Things To Do In Whitby, North Yorkshire (& Where To Eat)

In my mission to see more of Northern England, I’ve spent numerous weekends exploring all of the best things to do in Whitby, a thriving seaside town in Yorkshire that is enshrined in gothic history.

I love North Yorkshire’s rugged landscape and picturesque towns, and Whitby is one of my favourites. On our frequent visits, we’ve also explored some of the surrounding area – you can check out some of the best places to visit near Whitby at the bottom of this post. Robin Hood Bay is easily one of my top places to go on a sunny British summer’s day!

We’ve been blessed with good weather for most of our weekend trips to Whitby but even on a rainy day, it’s worth visiting. There’s loads to see and do in Whitby and the surrounding areas, so I thought I’d share some UK travel inspiration and show you all of the fun places to see during a weekend break in Whitby.

I’ve also included where to eat in Whitby and an amazing luxury hotel you can stay in nearby – just scroll to the bottom of this post to find my recommendations for Whitby accommodation.

Best things to do in Whitby, North Yorkshire

We’re usually happy just to wander around the destination’s quaint streets, but there are loads of attractions and things to do in Whitby for all the family. If your visit isn’t blessed with sunshine, there are still plenty of indoor attractions in Whitby for a rainy day.

1. Wander around Whitby Harbour

Whitby Harbour is a hive of activity, having been a busy port for over 1,000 years. We always head straight there when we arrive in town. You’ll find lots of unique shops and pubs around the harbour. I love to watch people crabbing from the pavements.

2. Do a Whitby Bay boat ride

Sam from North East Family Fun told me that boat trips around the harbour are only £3, and you can even ride in a pirate ship. It’s a cool thing to do in Whitby if you have kids, and an experience they’re bound to remember.

3. Visit Whitby Abbey

One of the big must-dos in Whitby is of course climbing the the 199 Church Stairs to the Abbey, a looming gothic ruin crowning the East Cliff that’s dripping in Dracula-themed history.

We actually cheated and drove there, though sort of by accident.

There’s a cost to enter Whitby Abbey, (free with an English Heritage pass) but you can walk its circumference without paying the entrance fee and take in some beautiful, sweeping views of the town below. The on-site gardens are also worth visiting, and there’s a tea room there too.

4. Raise a glass at the micro-brewery

Beer lovers wondering what to do in Whitby might want to stop at the micro-brewery and pub near Whitby Abbey. They serve a variety of Yorkshire ales, and tours are available upon request.

5. Buy the catch of the day

Alternatively, take a left at the bottom of the steps to the Abbey & you’ll see a tiny old kipper smokehouse that’s been in action since 1872, called Fortune’s Kippers. You can buy fish there, or just soak up the views (and the smell!).

6. Visit the Captain Cook Memorial Museum

Housed in a 17th century building on Whitby Harbour where James Cook, aged seventeen, was apprenticed to Captain John Walker, the Captain Cook Memorial Museum is one of the best places to visit in Whitby on a rainy day. Cook is one of the best-known circumnavigators in the world and his story is intertwined with Whitby’s maritime past.

With original panelling and spectacular views over the harbour, the house has a excellent collection of artefacts for keen historians to browse. It also has a tranquil courtyard.

7. Have The Dracula Experience

Feeling brave? You can’t visit Whitby without delving into its spooky links with Dracula at The Dracula Experience.

This £4 tourist attraction in Whitby makes use of animated scenes, special effects and live actors to create an immersive experience. It’s sort of meant to be a bit naff, so you’re bound to have a laugh here!

8. Visit Whitby Museum

Located in the heart of town, this Victorian museum is another interesting place to visit in Whitby when the weather is poor. Their collection includes a lot of information about the local area, natural history, model ships, carved jet, toys, costumes and social history. They also have some artefacts related to Captain Cook.

Whitby Museum isn’t aimed primarily at kids, so younger ones may get distracted. There’s a tea room with homemade cakes which should keep them satisfied though.

9. Attend the bi-annual Whitby Goth Weekend

In April and October, the already vampire-themed town of Whitby is swarmed with people in black clothes. People travel from all over to attend Whitby’s most famous festival.

The festival takes place over two nights and the October event is fittingly held at Halloween. Live bands take to the stage at The Spa Pavilion, and there are three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of alternative trade stalls.

10. Go to Whitby’s best beach

Yes, Whitby does have a beach – one on each side of the River Esk! The more popular of the two, Whitby Sands Beach, stretches for two and a half windswept, sandy miles.

Also known as West Cliff Beach, this is the perfect spot for a scenic walk. The sand is dotted with sun worshippers on warmer days.

Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach during the summer season. There is a row of rainbow beach huts which provide a great backdrop for pictures.

11. Visit the Museum of Victorian Science

Taking you on a journey through 19th century physics, this science museum hidden away on the moors surrounding Whitby is more like a private show than a museum. It’s hailed as the most unique attraction near Whitby and gets rave reviews from tourists who enjoy the personal experience.

The hosts will take you through the invention of the telegraph, x-rays etc in their ‘Tardis’, with a tea break and live demonstrations designed to wow.

At time of writing, visits to the museum are by appointment only and you should set aside two hours for your visit. Kids and adults should enjoy this place equally.

12. Take a picture at the Whale Bone Arch

Keen photographers should head straight to the Whale Bone Arch for an epic view of Whitby through the 20 ft whale jaw bones.

A reminder of the 18th and 19th century whaling industry in the local area, the bones are a throwback to the way crews would tie a whale’s jaw bone atop the ship’s mast as a sign that they had successfully caught a whale – and that the whale hadn’t killed any of them.

You can find this curious Whitby must-see on Whitby’s West Cliff next to a statue of Captain Cook. This whale bone arch is of course not the original. Today’s arch came from a Bowhead whale which was killed legally by native Alaskan Inuits.

13. Walk through Pannett Park

This well-maintained park in the centre of Whitby is the perfect place for a romantic stroll or an active day out in Whitby with kids that doesn’t cost a thing. Pannett Park has a fabulous play area, a commemorative garden, community garden and a jurassic garden.

The park spans 3.3 hectares and it’s hilly, though there are various trails you can follow if you’re there for a walk.

You’ll find Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery in the park – two of the best places to go in Whitby when it’s raining.

14. Ride around town on the open-top bus

Tired legs will be thrilled to hear that one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in Whitby is exploring the town on an open-top bus. You can enjoy great views of the local area from the double-decker bus and hop off wherever takes your fancy.

There’s a local guide who will tell you all about Whitby’s past. The tour takes one hour but you can make it last all day be jumping on and off the bus until you’ve visited all of Whitby’s main sights.

15. Taste the best fish and chips in Whitby

First stop should be Whitby Harbour for fish and chips. I asked for recommendations for the best fish and chips in Whitby on Twitter before our first ever trip, and I got a lot of responses, all recommending the same few places: Magpie Cafe, Royal Fisheries (who serve crinkle-cut chips instead of straight chips) and Quayside.

You could say that the fish and chip shops are among the top attractions in Whitby. It would be weird not to eat this while you’re in town! We opted for Trenchers, because they’ve won awards. We weren’t disappointed.

16. Visit Humpty Dumpty’s Grave

I don’t think I’ve ever included a graveyard in a destination guide before, but that just about sums up what makes Whitby unique! The eery St. Mary’s Churchyard in Whitby is shrouded in local folklore and history. It sits high up on the East Cliff, so you can visit after spending time at Whitby Abbey.

Local sailors and fishermen are remembered here. Locals like to imply that Dracula is there too.

Kids might enjoy seeking out Humpty Dumpty’s grave. It’s obviously not the resting place of the egg, but of a canon who shared the name. You can also spook little ones by pointing out the skulls and crossbones on some headstones and suggesting they’re signs of pirate burials. It’s not true, they’re there to indicate a freemason’s grave, but they’ll never know…

Book tours and excursions in Whitby

Where to eat in Whitby

Not in the mood for fish and chips? Sacrilege! But I’ll let you off, because Whitby does have some other great eateries.

La Rosa Hotel and Tearooms and Bothams Tea Rooms come highly recommended for cake, and Rusty Shears Courtyard also has great reviews – their menu has over 100 gins, so that sold it to me. If it’s a Sunday Roast you’re craving while in Yorkshire, try Stables in Crossbutts.

I’m told you can’t visit the Yorkshire coast without sampling a ‘lemon top ice cream’, which is basically a normal whippy cone with a small amount of lemon sorbet on top.

The little ice cream place on the harbour was popular with tourists, and Teare Wood’s Luxury Ice Cream Parlour gets excellent reviews.

Places to visit near Whitby

We were staying at the gorgeous Raithwaite Estate (read my review of Raithwaite Estate here), which was just a stone’s throw from Sandsend Beach. We had a splash in the sea and a walk along the sand, but there’s not much else to see there.

It’s worth mentioning that if you’re visiting Whitby with a dog, Sandsend is split into dog-friendly and not.

We also visited Robin Hoods Bay, and take it from me – you have to go there if you’re spending time in Whitby. If you liked Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books as a child, you’ll definitely love this little cove.

Under the cover of those charming red rooftops, this old fishing village was once a hive of clandestine activity, with smugglers shifting their treasures from sea to land via the coast’s caves and coves in the 1700s.

Apparently, the cellars of Robin Hood Bay’s pubs were once piled high with illegal gin. I didn’t manage to find any, unfortunately.

We managed to visit on the busiest weekend of the year and couldn’t believe how much was going on in this tiny town. We watched some rather odd live performances then explored the town’s twisting alleyways.

I fell head over heels in love with this dream house that tumbled down into the sea, then ate the most delicious strawberry ice cream, purchased from an ice cream van parked just yards from the sea.

From Whitby you can easily get to surrounding areas including Saltburn, Goathland (where Heartbeat was filmed!) or Staithes, and of course Scarborough.

My favourite place to go in Yorkshire is Knaresborough. You can row boats along the river there and it’s just so beautiful!

If you’re exploring the North of England, I also have a weekend guide to York, a fun list of things to do in Leeds and a guide to things to do in Manchester. I’m based in Sunderland, so of course I’ve got a great Newcastle city break guide too!

Where to stay in Whitby

If you’re looking for a luxury retreat, I definitely recommend Raithwaite Estate, which is about an eight minute drive from the harbour. There’s also Discovery Accommodation, Dunsley Hall and The Stables.

You can check more Whitby accommodation options along with prices and availability on booking.com.

How to get to Whitby

You can arrive in Whitby by steam train for extra nostalgia. Hop on board the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and enjoy the vintage vibes and brooding scenery as you cross the North York Moors National Park.

You can stop at some truly charming spots, including the famous Goathland – this was the original Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and also played the role of Aidensfield in Heartbeat.

More Yorkshire travel guides

What to do in Leeds

How to plan a romantic day out in Knaresborough

Raithwaite Sandsend Hotel review

Fun things to do in Scarborough

All UK travel posts

Have you explored North Yorkshire? Let me know (and leave your recommendations if I’ve missed anything!) in the comments and please share this to inspire your friends to visit.

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