The Best Day Trips From York, England

Last Updated on 10th May 2024

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As much as I’m an advocate for people visiting my beloved city of York, I do also think that it’s the perfect place to take multiple day trips from, all across the UK.

Having spent most of my adulthood so far living in York (minus the 11 months we were travelling and 4 months we spent living in the Lake District), I can vouch for its accessibility for getting to and from numerous other places around the UK that are well worth visiting.

Below, I’ve listed some of my top recommendations for the best day trips from York. Of course, there are countless others that could certainly be added to this list (and I’ve no doubt they will be at some point), but the places below are the ones I’ve personally visited and would recommend myself.

Check out the best day trips from York!

1. Scarborough

Scarborough is one of my favourite day trips from York. With just over an hour’s drive from York depending on the traffic, Scarborough is a lovely North Yorkshire seaside town that’s home to beautiful beaches, a wonderful fairground and some of the best fish and chips in the area.

You can also get to Scarborough from York via train which takes less than an hour and drops you off right in the centre of town. The train also makes for a lovely journey from York through the countryside and is well worth considering if you’re not the biggest fan of driving.

Check out my full Scarborough travel guide.

2. Filey

Just 20 minutes south of Scarborough and still only an hour’s drive from York, is the adorable seaside town of Filey.

Growing up, my family and I would frequent Filey very regularly and as it’s such a quick drive to get there and back, it makes for the perfect day trip from York.

Filey is a great place to dig some sandcastles, tuck into something sweet and delicious from the beachside stalls and of course, have a leisurely stroll across the beach. Filey is also home to many caravan and camping sites, so it also makes for the ideal little weekend break too.

3. Knaresborough

I only visited Knaresborough for the first time a few weeks ago but even that one visit cemented the idea that I should include it in this post.

Knaresborough is a stunning little town, not far from Harrogate and it’s just a 40-minute drive or a 30-minute train journey from York.

It’s an ideal place to visit from York as there’s not an absolute tonne of things to do there, so you can easily spend a few hours exploring and then head back in plenty of time before the evening rush hour.

Check out my comprehensive guide to Knaresborough.

4. Leeds – best day trips from York

To get to the city centre of Leeds from York, you can expect it to take you approximately 50 minutes by car or half an hour by train.

Even though it’s so close to York, I’ve actually spent very little time in Leeds, hence my lack of pictures of it.

(I had to use the picture above which was taken at the Ask Italian restaurant in Leeds!).

Leeds is a great day trip from York if you’re a big shopping fan as there are numerous shopping outlets and malls for you to peruse including Trinity Leeds and the White Rose Shopping centre.

If nature and culture are more your thing, make sure to check out places such as Roundhay Park and Hyde Park, as well as the Leeds City Museum and the Royal Armouries Museum.

5. Harrogate

Harrogate is another North Yorkshire town to add to your list of day trips from York.

Just a 45-minute drive from York, Harrogate, like Knaresborough, is remarkably easy to get to and incredibly enjoyable once you’re there.

Again, there aren’t loads of things to do there, so it’s ideal for just a day trip when you don’t particularly want/need to stay over for the night.

Here’s my full guide to Harrogate.

6. Ripon

Ripon is yet another place that I’ve lived within close proximity to for years and yet still only managed to visit for the first time a couple of months ago.

However, that one and only visit (so far!) was tremendous and I knew instantly that it belonged in my guide of the best York day trips.

Ripon Cathedral is a spectacular sight to see and if you have time, you must pay a visit to Fountains Abbey which is just a short drive out of the centre of Ripon. Fountains Abbey is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable places I’ve been to in the whole of the UK and a trip from York is more than worth it.

Read my extensive guide to Ripon and Fountains Abbey here.

7. Lake District

Heading a little further afield from York now, we have the beautiful Lake District National Park.

Of course, the Lake District is so vast and wide, that you couldn’t possibly see it all in one day trip from York, but there are a few places that can easily be done in one day.

The drive from York to Kendal for example, which is just on the outskirts of the National Park, will take you just over two hours which is definitely manageable in one day.

If you have time, or if you want to add multiple different day trips to your itinerary, make sure to check out Bowness-on-Windermere, Ullswater and Keswick.

Check out more of my Lake District content here.

8. London – York day trips

London might seem a little too far from York for just a day trip, but I’ve actually done it numerous times and I can safely say that it’s more than manageable.

The train from York to London King’s Cross is just over two hours, so if you set off early in the morning and get a late evening train back, you’ll have literally all day to explore.

Naturally, you can’t see absolutely all of London in just one day, but you can certainly give it a go and see some of the top sights such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the British Museum and tonnes more.

Here are some of my London guides to help inspire your trip.

9. Edinburgh

Similarly to London, many people think that Edinburgh is too far from York to visit in just one day, but from my personal experience, it’s definitely doable.

The train journey is two and a half hours, so it’s actually further away from York than London is, but again, if you set off early in the morning and venture back to York in the evening, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the top sights.

I’d recommend ticking off Dean Village, the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, Victoria Street and finishing off with a homemade, customisable pizza from At Pizza.

I’ve also written numerous guides to Edinburgh here that will be useful for your trip.

Bonus best day trips from York

As I mentioned above, there are also many other places that warrant a spot in this guide, so I’ve included a few more bonus places below.

10. North Yorkshire Moors

The Yorkshire Moors encompass a huge expanse of land and as I haven’t really spent an awful lot of time there, I can’t really recommend a tonne of things to do.

However, if you’re a big fan of walking, then a day trip to the Moors from York, equipped with your hiking gear, is sure to make for a fun day out.

11. Castle Howard

Castle Howard’s address is technically classed as York, so I was a little reluctant to include it in this guide. However, it’s one of my favourite little trips in/around York (despite the fact that I haven’t taken any pictures of it! 😱) so I thought I’d include it in this round-up.

12. Doncaster

I’m actually originally from Doncaster (well, Mexborough) and I spent the first eight years of my life growing up there and I still have lots of family and friends there.

One place in particular that I’d recommend visiting is Doncaster Dome, which is an entertainment complex comprising of an indoor ice skating rink, a waterpark and fitness centres.

Hopefully, this post has given you plenty of inspiration for the best day trips from York and I’ve no doubt that I’ll be adding to it over the coming months and years when I discover new places worth visiting!

Related posts:

• 25+ Best Things To Do In York, UK
• The Ultimate Guide Of Places To Eat & Drink In York
• The Best Day Trips From London
• 26+ Best Things To Do In Edinburgh
• 14+ Best Things To Do In Knaresborough

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Do you have any other recommendations for the best day trips from York? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.