20 Things You Can Only Do in West Yorkshire

Late Night at the Exhibition invites you to discover the incredible world of Jason and the Wakefield Adventure like never before! Headsets will be available for you to lose yourself in the music as you move beneath Jason Wilsher-Mills’ bold and vibrant artworks, including a breathtaking 20-metre inflatable sculpture suspended high above.

Wander through the illuminated sculptures, glimpse a new you in the magic mirror, and see larger-than-life colourful characters from Wakefield’s past reimagined in Planet Wakefield.

Plus, grab a cheeky cocktail from the onsite bar, or treat your taste buds to mouthwatering Mexican street food.

📍 WX Wakefield Exchange, WF1 1HG
📅 Saturday 9 August, 8-10pm

Did you know that Wakefield is the only place outside of London to have two Art Fund Museums? It’s true!

First up is the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which was awarded the top honour in 2014, and is an international sculpture park set in idyllic landscape in the heart of Yorkshire. With 500 acres of grounds to explore, over 100 outdoor sculptures, several indoor galleries, delicious food and drink and award-winning shops, there is an abundance of inspiration and experience to be enjoyed.

📍 Yorkshire Sculpture Park, WF4 4LG

📅 Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm

📸 Daniel Arsham, Bronze Eroded Venus of Arles (Large), 2022. Courtesy Perrotin Gallery and Arsham Studio. Photo © David Lindsay, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Then there’s The Hepworth Wakefield, Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2017. On the banks of the River Calder, The Hepworth Wakefield is a sculpture gallery celebrating Wakefield-born artist Barbara Hepworth and showcasing modern and contemporary art. Designed by the acclaimed David Chipperfield Architects, inside you’ll find major exhibitions of the best international artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, alongside dedicated galleries exploring their namesake’s art and working process.

📍 The Hepworth Wakefield, WF1 5AW

📅 Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm | Monday Closed

Journey 140m underground and discover 180 years of history with charismatic former miners at the National Coal Mining Museum for England. Every tour ‘darn pit’ is led by an ex-miner with a ‘reyt’ broad accent and loads of experience under his somewhat heavy tool belt. He’ll unhand you of your ‘contraband’, and talk you through 180 years of mining, explaining why he has every right to tell you to ‘shut tha’ trap’ and when you are ‘done and dusted’ you can carry on exploring life above ground.

📍 National Coal Mining Museum for England, WF4 4RH

Did you know you can spend the night in the world’s first nature reserve? Walton Hall, near Wakefield, was the home of pioneering naturalist Charles Waterton, who in 1821 created a groundbreaking wildlife sanctuary by enclosing his estate with a 3-mile long, 9-foot-high stone wall. This innovative protected area predated formal conservation efforts by decades.

Today, Walton Hall has been transformed into the luxurious four-star Waterton Park Hotel, allowing guests to immerse themselves in this historic setting. Walton Hall, a gracious Georgian mansion on its own island, houses 22 bedrooms and the indulgent Bazaar Spa, complete with outdoor hot tubs overlooking the lake. The mainland Waterton Park Hotel offers 41 additional rooms, many with stunning views of the lake and ancient woodland.

📍 Waterton Park Hotel & Walton Hall

Come and explore the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth and immerse yourself in the world of the extraordinary Brontë sisters. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne were remarkable literary figures of the 19th century. They published several novels that became classics of English literature, including ‘Jane Eyre,’ ‘Wuthering Heights,’ and ‘Agnes Grey.’ Their works are known for their passionate storytelling, complex characters, and exploration of social issues.

📍 Brontë Parsonage Museum, Church St, Haworth, BD22 8DR

📅 Summer Hours: Wednesday – Monday, 10am – 5pm | Closed Tuesdays | Last entry to the Museum 4pm

📸 Brontë Parsonage Museum © Bevan Cockerill

Step inside Bradford Live, a stunningly restored 1930s Art Deco gem that began life as the New Victoria, later the Gaumont and Odeon. Once a stage for legends like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Buddy Holly, this landmark now opens a new chapter—bringing world-class entertainment to the heart of the city, from live music and comedy to theatre, family shows, and spectacular large-scale productions.

📍 Bradford Live, 1 Thornton Road, Bradford BD1 2EP

Discover Saltaire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most distinctive places to visit in Bradford. Created in the 1850s by Sir Titus Salt as a model village for his mill workers, Saltaire offered a bold new vision of community, design, and wellbeing. At its centre is Salts Mill—once a textile powerhouse, now a vibrant cultural hub with galleries, indie shops, and a permanent David Hockney exhibition. Stroll the cobbled streets, join a guided tour, and see how this Victorian village continues to inspire today.

📍 Arrive by Train: Saltaire Station, Victoria Road, BD18 3LQ

📅 Salts Mill is open Wednesday – Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Open most bank holiday Mondays

Soak up the charm of Ilkley Lido – a stunning outdoor swimming pool situated in the charming town of Ilkley. The town has a rich history dating back to Roman times when it was called Olicana. One of the unique features of Ilkley Lido is its breathtaking surroundings. With lush greenery, the rolling hills of Ilkley Moor, and the iconic Cow and Calf Rocks as a backdrop, swimmers are treated to magnificent views that enhance their experience. Whether you’re seeking a relaxing swim, a day out with the family, or a trip down memory lane, Ilkley Lido is a must-visit destination.

📍 Ilkley Lido, Denton Rd, Ilkley LS29 0BZ

📅 Various times until September

Wainhouse Tower is the tallest folly in the world! This fabulously ornate 77 metre (253 feet) high Tower was originally commissioned as a chimney for John Edward Wainhouse’s local dyeworks in the late 19th century. The structure was never used as a working chimney and Wainhouse went on to have a viewing platform constructed atop the Tower, perhaps as part of his ongoing feud with local landowner Sir Henry Edwards.

A dispute, over water rights amongst other things, between neighbours Wainhouse and Edwards developed into a bitter feud between the two men, which has led to Wainhouse Tower having the local nickname ‘The Tower of Spite’.

2025 is the Tower’s 150th birthday. The Tower is open to the public between March and October on the first Friday and third Saturday of each month, plus Bank Holidays, for those brave enough to climb the 369 spiral stairs to the stunning views that await you at the top.

📍 Wakefield Gate, Halifax, HX3 0HB

📸 Wainhouse Tower by Alastair Wallace

The Calderdale Way is a 50 mile (80km) walk encircling Halifax, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. It follows old packhorse routes, passing through pretty hillside villages and old mill towns, and provides exceptional panoramic views over the Pennines.

The route can be completed in short stages, with numerous paths providing links from valley bottoms onto the Calderdale Way, or as an epic 5-day hike exploring our hills, moors and valleys. Be inspired by Visit Calderdale’s ‘50 Miles for 50 Years’ Calderdale Way itinerary.

🔗 Explore the Calder Valley

📸 The Calderdale Way by Mark Rosser

You’ll find nothing behind a glass cabinet at Eureka! the National Children’s Museum! Over 400 interactive, hands-on exhibits are designed to inspire enquiring minds to find out about themselves and the world around them. Discover six unique zones each with a different theme to explore. Make some noise and explore how music is created, experience the world of work and take over a child-sized town, and step inside giant body parts. Each zone is packed with equipment to explore, activities to do, and buttons to press. An exciting programme of events throughout the year, from science experiments to interactive shows, mean that you’ll enjoy a different Eureka! experience every time you visit. Eureka is proud to be accessible for all visitors. Pay once, and get in free for a year with an Annual Pass.

📍 Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Discovery Rd, Halifax HX1 2NE

📅 Tuesday – Friday 10am – 4pm | Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm | Monday – Closed

The Piece Hall is unique – a Grade I listed Georgian masterpiece and the oldest remaining Georgian cloth hall in the world! Standing at the heart of Halifax since 1779, the huge open-air courtyard is today surrounded by unique and boutique independent shops, bars, cafes and a restaurant. The stories of Georgian Halifax are told in the specially created exhibition spaces, while the central courtyard is a spectacular venue for a huge array of events, from contemporary music concerts to impressive site-specific performances, circus spectacle and street theatre.

📍 The Piece Hall, Blackledge, Halifax, HX1 1RE

📅 Monday – Thursday 10am – 11pm | Friday – Saturday 10am – midnight | Sunday 10am – 11pm. | Event times vary

📸 Live at The Piece Hall by Danny Payne Photography

Castle Hill is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, standing some 275 metres (900 feet) above sea level. With its high position, on clear days you can see as far as south Yorkshire, the Peak District and big cities to the north. The site contains a diverse mosaic of wildlife habitats and Castle Hill is a designated Local Nature Reserve. There are a number of interpretation panels on footpaths around the site, giving you an insight into its history and wildlife.

The spectacular Victoria Tower was built to commemorate the 60 year reign of Queen Victoria. Taking two years and costing £3398 to build, Victoria Tower was opened in June 1899 by the Earl of Scarborough.

📍 Castle Hill, Hillside, Huddersfield, HD4 6TA

📅 The Tower is open to the public on various days of the year. Visit Kirklees.gov.uk for up to date details.

Against the stunning backdrop of the Peak District National Park, Holmfirth is a thriving town with speciality shops and markets, bespoke art and tempting treats, plus a packed events programme. The historic Picturedrome regularly hosts live music events, drawing acts and fans from all over the UK.

Fast flowing streams, moorland sheep, quaint weavers’ cottages and impressive mills reflect Holmfirth’s proud history of producing world class woollen yarns and cloths. But it’s the valley’s landscapes and villages which have brought the area fame as the star of BBC comedy ‘Last of the Summer Wine’.

📍 Holmfirth Bus Station, Towngate, HD7 1HA

Oakwell Hall is a Grade I Listed Elizabethan manor house, furnished as a family home of the 1690s, complete with its own mysterious ghost. Oakwell Hall was also visited by Charlotte Brontë in the 1830s and it was immortalised as ‘Fieldhead’ in her 1849 novel ‘Shirley’.

Outdoors, you can explore 110 acres of Green Flag Award-winning country park with period gardens, nature trails, mountain bike track, playground and picnic areas, gift shop and café and enjoy an events programme throughout the year.

📍 Nutter Lane, Birstall, West Yorkshire, WF17 9LG

📅 Every Saturday and Sunday – 12pm – 4pm (last entry 3:30pm)

Standedge Tunnel is Britain’s longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel! You can explore deep beneath the beautiful Pennine countryside, get on the water with a paddlesport session, take a family boat trip through the tunnel, enjoy a canal-side stroll in stunning surroundings and top it all off with tasty meals and indulgent treats at the cosy Watersedge Coffee House restaurant.

📍 Standedge Tunnel, Waters Road, Marsden, Huddersfield, HD7 6NQ

📅 Boat Trips: Fridays, Saturdays and alternate Sundays. Book online.

Europe’s Oldest Authentic Caribbean Carnival, Leeds West Indian Carnival, is a true celebration of Caribbean culture. Taking place on Monday 26th August at Potternewton Park, with colourful costumes, tropical music, and mouth-watering food, it’s a spectacle that sees people travelling from all over the city and beyond to enjoy.

📍 Buses to Chapeltown Road for Potternewton Park or Roundhay Road

📅 Monday, 25 August 2025

📸 Leeds West Indian Carnival © JMO

Hop on one of the little, yellow water taxis near Leeds train station for a short ride (£3 per trip) on the River Aire to Leeds Dock. Here you’ll find the Royal Armouries museum; the UK’s national collection of arms and armour. The museum is free to enter and houses five galleries with over 4,500 objects on display, including elephant armour and movie props. Plus there’s daily shows and combat demonstrations.

While you’re at Leeds Dock, be sure to visit Hold Fast Bookshop – a bookshop on a boat!

📍 Leeds Dock, The Boulevard, Leeds, LS10 1PZ

📅 The water taxi service runs every 20 minutes

📸 Leeds Waterfront Water Taxi by Carl Milner Photography for Leeds City Council

Hyde Park Picture House is one of the UK’s oldest cinemas, having opened in 1914, and the last surviving gaslit cinema in the world! Today, they screen the very best new independent films, alongside family-friendly movies, classics, documentaries and artist films. It’s one of the host venues for Leeds International Film Festival.

📍 Hyde Park Picture House, 73 Brudenell Rd, Leeds LS6 1JD

📅 Monday and Tuesday 4pm – 10pm | Wednesday 10:30am – 10pm | Thursday and Friday 2pm – 10pm | Saturday and Sunday 10:30am – 10pm

📸 Ollie Jenkins

Follow the Leeds Street Art Trail and discover the striking works that provide a decorative backdrop for much of the city, creating an ever-growing web of distinctive pieces that tell the story of Leeds and its communities. You’ll find vibrant and adventurous art around every corner; from owls and elephants to one of the tallest murals in UK!

📍 Leeds City Centre

📅 Open 24 hours

📸 Winifred by Qubek by Carl Milner Photography for Visit Leeds