15 Things To Do In WHITBY, NORTH YORKSHIRE | England, UK Travel Guide

Whitby has all the essentials of a traditional seaside resort, however there is so much more to this unique town that makes it worth a visit. With a rich history, gothic architecture and links to Dracula, you will find plenty of sights and attractions here to keep you entertained. Based on our own trip we will show you 15 examples of things you can see and do in Whitby, so if you're planning a visit then we hope you will find this helpful. First up is climbing the 199 steps. While they have now been replaced with stone, originally these steps were made from wood. Next we're going to climb the 199 steps up to the abbey. Traditionally you have to count them so let's see how far we get before we get bored. Three, four, five, six, seven. If you lose count on the way up then roman numerals added to the steps will help you keep track. Once you do reach the top you'll be rewarded with spectacular views over Whitby. It's a great view from up here isn't it? Yeah it's pretty relaxing with all the seagulls chirping away in the background. I should describe them as chirping, squawking. Yeah worth 199 steps. There is also a sloped path where you can take up to the top if you don't want to go up the steps. After climbing the 199 steps you'll reach St Mary's Church and Graveyard. This parish church is a grade one listed building and was originally founded around the year 1110. Hall bearers used to have to carry coffins all the way up the 199 steps to the church cemetery which must have been exhausting. In the cemetery resides the grave of a man named Swales which inspired the name of Dracula's first victim in Bram Stoker's novel. You can't come to Whitby without exploring Whitby Abbey so that's what we're doing next. Whitby Abbey is almost 1400 years old and is one of the oldest abbeys in England. It fell into ruin because like many abbeys in the UK Henry VIII decided to dissolve it so that the land and the wealth could be transferred to the crown. For non-english heritage members admission is £11 for an adult and £6.60 for a child and the money goes towards the restoration of the abbey. At the time of making this video you're required to book a time slot in advance although we found that even on the morning of visiting there was still plenty of availability. After walking around the ruins you can visit the museum to learn more about the history of the abbey and how it has inspired artists and writers for hundreds of years. Then as with all good historic landmarks you exit through the gift shop. Bram Stoker who was the author of Dracula was in Whitby when he wrote his novel which is why it features so much in the tale and here is the Bram Stoker memorial seat. The plaque on the bench says the view from this spot inspired Bram Stoker to use Whitby as the setting of part of his world-famous novel. Whitby used to be a major whaling port and there's still a few reminders of that around such as this whalebone arch. The archway frames a view of the town so it's also a great spot for a photo. Near the whalebone arch you will also find the bronze statue of Captain James Cook who was a famous British explorer in the 1700s. You can learn more about him at the Captain Cook Museum or by visiting the Endeavour Experience. Explore a full-size representation of the HM Bark Endeavour which was the first vessel famously commanded by Captain Cook. For five pounds admission you can get a feel for what life at sea would have been like for Captain Cook and his crew. Interesting and informative we thought this exhibition was well worth the price. There's also a restaurant on board if you fancy dining below deck. If you prefer your vessels to be less stationary then there are several boat trip options for you around the harbour. For four pounds you can take a short trip out to sea and I do mean short it's probably only about 20 minutes or so but it's a great way to spend some time on the waves and to take in the beautiful coast from a different perspective. When it comes to picking a boat we couldn't resist the Black Pearl but if you don't like Jack Sparrow then there are plenty of other boat trips to choose from. We've come to Whitby Beach it's definitely too cold for us for a swim today but it's a nice spot for a walk. The crashing waves, miles of spotlessly clean sand and a long row of colourful beach huts makes this an ideal place for a break from the crowds even if it isn't a warm day. If you don't want to walk along the sand itself then there is also a promenade so you can still go for a seafront stroll. We found a caterpillar that looks like a HP pencil! Stretch your legs around the lively harbour which is filled with all sorts of boats of different types and different sizes. It's still a working harbour so you will see fishing boats bobbing alongside the tourist day boats. Wow so this plaque says that this ancient timber stock anchor was bought up in the net of the Ocean Venture of Whitby in 1981. Next we're going to take a walk along the lighthouse. It looks so nice now as the sun's starting to go down, lovely golden colour. You can also walk the length of the east or west pier where you can get a closer look at the historic lighthouses and watch boats enter and leave the harbour. You hungry? Yeah. If you're looking for somewhere to eat in Whitby there are plenty of quality restaurants and cafes to choose from. I will quickly show you where we ate during our trip to give you an idea of a few places you might want to consider. Whitby is known for having some top-notch fish and chips. In fact, a few days before our trip, Whitby was trending on Twitter in the UK after someone tweeted the question, which seaside resort do you think has the best fish and chips? We ordered ours from Trenches which is one of several fish and chip shops in Whitby to have excellent reviews. We would recommend their lightly battered skin-on haddock which was absolutely delicious. Next we tried Rusty Sher's Cafe, a charming vintage tea room serving delicious homemade food alongside specialty teas, coffee, wine, craft beer and over 150 types of gin. We really enjoyed their charcuterie board of cured meats, olives, pickles, salad and crusty bread. Plus anywhere this encourages you to combine my favourite drink with my second favourite drink is alright by me. One evening we fancied a seafood restaurant that didn't require a reservation so we opted for Fisherman's Wife. They have a fairly extensive seafood menu and we can vouch for the mussels, served in a creamy white wine sauce, being excellent. Overlooking the harbour is the Moon and Sixpence which is a restaurant and bar with a relaxing atmosphere and varied lunch menu. Aaron ordered oysters while I ordered pulled rib tacos and we shared some loaded fries. We did enjoy the food but thought it was a little pricey for what we got. If you're looking for a hearty meal on a budget then we would recommend Humble Pie and Mash. This small 1940s themed cafe serves a selection of homemade pies with mash, peas and gravy. We both went for the braised steak pie because it was a bestseller and we were not disappointed. Now that you've got some ideas for food let's talk about beer. Next to the abbey sits a microbrewery set in a converted barn. After climbing the 199 steps grab yourself a local beer and enjoy the views of the ruins from Whitsby Brewery tap room. If you would prefer something that doesn't require the climb then we would also recommend the Endeavour which is a cosy traditional pub with friendly staff and a great selection of gins. The compact town centre of Whitsby is lined with small independent stores. From antiques to sweet treats there are plenty of interesting shops to stop at. You'll also find several jewellers here selling pieces made from the popular Whitsby jet. This one has a jet spider. It's a dragonfly one. I can't make a point about shopping in Whitsby without mentioning the famous fortune skippers. Heading down the cobbled Henrietta street you will smell it before you can see it. This traditional smokehouse was established in 1872 and you can still buy yourself smoked skippers here today. For any Alice in Wonderland fans there is a small Alice themed space hidden away on Cliff Street. The garden was created by Whitsby and Bloom in 2018 and has features like an archway of playing cards and a planter shaped like the Mad Hatter's hat. At Whitsby Museum you can explore a variety of exhibitions on geology, natural history, sociology and more. Admire incredible fossil dinosaurs and intricately built model ships. Someone's built a model of the Endeavour and it took two years and 22,364 matchsticks. That's pretty cool. They even have a mummified hand which according to legend was used by burglars to send a whole household to sleep so that they could rob them. If you're looking for a day trip from Whitsby then we would recommend Robin Hood's Bay. This beautiful village has a fascinating history of smuggling and it is a popular spot for fossil hunting. It's just six miles from Whitsby so you can either drive, catch a bus or even walk. If you would like to see more of Robin Hood's Bay then we do have a video tour available on our channel. 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