The charming northern county of West Yorkshire promises vibrant cities, industrial heritage towns and pretty Pennine villages in equal doses. There’s no shortage of things to do in West Yorkshire. Drop into cosmopolitan Leeds for museums and galleries and elegant shopping centres, feel the wind in your hair on Pennine trails and cycle ways, visit Bradford for Victorian industrial heritage and grand city parks, or pack a copy of Wuthering Heights and head to Haworth to explore Brontë-country villages and vales in this inspiring literary county. With so many places to visit in West Yorkshire, you’ll soon be planning your return trip.
Places to visit in West Yorkshire
24 hours in Leeds
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Victorian warehouses and shiny 21st-century architecture collide to awesome effect in this gritty Yorkshire city.
October Events: Read and be merry at the Ilkley Literature Festival
Book lovers simply can’t miss this prestigious literature event in the Yorkshire Dales, that's taking place between 1 and 17 October.
Location: Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Enjoy 100 days of culture at the Yorkshire Festival
Theatre, art exhibitions, musical performances and a bit of biking; the 100-day marathon that is the Yorkshire Festival has it all.
Location: Yorkshire
Meet feathered friends at Lotherton Hall Estate
Get up close and personal with rare birds, tropical mammals and wild-roaming deer at Lotherton Hall in Aberford, near Leeds.
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
Get Active in Chevin Forest Park
Get outdoors and blow those cobwebs away in some beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
Discover Yorkshire fayre and hospitality at the Shibden Mill Inn
Nestling in the fold of the picturesque Shibden Valley is fantastic food, drink and sumptuous accommodation at the 17th century Shibden Mill Inn.
Location: Halifax, Yorkshire
Rainy Day Activities: Get interactive on a family trip to Eureka!
Eureka! in Halifax is an indoor attraction that inspires children to learn all about the world around them by playing, imagining, experimenting and having fun.
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
Rainy Day Activities: Hop from gallery to shop at the Salts Mill
Found near Bradford, the Yorkshire Salts Mill is an indoor hive of art galleries and indie shops, set within the culturally rich World Heritage Site of Saltaire.
Location: Saltaire, West Yorkshire
Feel like a duke or duchess for the day but without the price tag
You don’t have to be as rich as a lord to visit East Riddlesden Hall, near Keighley, former home of the 17th century cloth merchant James Murgatroyd.
Location: Keighley, West Yorkshire
Herald the coming of spring with a real old English knees-up
Marsden welcomes the cuckoo back to rural West Yorkshire with traditional English dancing, music and sunshine at the Marsden Cuckoo Festival in April.
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Learn about lively Huddersfield on a walking trail
Immerse yourself in this creative town, rich in culture, stories, international food and heritage. Grab a free walking trail and off you go!
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Experience life as a Victorian Mill Worker
Be transported back to the 1800s and experience Bradford when it was the ‘Wool Capital of the World’.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Food, fashion and fantastic ales in Leeds
Explore Leeds city centre stopping off along the way to sample the finest local and independent breweries offerings.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Enjoy being pampered in your own moorland lodge retreat
Indulge in a full range of spa treatments in the comfort of your own luxury Scandinavian lodge before setting off to explore the English countryside.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Enjoy an afternoon tea in the house the Brontës loved
Enjoy a luxurious afternoon tea at the historic house the Brontës knew and loved, then take a tour of the real-life setting for Wuthering Heights.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Cookery and butchery courses at Coddy's Farm
Boost your culinary skills with seasonal cookery and butchery courses at Coddy's Farm, in Holmfirth. Great accommodation, great views, great food.
Location: Holmfirth, Yorkshire
Discover a romantic paradise in the Peaks and Pennines
From long walks to lazy lunches, the Fleece Inn at Holme is the perfect base for your romantic break in the Yorkshire countryside.
Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
Treat yourself to the ultimate spa break in the Pennines
Stay in deluxe serviced apartments and treat yourself from head to toe with heat, ice and mud experiences at Titanic Spa.
Location: Marsden, West Yorkshire
Follow the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle trail
Celebrate 200 of the world's greatest artists at four leading cultural venues in Yorkshire.
Location: Wakefield and Leeds, West Yorkshire
Eat like a local at Kirkgate Market
This traditional covered market is one of the biggest in Europe with fresh food stalls that will get your taste buds tingling.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Shop in style in the beautiful Victoria Quarter
Marvel at this collection of beautifully restored Victorian shopping arcades in Leeds and browse the luxury shops within them.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire