What to do in Yorkshire this summer - nine activities to keep kids and grown-ups entertained

Sponsored

Visit Yorkshire Air Museum

From pre-World War Two aircraft to iconic fighter jets of the Cold War, the Yorkshire Air Museum has some of the biggest collections of aircraft in the UK, with both indoor and outdoor planes on display.

Situated on the former site of Bomber Command Station RAF Elvington, this year the museum celebrates its 40-year anniversary. In this time, it has been welcoming and teaching children and adults of all ages about its aircraft, which include Victor Tanker, Hawker Hunters, Lockheed T33, Gloster Meteors, Buccaneers and Javelin, among many others. It will be holding special events from August 9 to 11 in celebration.

There will also be other events happening throughout the summer, including the Golden Age of Motorcycles on July 27, a Military Vehicle Rally on August 23 to 24 and an Open Cockpit Day on September 7, the latter of which is for kids only.

For the latter, visitors get a chance to get into the cockpit of some of their favourite aircraft. This will include the Buccaneer, Jaguar, Tornado, Nimrod, Vampire, Dragonfly and Tucano (subject to serviceability).

As well as the aircraft to explore, there is a playground, café and cinema at the Yorkshire Air Museum, and it is also the location of the Allied Air Forces Air Memorial. The site is 90 per cent accessible and is dog friendly throughout, including the café.

Free for children four and under, £6.50 online for children aged four to 17 years old (£7.50 on the door), £16 for adults online (£17 on the door), £42 online for a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children (£46 on the door). Student and military veteran and serving personnel tickets are also available. Book here.

Open seven days a week with summer opening hours now in operation from 10am to 5pm (last admission is at 4pm). Yorkshire Air Museum, Halifax Way, Elvington, York, YO41 4AU.

Channel your inner wizard on this walking tour

Get your broomstick at the ready and head over to York and go on an adventure with The Wizard Walk of York.

Unlike other tours in the area, there are no spooky ghosts or scary stories on this walk. Instead, kids and grown-ups can go on a whimsical wand-er through the town, where they can find magical creatures along the way.

Ideal for Harry Potter fans, but no knowledge of the wizarding world is required; it’s the perfect activity for children aged five to 10 years old or bigger kids with a silly sense of humour. Expect fun and laughter for all the family; all you need to do is look at its reviews as to its popularity. It also offers private tours for birthday parties, school trips, kids clubs, and more.

Children agred three and above and adults are £12 per ticket; visit the booking page for dates and times. The Wizard Walk of York starts at the bottom of The Shambles, by the railings of St Crux Church (across the road from The Golden Fleece pub). 

Have a day out at a farm shop

The Balloon Tree Farm Shop & Café is based just outside of York and is family-run with more than 40 years of farming heritage.

Summer is ‘Pick Your Own’ season, where you can pick strawberries, raspberries and more. It’s not only a great outdoor activity, but it also helps to educate kids so they can learn where their food comes from.

There’s also a café serving seasonal, locally sourced food, with a beautiful, landscaped café garden with an enclosed children’s play area where the kids can play on the interactive toys, including ride-on jeeps, and digger and grabber machines. It’s also dog friendly outside.

The Farm Shop stocks the best of local produce, including delicious, sweet treats from the in-house bakery and freshly picked items from its farm. There are also fresh fruit and vegetables, jams, chutneys, cheese, a full delicatessen counter and locally sourced meats to buy – ideal for a picnic or a summer barbecue.

For those wanting to pick your own this summer, quote the code ‘From Ferret to Farm’ at the checkout for two free entries during the summer season.

Open every day (Monday to Sunday) from 9am to 5.30pm (the café is open from 9am to 5pm, with main meals served until 4.30pm). Pick Your Own is open from 10am until 4pm, but please check the website for which days it's open, as it's strawberry dependant. The Balloon Tree Farm Shop & Café, Stamford Bridge Road, Gate Helmsley, York, YO41 1NB.

Get the adrenaline pumping with Lost Earth Adventures

If you enjoy action-filled activities and you're after memory-making adventures, then check out Lost Earth Adventures.

It offers a variety of outdoor activities, and you can have a taster of all of them on its Go Mad in the East Yorkshire Dales offering, a multi-activity day.

Underground, overdale and upstream: you can explore every insane frontier of Nidderdale, an Area of Outstanding Beauty, just outside Harrogate, in a single day.

Pick from three to five activities; you can go climbing at Brimham Rocks, abseiling, gorge walking and sliding down natural chutes and jumping into pools as you scramble your way up Blayshaw Gill, caving, and canoeing on the serene backwaters of Nidderdale.

Suitable for everyone from the age of seven, no prior experience is necessary, and all the equipment is provided, and the instructor is always on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Prices depend on how many people book; for more information, dates and times, click here.

Paint a picture

Brush and Tipple is a vibrant paint and sip company founded in 2018, offering adults a creative and uplifting way to relax, connect, and have fun. With events held across up to 200 venues stretching from the North West to the North East of the UK, the company brings people together through guided painting sessions paired with drinks and good company.

Rooted in the ethos that art can be a powerful form of mindfulness, Brush and Tipple promotes wellbeing through creativity. Each session provides a welcoming, judgement-free space where guests can explore their artistic side, unwind from daily stress, and enjoy meaningful moments with friends, family, or like-minded individuals. The experience is less about perfect technique and more about the joy of the process, encouraging self-expression and emotional release.

Alongside public events, Brush and Tipple also offers bespoke private parties and corporate events, making it a popular choice for celebrations, team-building days, and wellness-focused gatherings. The company’s unique blend of social connection, creativity, and light-hearted fun makes every event an enriching and memorable escape for adults looking to do something different, engaging, and good for the soul.

Brush and Tipple hosts various events across North Yorkshire and further afield; visit the website for dates, times and prices.

Learn about the past at Ripon Museums

This summer, Ripon Museums are bursting with hands-on history and creative fun for all the family across its three sites – the Workhouse Museum and Garden, the Prison and Police Museum and the Courthouse Museum.

Ripon Museums is inviting visitors of all ages to step into the past and get involved. From baking Victorian treats to crafting magistrate wigs, there’s something happening every day to spark imaginations.

With special storytelling sessions, summer-long trails and weekly craft challenges, it’s the perfect time to discover and explore Ripon’s rich heritage in a fun, interactive way.

It has just launched its new Get To Work! family trail at the Workhouse; kids and grown-ups can roll their sleeves up and get stuck in having a go at the different work tasks done by its Victorian inmates. Visitors will soon discover how easy the current era we live in is once they've had a go at the tough workhouse tasks such as sweeping the yard and scaring the birds in the garden. Once all the tasks have been completed, Ripon Museums will see if visitors have worked hard enough to earn their freedom or if they'll be stuck in the Workhouse forever.

Here are just some of the activities on offer at Ripon Museum Workhouse and Garden:

• Baking. Join its resident cooks to make your own freshly baked Victorian goods.
  
• Family Craft Workshops. Try your hand at a new craft each Wednesday. Can you complete its summer challenge and create all five crafts?
  
• Sensory Storytelling. Early years storytelling is followed by sensory free play, exploring the sights, sounds and textures of different jobs in the workhouse.
  
• Threading. Learn to sew just like the past women of the workhouse with its threading kits. With chunky needles and wool, threading is perfect for first-time sewers.
  
• There’s also its wonderful garden to explore too.
  

Here are just some of the activities on offer at the Prison and Police Museum:

• Treadmill Automaton. Make your own treadmill and ensure its Victorian prisoners complete their punishment.
  
• Colour and construct your very own police box paper craft.
  

Here are just some of the activities on offer at Courthouse Museum:

• Create your own paper magistrate wig and prepare to deliver justice in the courthouse.
  
• Barrister Battle Boardgame – innocent or guilty? Become barristers and win the case for your client.
  

A trip to Ripon Museums gives visitors a real insight into Victorian life, as it takes a hands-on approach to history. The trail is available every day from 10am to 4pm at the Workhouse Museum and is included in the price of your ticket.

Various times, dates and priced tickets are available; check the website for more information.

Have a day out at Castle Howard

Enjoy a sublime summer day out at Castle Howard. Visit the House, its gardens, award-winning Skelf Island Adventure Playground, cafés, farm shop, gift shop and garden centre.

A visit promises a special day against a backdrop of magnificent architecture, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes. See the House interiors transformed, as the result of a major project: Castle Howard’s 21st Century Renaissance, which will be revealed to visitors for the first time.

Let children run free in the gardens, which feature acres of woodland, parkland and gardens to play in.

Here's just some of the activities on offer this summer at Castle Howard:

• Rover’s Grand Tour. Young adventurers can follow in the footsteps of Rover, a famous dog in Castle Howard’s history, included in House & Gardens tickets. Embark on a grand tour of the House, spotting animals and learning about Rover’s big adventures. Take part in Rover's Grand Tour from July 19 to September 1.
  
• Stately sculpting. Join Skelf Island this summer for hands-on clay crafting. Mould a clay shape before decorating or embossing your own design. Take home your creation as a keepsake or give it as a gift.
  
• Skelf Island Adventure Playground. The perfect place for young explorers to let off steam, Skelf Island Adventure Playground is open every day. Navigate rope bridges, whizz down slides, discover ingenious treetop nests and don't forget the zip wire. Don’t miss the award-winning Skelf Island Adventure Playground, full of adventures for children of all ages.
  
• Boat trips. Hop aboard The Dame for a scenic boat ride around the Great Lake, spotting swans and other local wildlife along the way. Take in breathtaking views of the House from across the water. Available weekends and school holidays. Pre-book online with your admissions tickets, or at the Boathouse on the day.
  
• Tractor Trailer Tours. The tours will depart from the main House and visit the parkland and farmland areas on the Estate, as well as the monuments that are beyond the Grounds. This is a fantastic way to learn more about nature and the wider Estate at Castle Howard, while discovering new areas and seeing our iconic architecture from new perspectives. Available at 11.30am and 1pm on July 25 and August 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.

Various priced tickets are available; check the website for more information.

Family ticket: save when you book online. House & Gardens Family Tickets, for two adults and two children, are just £70, saving almost £20 compared to individual tickets.

Go to one of the holiday clubs at Harrogate Raquets Club

Harrogate Racquets Club offers badminton, tennis and table tennis – so why not get the kids involved and give one of these sports a go this summer?

Whether you play regularly or are thinking of starting something new, the camps for kids are a great way of learning and developing your skills with like-minded children, and are suitable for everyone from the ages of five plus. 

It also has open days for all the family to come along to, so it's the perfect opportunity to try badminton, tennis, table tennis or all three.

You can either bring your own rackets, or if you need to borrow one, then there are plenty to go around. It's a great way of playing for either a day, a week or more. 

Harrogate Raquets Club's camps offer a fun and supportive environment with accredited and focused coaches. All abilities are welcome, and it's also flexible with its bookings too. 

So what are you waiting for? Book your place today. 

Prices start at £25 per day; click here to book. Harrogate Raquets Club, Firs Road, Harrogate, HG2 8HA.

Explore The Secret Forest

The Secret Forest at Hazlewood Castle, North Yorkshire, is a magical woodland trail designed for families with young children (from the ages of two to 10 years old).

The enchanting experience combines nature with immersive storytelling, bringing to life a local legend of Sir Mauger Le Vavasour, a fairy princess, and a guardian dragon. The trail winds through a forest filled with fairy villages, Bogglins, a witch’s house, musical play areas, wishing mirrors, and whimsical installations that spark imagination and exploration.

Starting at a dramatic wooden doorway, families are guided along natural paths featuring hidden secrets, fairy homes, and interactive play areas, like sand pits and slides. The trail is accessible for rugged pushchairs and wheelchairs.

On-site facilities include the Broomstick Café, offering snacks, drinks, and sweet treats, along with toilets, baby-changing facilities, and free parking. Visitors consistently praise the trail’s magical design, attention to detail, and suitability for young families.

The Secret Forest offers a charming, screen-free day out where children can explore, play, and let their imaginations run wild, making it a standout destination for family fun in the great outdoors.

The secret forest is open weekends and bank holidays from April to late September, with Wednesday- Sunday openings during school holidays. Tickets must be pre-booked: £9 per adult or child, £32 for a family (2 adults + 2 children), and free entry for under 2s. Season passes are also available. Visit the website for more information.