Family-friendly things to do on the Yorkshire Coast

Close-up of bottom half of child in wellies with rockpooling net — What will you find on your rockpooling adventure? | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

It's hard to ever be bored on the Yorkshire Coast when there are so many family activities on offer. Find out what adventures you can have beside the seaside.

Easter on the Yorkshire Coast

Between 7 and 10 April you can take part in an outdoor Easter trail starting from Ravenscar Visitor Centre or the Old Coastguard Station in Robin Hood's Bay; complete a series of nature-themed activities then collect a chocolate egg at the finish. Hop on over to our what's on page for all the details.

Rockpooling on the beach

Rock-pooling is an absorbing way to while away the hours when the tide is right.

You might be surprised at how many different species you can discover on Yorkshire's rocky shores once the tide has left them exposed.

Cycle the Cinder Track

The Cinder Track follows the old Whitby to Scarborough railway line and offers an excellent flat and traffic-free cycle route, perfect for all the family.

Meanwhile, the Ravenscar easy cycle loop is a trail ideal for families with beginners on two wheels.

Walking and cycling on the Yorkshire Coast

Our visitor centres

The Old Coastguard Station in Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar Visitor Centre are open on winter weekends (please see our homepage for opening times). Pop in to delve into stories of life on the coast, enjoy some hands-on activities and discover things to do in the area.

You can also take a break from outdoor activities with a warming drink and a snack or browse a selection of second-hand books.

Buggies are allowed in the Old Coastguard Station and a ramp to the ground floor entrance is available on request.

The Old Coastguard Station at Robin Hood's bay, a white fronted building with red tiled roof, with foreshore and coast visible in the background. — Find lots of things to do at the Old Coastguard Station visitor centre | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Pick up a Tracker Pack

Hire a North York Moors National Park Tracker Pack from either visitor centre.

Each one is packed with lots of activities including fossil hunting, birdwatching and storytelling at Robin Hood’s Bay, or pond dipping and a guide to the fascinating ‘Town that Never Was’ story at Ravenscar.

Please ask staff for details. 

'50 things to do before you’re 11¾'

You can tick a few outdoor mini-adventures off your ‘50 things’ list any day of the week. Just for starters you could:

Discover more of the Yorkshire Coast

Find out how to get to the Yorkshire Coast, where to park, the things to see and do and more.

Plan your visit

A woman and child stand in sunshine in an open grassy area, both wearing sunglasses and looking at an Easter trail map on a clipboard held by the child

Take part in an Easter trail

Join us for an Easter adventure at Ravenscar Visitor Centre or the Old Coastguard Station in Robin Hood's Bay. Discover our family-friendly outdoor trails with fun activities for you to do along the way. Complete the trail and earn your chocolate egg at the end.

Two adults and a child walking across a rocky foreshore at low tide with a bright blue sky on a summer day

Article

Things to see and do on the Yorkshire Coast

Find out what the Yorkshire Coast has to offer, from fossil hunting and walking routes, to the villages that reveal the human history of this wild landscape.