Now featuring on National Geographic’s short list of ‘best places to visit’ for 2026, absorb Hull’s 800 years of maritime past and soak up its vibrant culture.
Visit Hull! You won’t be disappointed. Having been the UK city of culture in 2017, Hull has now made it onto the National Geographic’s list of ‘The best places in the world to travel to in 2026’. Hull is rich in maritime history and ranked among the world’s most active whaling ports in the 19th century. Hull remained a major centre for fishing and maritime trade and its 800 years of seafaring is still evident today in many of the best sites to visit in Hull.
Hull has historically got a bit of a bad rep in the UK. Poet Philip Larkin, who lived in Hull, described it as "a frightful dump, chilly and smelling of fish.". But Hull is now a vibrant city after a period resurgence following decline from its maritime heyday, and I wished I could have spent longer exploring the maritime city.
This guide on how the 8 best places to visit in Hull will cover:
This post contains affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
How to get to Hull
Hull can be reached from London, by train, in approximately 3 hours. From York or Leeds it’s about 1 hour by train with Leeds being more direct.
The railway station in Hull is very central and within very easy walking distance of all the main sites and attractions.
If you are travelling locally then buses offer a regular and convenient option.
How to get around Hull
Hull’s main sights sit close together in the compact city centre, making it an easy place to navigate on foot. I used a free to download walking tour of Hull to help me find my way between the main sights. I took the ‘Fish Trail’ which invites you to spot the various artistic interpretations of fish along the route. I must admit I found them hard to spot and sometimes a distraction from the things around me that I wanted to see. But the main point was that I had a useful map to get me around the wonderful city of Hull.
Where to stay in Hull
It’s easy to reach Hull for a day out from Leeds or York but staying a while will give more opportunity to explore all the museums, galleries and restaurants that Hull offers. The following hotels in Hull come highly rated by other travellers:
Kingston Theatre Hotel – opposite Hull New Theatre and 10 mins walk from the buzz of the city
Holiday Inn Hull Marina by IHG – situated right on the marina and close to all the main attractions
The Whittington and Cat – a traditional pub with rooms close to the marina
The 8 best places to visit in Hull
1. Hull Maritime Museum
Hull’s long and varied relationship with the sea and seafaring is documented in the newly refurbished Hull Maritime Museum (due to re-open in 2026). The building itself holds an important role in Hull’s history, opened in 1871 as Hull’s Dock Offices. The refurbishment will preserve the architecture and create more space to tell the important stories of Hull’s past.
2. The Fruit Market
The Fruit Market, previously old warehouses around Humber Street, have been revitalised into ‘the heartbeat of Hull’, a vibrant district of cafes, bars, and independent shops with seating spilling out onto the paved, historic streets. The Fruit Market leads to the Marina, one of the many highlights of Hull’s waterfront.
3. Walk the Humber
Starting at the Marina a boulevard stretches alongside the Humber from which you take in the far-reaching views across one of England’s largest rivers to a former shipyard which houses The Deep, one of the UK’s most acclaimed aquariums.
4. The Deep
This architecturally striking and award winning aquarium, The Deep sits on the banks of the Humber. It offers thought provoking exhibits and daily talks to introduce you to the exhibits and the conservation work of the aquarium.
5. Museum ships
Preservation and celebration of Hull’s seafaring past continues through two permanently docked museum ships: the 1960s Arctic Corsair cod trawler based at the North End shipyard and the Spurn lightship based in the Marina, which once guided boats through the treacherous waters of the Humber Estuary near the city of Hull.
6. Wilberforce House Museum
In and amongst Hull’s small historic streets the Wilberforce House Museum (free entry) provides a deep dive into the life and work of anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce, previously MP for Hull and Yorkshire and born in the house that houses the museum.
7. Hull Museum Quarter
The small but powerful Wilberforce Museum is a keystone of Hull’s Museums Quarter where you’ll also find the Streetlife Museum and the Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology.
8. Ferens Art Gallery
Art enthusiasts will enjoy the Ferens Art Gallery (free entry), which hosts an impressive collection of artworks and rolling exhibitions.
What to do near Hull
Consider making a weekend of it and pairing a day out in Hull with a day out in York. Trains between the two cities are often direct and take about an hour. See my guide to the top 10 things to do in York for inspiration.
If you have more time to spare then visit Hull as part of my 6 day car-free ‘best of Yorkshire’ itinerary.