We've got a Victorian baths, a wonderful Spa Gardens park complete with bandstand and bowling green, canoeing on the canal and all the fun of driving through the ford... pausing only to feed the ducks. Once you've toured the cathedral and been to the races, don't miss the hornblower every night in the market square at 9pm. After that, dip into our many pubs and restaurants - most of which are family-friendly. Be in the square every Thursday for market day... and if it's the cinema, a bowling alley or a train station you want, Harrogate isn't far away.

Visit Ripon website
Ripon Cathedral
Ripon Racecourse
ripon-internet.com
Shops in Ripon website
Ripon Spa Gardens

is the market town of Masham, with its famous Black Sheep & Theakstons breweries, delicious beer sausages, restaurants, glass-blowing workshop, sweet shop, and autumn sheep and steam fairs. Just outside of Ripon are countless places to visit - such as Lightwater Valley theme park, Fountains Abbey, with its deer park and Studley Royal; and the natural formations of Brimham Rocks. And you mustn't miss Newby Hall, a wonderful Adam house with award-winning gardens, a superb adventure playground and a miniature railway that runs both steam and diesel engines.

Black Sheep Brewery
Masham glass workshop
Masham Steam Fair
Masham Sheep Fair
Masham Sausage Shop
Fountains Abbey
Brimham Rocks
Lightwater Valley
Newby Hall

south is the charming Victorian spa town of Harrogate, with its wide green Stray, Betty's tea-shop, theatre and cinema, antiques quarter, Valley Gardens, and modern shops and cafes. Close to Harrogate is Knaresborough, perched on a hill above the river, where you can take a boat out under the viaduct. 30 minutes north, on the other hand, will take you to Thirsk - James Herriot's hometown with its racecourse, or the county market town of Northallerton. Or take a gentle drive through the nearby Dales, taking in the dozens of pretty villages with beautiful walks, country pubs and tea-rooms. On the way back, swing by Stump Cross Caverns and How Stean Gorge, near Pateley Bridge.

within an hour's
drive

are the cities of Durham with its university and cathedral; York, with its Roman and Viking history; Newcastle; and Leeds, with its Corn Exchange, Victoria Quarter, Royal Armouries museum, art gallery and Playhouse. Between Harrogate and Leeds visit Harewood House, still a privately-owned stately home. Head south-west to Skipton, ancient market town with canal and castle. Or, if your pursuits are more rural, head for Ampleforth and spectacular Sutton Bank and the White Horse; or the other way, to Wensleydale and Hawes, to Middleham - former home of Richard III and now a major horse-racing town; or to gorgeous Kettlewell, home of the summer scarecrow contest; or to Aysgarth Falls... well, we could go on. To Castle Howard (where Brideshead Revisited and Flambards were set), or Holmfirth (Last of the Summer Wine country)...

Durham Cathedral
York Railway Museum
Yorvik Viking Centre
York Castle Museum
Leeds Corn Exchange
Leeds Royal Armouries
Leeds Victoria Quarter
Ampleforth
Middleham Castle
Wensleydale
Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival
Aysgarth Falls
Castle Howard
Holmfirth

Whitby
Scarborough
Filey
Robin Hood's Bay
N Yorkshire Moors Railway
Salts Mill
Musuem of Photog, Film & TV