{"id":881,"date":"2026-01-01T18:00:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T18:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/?p=881"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:05:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:05:01","slug":"the-top-6-things-to-do-in-whitby-gem-of-the-yorkshire-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/01\/01\/the-top-6-things-to-do-in-whitby-gem-of-the-yorkshire-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"The top 6 things to do in Whitby, gem of the Yorkshire coast"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Whitby is one of the prettiest small towns in Yorkshire.&nbsp; Set on the beautiful Yorkshire coast it makes for a memorable day out including a beautiful harbour setting, iconic and historical architecture, amazing food and drink and fascinating cultural attractions.&nbsp; The hub of the small town is easily walkable from the railway station which connects Whitby to major cities such as York as well as the steam locomotives of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nymr.co.uk\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">North York Moors Railway<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Get the most from a day out in Whitby, one of Yorkshire\u2019s prettiest towns, with my top 6 things to do including boat trips, Whitby Abbey ruins and gin tasting.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Whitby Yorkshire days out UK\" data-id=\"885\" width=\"100\" data-init-width=\"1251\" height=\"121\" data-init-height=\"1511\" title=\"Whitby Yorkshire days out UK\" src=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Whitby-Yorkshire-days-out-UK.png\" data-width=\"100\" data-height=\"121\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1251 \/ 1511;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>This<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>guide to the top 6 things to do to enjoy a memorable day out in Whitby will cover:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#tve-jump-19b7ab0f836\" style=\"outline: none;\"><strong>Why Whitby is great for a day out in Yorkshire<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tve-jump-19b7ab181b7\" style=\"outline: none;\"><strong>How to get to Whitby<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tve-jump-19b7ab1e0fd\" style=\"outline: none;\"><strong>Where to stay in Whitby<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tve-jump-19b7ab2afc3\" style=\"outline: none;\"><strong>The top 6 things to do in Whitby<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tve-jump-19b7ab34ddf\" style=\"outline: none;\"><strong>Recommended guided tour to Whitby<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>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.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Whitby Yorkshire day out UK\" data-id=\"892\" width=\"678\" data-init-width=\"1080\" height=\"452\" data-init-height=\"720\" title=\"Whitby Yorkshire day out UK\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/v5aSSMb95X4.jpg\" data-width=\"678\" data-height=\"452\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1080 \/ 720;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 id=\"tve-jump-19b7ab0f836\"><strong>Why Whitby is great for a day out in Yorkshire<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Whitby is a picturesque seaside town known for its captivating blend of history, natural scenery, and distinctive attractions. Whitby\u2019s standout feature is the famous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.english-heritage.org.uk\/visit\/places\/whitby-abbey\/?\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Whitby Abbey<\/a>, the inspiration behind Bram Stoker\u2019s <em>Dracula<\/em>, which provides breathtaking views across the town and coastline. The climb up the 199 steps to the abbey is an essential experience, which will reward you with sweeping panoramas of the quaint town and harbour, and a real sense of accomplishment. Whitby is equally renowned for its fresh seafood\u2014especially its iconic fish and chips\u2014served in many welcoming, independent local restaurants. Its charming harbour invites relaxed walks, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitbycoastalcruises.com\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">boat trips<\/a> offer a chance to admire the coastline from the water. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Captain Cook Museum<\/a> delves into the life of the famous explorer who lived in Whitby, while the <a href=\"https:\/\/whitbymuseum.org.uk\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Whitby Museum<\/a> highlights the town\u2019s fascinating heritage, including the iconic Whitby jet. With its mix of historic landmarks, delicious food, and stunning landscapes, you\u2019ll find the memories of a visit to Whitby stays with you a long time.<\/p>\n<h5 id=\"tve-jump-19b7ab181b7\"><strong>How to get to Whitby<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Whitby is easily reached from <a href=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/12\/21\/the-best-10-things-to-do-on-a-car-free-city-break-in-york\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><u>York<\/u> <\/a>by car, train or bus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>From York you can take \u2018Britain\u2019s most scenic bus route\u2019, the <u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transdevbus.co.uk\/coastliner\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Coastliner bus to Whitby<\/a><\/u>.&nbsp; This incredible bus route will take you across the North Yorks Moors and takes 2.5-3 hours.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>You can also park up or break the bus journey at Pickering and pick up the <a href=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/02\/07\/top-tips-for-enjoying-the-north-york-moors-by-steam-train\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><u>North York Moors Railway<\/u><\/a> to arrive in Whitby in style.<\/p>\n<p style=\"\"><strong>Top Tip: <\/strong>If you are travelling by car from <a href=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/12\/21\/the-best-10-things-to-do-on-a-car-free-city-break-in-york\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><u>York<\/u><\/a>, break your journey at the pretty town of Malton, known as the \u2018food capital of Yorkshire\u2019. &nbsp;There are tonnes of top places to eat throughout the small town where you can get a spot of brunch or lunch. &nbsp;Consider a visit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitmalton.com\/talbot-yard-food-court\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Talbot Yard<\/a> where you\u2019ll find a butcher, baker, gelataria, coffee roastery, distillery &amp; macaroon maker visited by the Hairy Bikers in the BBC\u2019s \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/iplayer\/episodes\/m000zypn\/the-hairy-bikers-go-north\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">The Hairy Bikers Go North<\/a>\u2019.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"whitby-abbey-days-out-uk\" data-id=\"884\" width=\"678\" data-init-width=\"1920\" height=\"478\" data-init-height=\"1356\" title=\"whitby-abbey-days-out-uk\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/whitby-abbey-days-out-uk-scaled-1.jpg\" data-width=\"678\" data-height=\"478\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1920 \/ 1356;\" mt-d=\"-2.3979999999999677\" ml-d=\"0\" center-v-d=\"false\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 id=\"tve-jump-19b7ab1e0fd\"><strong>Where to stay in Whitby<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p style=\"\">It\u2019s easy to spend a couple of days in Whitby. &nbsp;A visit to Whitby is a highlight in my <u><\/u><a href=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/12\/03\/6-day-car-free-best-of-yorkshire-itinerary\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><u>6 day best of Yorkshire i<\/u><u>tinerary&nbsp;<\/u><\/a>and previous visitors have rated the following hotels very highly:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/gb\/the-marine-amp-restaurant.en-gb.html?label=gen173nr-10CAEoggI46AdIM1gEaFCIAQGYATO4ARfIAQzYAQPoAQH4AQGIAgGoAgG4AqqC48QGwAIB0gIkNGI3ZjUwYzEtOTgyMS00ZmNmLTg3ZDAtY2ZkZGRiZDk3NGM12AIB4AIB&amp;sid=d8792264a19c56d772d96375519e83cf&amp;aid=304142&amp;ucfs=1&amp;checkin=2025-11-07&amp;checkout=2025-11-08&amp;dest_id=3547&amp;dest_type=district&amp;group_adults=1&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;group_children=0&amp;nflt=ht_id%3D204%3Breview_score%3D80&amp;srpvid=8d2f0dd082a84cd6c2c7f59aa313c9c6&amp;srepoch=1754857766&amp;matching_block_id=1383573804_410417911_2_0_0&amp;atlas_src=sr_iw_title\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">The Marine Hotel &amp; Restaurant<\/a> is a centrally located waterfront hotel close to all the sights in Whitby.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/gb\/the-resolution.en-gb.html?\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">The Resolution Hotel<\/a> located in an Old Mansion building that dates back to 1776 when it was referred to as the &#8216;Most beautiful building in Whitby&#8217;.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/gb\/the-endeavour-whitby.en-gb.html?\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">The Endeavour<\/a> adults-only rooms with river views<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/gb\/bagdale-no4-annex.en-gb.html?\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Bagdale Hall<\/a> traditional and comfortable hotel, close to the railway station<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people walking on a brick road between buildings\" data-id=\"894\" width=\"678\" data-init-width=\"1080\" height=\"1016\" data-init-height=\"1620\" title=\"Photo by Marco Angelo\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/uR0KbN4yfOg.jpg\" data-width=\"678\" data-height=\"1016\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1080 \/ 1620;\" mt-d=\"-295\" ml-d=\"0\" center-v-d=\"false\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"\" id=\"tve-jump-19b7ab2afc3\"><strong>The top 6 things to do in Whitby<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ol>\n<li>Explore <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getyourguide.com\/whitby-l36383\/north-yorkshire-whitby-abbey-t487729\/?partner_id=M0IPU5Y&amp;utm_medium=online_publisher&amp;cmp=Whitby\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Whitby Abbey<\/a>, one of the most iconic ruins in the UK.&nbsp; Whitby Abbey stands guard over the small town and is a sight to behold even from afar.&nbsp; A visit allows you to wander amongst the ruins and visit a small museum.<\/li>\n<li>Learn about Whitby\u2019s seafaring past at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getyourguide.com\/whitby-l36383\/whitby-captain-cook-museum-entry-ticket-t962620\/?partner_id=M0IPU5Y&amp;utm_medium=online_publisher&amp;cmp=Whitby\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Captain Cook Museum<\/a>. This well-curated and peaceful museum documents an important period of Whitby\u2019s history.<\/li>\n<li>Visit the quirky <a href=\"https:\/\/whitbymuseum.org.uk\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Whitby Museum<\/a> full of local stories and curiosities that bring Whitby\u2019s history to life.<\/li>\n<li>Sample some local gin or rum on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getyourguide.com\/whitby-l36383\/whitby-gin-distillery-tour-t451319\/?partner_id=M0IPU5Y&amp;utm_medium=online_publisher&amp;cmp=Whitby\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Whitby Distillery tour<\/a>, a family-run distillery that uses coastal inspired ingredients.<\/li>\n<li>Explore the coast from a different perspective on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitbycoastalcruises.com\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">boat trip with Whitby Coastal Cruises<\/a>.&nbsp; There\u2019s a chance of seeing wildlife such as seals and sea birds, particularly on some of the specialist cruises.<\/li>\n<li>Arrive in style in a steam train from the <a href=\"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/02\/07\/top-tips-for-enjoying-the-north-york-moors-by-steam-train\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><u>North York Moors Railway<\/u><\/a> or take a day trip from Whitby to one of the charming local stations.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h5 id=\"tve-jump-19b7ab34ddf\"><strong>Recommended guided tour to Whitby<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getyourguide.com\/york-l436\/from-york-north-moors-and-whitby-tour-t110128\/?partner_id=M0IPU5Y&amp;utm_medium=online_publisher&amp;cmp=Whitby\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">highly rated full day trip tour from York<\/a> will transport you through the stunning North York Moors by minibus with a knowledgeable guide. &nbsp;You will take the train on the North York Moors Railway to arrive in Whitby where you will have a couple of hours to explore the quaint harbour town. &nbsp;This gives you plenty of time to indulge in some fish and chips and explore Whitby Abbey, Whitby Museum or the Captain Cook Museum, before your journey back to York.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get the most from a day out in Whitby, one of Yorkshire\u2019s prettiest towns, with my top 6 things to do including boat trips, Whitby Abbey ruins and gin tasting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73,87],"tags":[91,84,35,30,36,86,31,88,113],"class_list":["post-881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-days-out","category-short-breaks","tag-boat-trip","tag-coast","tag-day-out","tag-england","tag-history","tag-short-break","tag-town","tag-train","tag-yorkshire-and-humber","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/n5biqgG0ZGw-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=881"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":988,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/881\/revisions\/988"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylarksandseagulls.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}