which are bursting with gift shops (and jewellery shops if you’ve got your sights set on a piece of jet).

But there are a whole string of lovely independent shops as well. The Little Fox Bookshop on Bridge Street is somewhere to very happily while away a wet afternoon in Whitby (or a sunny one, for that matter). There’s a lovely collection of children’s books (plus staff are great at recommending new authors), and a cafe at the back.

Or the well-named Little Shop of Wonderful Things, just off Flowergate, has gifts, books and all manner of things you never knew you wanted.

Play in Pannett Park

Home to the Whitby Museum, Pannett Park is a great place to get outdoors and let kids burn off some energy – not always easy in the narrow streets of the old town.

Not far from the railway station and a short walk from the harbour, there’s a playground to enjoy but also some unexpected fossils paths to help bring the area’s geology to life.

Head into the Jurassic Garden, and the different coloured paths take you on a journey through 60 million years, with casts and impressions of different fossils to spot, from ammonites and corals to dinosaur footprints, as well as plants from the Jurassic period including a monkey puzzle tree.

Keep your eyes open for the life-sized replica of a crocodile lurking in a corner too (and plenty of less ferocious and very friendly squirrels in the rest of the park).

Watch the swing bridge lift

The little bridge across the entrance to Whitby Harbour is how you’ll cross from the newer west side of town to the older east side, so you’re bound to stroll over at some point.

But hang around the harbour and chances are you’ll also get to see it lift, as the swing bridge is raised to let boats pass underneath – the small arch isn’t high enough for many to fit underneath, especially any sailing boats.

My daughter insisted we hang around to watch, as the road closed, the gates came down and staff tried to chivvy pedestrians hoping to scamper over before it lifted… and we weren’t the only ones in the crowd idly watching the show.

It only takes about 15 minutes or so, if you do find yourself waiting to cross.

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Images: Whitby Abbey/whalebone arch/steam train/Endeavour/fish and chips courtesy of Depositphotos, all others copyright MummyTravels

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