The seaside village of Whitby is the picture of peace, relaxation, and fresh air. I took a day trip from York to admire the stunning cliffs and crisp ocean, and delve into Britain’s maritime and literary history.
Whitby is one of the best day trips available from York. Read on to learn about how I got there, what I did and what it was like exploring Whitby in summer 2023.
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Where is Whitby
Whitby is a seaside village in the county of Yorkshire, on England’s east coast. It is famous for being the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, as well as the birthplace of the HMS Endeavour, which was the first British ship to sail to Australia.
Captain Cook, who sailed the HMS Endeavour, also learnt his seamanship in Whitby!
Whitby is one the BEST day trips to take from York.
Great Resources for Whitby
- The Whitby Guide website has articles on literally everything you could want to know about Whitby.
- The Visit Whitby website is regularly updated with accommodation, things to do, places to eat and events that are on.
- Dracula by Bram Stoker. C’mon, you can’t come to Whitby and not do your homework!
- Watch a couple episodes of Heartbeat (many episodes were filmed in Whitby!)
Don’t want to plan it yourself? Join an organised day tour to Whitby from York!
How to get to Whitby
I got up bright and early to catch the first bus to Whitby. I caught the Coastliner 840 bus from York Rail Station to Whitby Boyes.
The bus departed at 8:09am and arrived in Whitby at 10:40am, the journey taking about 2 and a half hours. I bought my £2 ticket on the bus; I didn’t want to fiddle around with the Transdev app.
Until 31 December 2024, bus tickets cost £2 for any journey to any destination!
War Memorial Park and Whitby Endeavour
Just across from the bus stop is the War Memorial Park which backs onto the River Esk.
From beside the bridge there are great views across this cute little inlet; old wooden fishing boats scattered about with toothless weathered little fisherman leant across them, shooing away the seagulls (is it just me or are the seagulls HUGE in the UK??)
The ship pictured above is a replica of the HMS Endeavour (The ship Captain Cook sailed to Australia). Inside the ship is now a restaurant that offers surprisingly affordable meals.
Nearby is the Singing Kettle, which offers what I think might be the cheapest full English breakfast in the village!
Whalebone Arch and Captain Cook’s Memorial
I headed along Pier Road, following the curved road and until I saw a set of steep stairs on the right.
Up these stairs was the famous Whalebone Arch. From here, you will find the best viewpoint of the jagged cliffs and haunting abbey from across the inlet.
There is also a memorial to Captain Cook, who learnt his seamanship in Whitby and later sailed the HMS Endeavour, which was also built in Whitby, to Australia.
After a stroll around the Memorial Park (very small, very quick) I made my way back down the stairs to see what the British had to say about the beach.
Whitby’s Beach
To get to the beach from the base of the stairs, turn left and continue along to the Fisherman’s Wife Whitby restaurant. Head down the stairs to the right of the restaurant and turn left, and you will find yourself at the rather forlorn strip of sand that Britain is proud to call a beach (sorry, I’m bias, I’m Australian).
It is a nice little 10 minute stroll to the end of the rather rickety pier. It was fun to see the sightseeing boats leave the inlet, circle around and return almost immediately. (You can join one of these boat cruises for just £5).
Alright, I was done dancing around what I actually came to do: climb the 199 stairs to the Whitby Abbey.
I crossed the Whitby Bridge and I wandered up Church street, the cute little cobbled road that was reminiscent of York’s Shambles.
If you turn to the right, you” find the Captain Cook Memorial Museum.
Address: Grape Lane, Whitby YO22 4BA.
Opening Hours: 9.45 am – 5.00 pm
Cost: £9
This museum delves into Captain Cook’s story as well as the history of Whitby during his time. I did not personally visit it, but if you have an interest in the Royal Navy, Cook’s life and voyages and the colonisation of Australia, then I think this would be right up your alley.
Church Street and the Pier
It seemed that every second store was selling Whitby jet, a gemstone formed from the fossilisation of ancient trees.
When I arrived at the intersection between Church Street and Tate Hill (there was the cutest little pub on the corner, Duke of York) I decided to take my chances and head down the little alley of Tate Hill.
At the bottom of the street there was another small pier and a quiet little beach; this seemed to be the place that the locals frequented.
With my curiosity satisfied, I continued back towards the steps.
To the left of the steps is Henrietta Lane, the thinnest and cutest (I know I’ve used cute so much but Whitby is just so CUTE) little street, great for a photo-shoot moment. From the end of the street, you can access the East Pier and a quiet seating area.
Whitby Churchyard
Okay, back to the good stuff. As I climbed the 199 stairs, I couldn’t help but keep turning back to admire the increasing view across the town. While most people around me continued along the main footpath, I turned off on the path in front of St Mary’s Church.
I don’t know what it is, but I just have a fascination with cemeteries and churches even though I’m not religious at all. The quaint St Mary’s Church is free to enter, although they do welcome donations.
I had the churchyard almost completely to myself, maybe because the wind was absolutely brutal.
The gravestones seemed to be kind of haphazard, but this is probably because the cemetery is so old and they have become overgrown or tilted (perhaps due to the dreadful wind … seriously, the wind was like something I’ve never experienced).
York Travel Essentials
SIM cards: Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries which you can install BEFORE travelling, saving you the stress of running around to find a store or from being ripped off by local vendors. This is perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.
Insurance: You should NOT go overseas without getting travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you in case you get injured or your plans change or are cancelled. I always use Covermore, because the cover is comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.
Banking: When travelling and saving for travel I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and easy transfers. If you join Up with my invite code we both get $13!
Whitby Abbey
The 13th century Gothic Abbey is truly magnificent, a towering monument surrounded by vast greenery.
I, in fact, did not pay to enter the Abbey. Tickets are £12.70 in advance, or £15 on the day.
I was on somewhat of a tight budget at the time (broke uni student) so I chose to prioritise my next meal over seeing the interior of the Abbey. Anyway, I think that the spiritual and historic atmosphere can be felt just as strongly from the exterior (at least, that’s what I tell myself).
FUN FACT: Apparently it was at Whitby Abbey that they decided how they were going to calculate when Easter should be celebrated!
Cholmley Mansion
I did, however, visit the Cholmley Mansion (it was free). Ownership of the Abbey was passed down to the Cholmley family when Henry VIII decided monasteries had to go as part of his grand plan to reform and solidify the Church of England.
I’ll admit there wasn’t much to it. In front of the Cholmley Mansion, there is a strange gravel courtyard that you can’t go through, you can only go around. The interior of the building is a cross between museum and gift shop specialising in fancy copies of Dracula: a little disappointing.
There is a huge amount of meadow surrounding the Abbey that is worth exploring and frolicking about in. I will warn you now: the field labelled Donkey Field on Google Maps in fact contains a horse. Horses are great, but it was a little bit of a let down when I was expecting a donkey.
By this time it was late in the afternoon and my bus was departing at 5:37pm.
I head back into town to grab some snacks from the Co-op for the ride back to York.
If I had time to spare, I would have headed down to the Whitby Museum (£8). Just past the bus stop, this museum offers a series of exhibitions about Whitby’s history from the Jurassic period to today.
For a small museum, they seemed to have packed a lot in, with collections on natural history, geology, clothing, clothing and art.
The bus ended up being late, so when I eventually arrived back in York and immediately collapsed in bed.
Staying in Whitby? My top accommodation picks
$ Hostel $
Whitby YHA
East Cliff, Abbey House, Whitby YO22 4JT, United Kingdom
This is the only hostel available in Whitby. It has the most amazing location; it is right next to Whitby Abbey! Check availability or see other options.
$$ Hotel $$
White Horse & Griffin
87 Church Street, Whitby, YO22 4BH, United Kingdom
This is a small boutique hotel located in a pub right on Church Street. I find that hotel rooms in pubs always have a more rustic and authentic feel, and this one is exactly that. The rooms are also gorgeously and classically decorated; I find that a lot of English hotels appear to be stuck in 2009. Check availability or see other options.
Staying in York? My accommodation picks
Many visitors of Whitby stay in York.
$ Hostel $
Safestay York Micklegate
88-90 Micklegate, York, YO1 6JX, United Kingdom
Safestay York Micklegate is my hostel of choice in York. There are only two others: Astor York and York YHA. This hostel is the closest to the centre of town and only 300 metres from the train station. It is a Georgian-style building with historical features and a variety of room options. Check availability
$$ Hotel $$
Diamonds Inn
39 Monkgate, York, YO31 7PB, United Kingdom
If you are looking for a no-frills basic guesthouse, this is the place to stay. Located just outside the city walls, this guesthouse provides quiet, simple accommodation close to the main sights of York. Check availability
$$$ Hotel $$$
Minster Walk Guesthouse
22 Marygate, Bootham, York, YO30 7BH, United Kingdom
If you are looking for the absolute top-notch accommodation in York, look no further than Minster Walk Guesthouse. This guesthouse is located just next door to St Mary’s Abbey and the Yorkshire Museum Gardens. The gorgeous interiors reflect the building’s historical heritage. Check availability
How to Get to York
I recommend flying to London, then taking the train or bus to York.
Train
York is a 2 hour train journey from London. I recommend booking tickets well in advance to get the best deal. Ticket prices range from £20-40 each way.
Bus
National Express buses from London take about 6 to 7 hours. Ticket prices range from £16-25 each way.
Car
Driving from London to York takes about 4 to 5 hours via M1.
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