8 Best Things to Do in Whitby

It’s not a proper visit to a Yorkshire beach without a quick paddle in the North Sea. On summer days, Whitby Beach and the surrounding coves can get quite busy. Keep walking along the sand for a couple of miles and you’ll reach the aptly-named village of Sandsend, right at the end of the sandy beach. It’s one of the more popular places to sit in the sun.

You’ll find the usual traditional British beach experiences in and around Whitby during the summer months, like ice cream vans and colourful beach huts. It’s also a pretty good place for surfing, kite flying and fossil hunting.

Whitby has quite a close association with Captain James Cook, the famous British explorer, and offers an immersive Captain Cook Experience dedicated to his legacy. The man himself was born in the village of Marton, about 30 miles (48 km) away, but he served his naval apprenticeship in Whitby and his ship, HMS Endeavour, was built here, too.

This association is celebrated with a memorial statue near the Whalebone Arch, a museum in the house where he served and a scaled-down replica of the ship. Slightly less than half the size of the original and powered by a motor instead of the wind, the ship sails every day from Whitby Harbour, heading along the coast to Sandsend and back.

The stairs from Church Lane up to St Mary’s Church provide a backdrop for the dramatic end to Bram Stoker’s Dracula (the book, not the movie). Whitby Harbour provides an equally dramatic backdrop to the views available as you climb them. It’s traditional to count each step, so don’t be surprised if you pass people muttering to themselves along the way.

At the top, the old church is quite a sight, but the graveyard is even more remarkable. Some harbours in the area were once popular with pirates and smugglers, and several gravestones feature skull-and-crossbones engravings. Hotels in the vicinity follow suit with traditional Georgian-Victorian architecture. Even though some are old buildings, the rooms are quaint and full of character.

There’s been an abbey on this stunning headland since about 657AD, but the ruined Whitby Abbey remains that stand here now were constructed in the 13th century. They have that distinctive gothic look, which helped to inspire Bram Stoker and, with his help, has made Whitby the Goth capital of the UK.

Despite having been damaged by centuries of storms since its closure by Henry VIII in 1540 and even by the German Navy during the First World War, the general shape of the abbey is still clear. Two tall walls remain standing, in dramatic defiance of everything that’s been thrown at them.

Whitby Museum is home to an extensive and eclectic collection of artefacts from as far back as the Jurassic era, particularly focusing on finds from in and around the town. Easily the most interesting attraction is the Hand of Glory, a mummified human hand, which folklore suggests was used by burglars to help put their victims to sleep.

If that’s too creepy for you, consider checking out the Pannett Art Gallery, in the same building. Here you’ll find a mix of 19th- and 20th-century paintings on permanent display, mostly depicting local scenes.

One of the best ways to experience the natural splendour of the stunning North Yorkshire Moors National Park near Whitby is by riding the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Hop aboard the historic steam train that runs from Whitby to Pickering for an unforgettable journey through breathtaking landscapes.

The journey follows the amazing Esk River Valley, crossing historical viaducts and passing charming remote villages. One of the stops along the line will be especially familiar to fans of the Harry Potter movies. Goathland station played the role of the final stop of the Hogwarts Express, Hogsmeade.

Boats sailing from Whitby offer exciting whale watching cruises, allowing passengers to have close encounters with these beautiful sea mammals. Daily voyages during the summer have come across minke, sei, fin and even humpback whales, as well as dolphins, porpoises and thousands of seals.

If you’re not in Whitby for summer, there are still several daily coastal cruises available. One route takes you south to the Ravenscar seal colony while another heads north to the charming fishing village of Staithes. You can even take a river cruise into the North Yorkshire Moors along the Esk. The sunset sea cruises are a delight.

The Dracula Experience captures the essence of Bram Stoker’s famous novel, Dracula, which forms the basis of most modern vampire lore. A lot of that novel is set in Whitby, among the historical streets and around the famous landmarks. The Dracula Experience is a cross between a haunted house ride and a literary adventure, bringing 8 scenes from the book to life with live actors and special effects.

The building which houses this experience boasts a fascinating history of its own. First documented in 1641, it was leased to Isaac Newton by Sir Hugh Chomley for an astonishing 1,000 years.