The 30 Best Parks in Yorkshire

Mansion Lane, Leeds LS8 2HH

Roundhay Park has over 700 acres of rolling parkland, lakes, woodlands, formal gardens as well as cafes, two playgrounds, and Tropical World (entrance fee applies).

“I love Roundhay Park in Leeds because there’s so many different areas and things to do, walking around the lake, going to the play area, riding the train, etc…you make a full day of it which I think is rare for a public free park!” says Kate Mai-Lyn.

• Demonstration gardens and plant collections
• Parkland
• Lake, streams and ponds
• Woodland
• Cafe with outdoor seating facilities
• Public toilets
• Two playgrounds
• Shop
• Free adventure trails for kids
• Skatepark
• Land train

Town St, Middleton Leeds LS10 3SH

If you’re after a fantastic, free day out, Middleton Park in Leeds is a great destination. The park is over 600 acres in size and includes a kid-friendly bike park, ancient woodland, a lake, and even its own railway.

• Rose garden
• Heritage trail
• Woodland
• Public toilets
• Playground
• Lake
• Visitors Centre with cafe
• Bike Park
• Heritage Railway

Otley Rd, Bramhope, Leeds LS16 8BQ

Although there is no play area at Golden Acre Park, it still makes a great place to visit with kids. There are nice walks, a chance to feed ducks, a cafe and some very, very friendly squirrels!

8 Tannery Square, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4LT

Meanwood Park is a beautiful place for a walk and a wander with plenty of paved paths for prams and bikes as well as a great play area and an amazing café!

• Play area
• Climbing wall
• Love Explore App with interactive trails
• Fantastic outdoor Three Cottages Cafe with baked treats, vegan & gluten-free options
• On the Meanwood Valley Trail route
• Picnic benches
• Wooded areas
• Bridges
• Free Parking
• Basketball court

Cemetery Road, Yeadon, LS19 7TB

Yeadon Tarn has free parking and is a great place to watch planes take off and land. The path around the lake is paved so it makes a nice place for scooters and there is a pump track for bikes. There are plenty of swans and ducks to watch as well as a nice play area for kids.

• Pump track
• Parkland
• Lake
• Woodland
• Public toilets
• Playground
• Ice Cream Van
• Free parking

Park Ln, Rothwell, Leeds LS26 0DY

• Free parking
• Easy pram (& skateboard friendly) paths
• Ice cream van
• Cafe
• Tennis courts
• Football pitches
• Outdoor exercise equipment
• Two separate play areas
• Wooded area with streams & rope swings
• Arbitorium
• Skate park

Church Lane, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 7RR

Pudesy Park has recently had fantastic new play equipment put in. There are climbing frames and swings for all ages.

• Free on-street parking
• Bowling green
• Skate park

1 Farnley Ln, Otley LS21 2AB

Wharfemeadows Park borders the river River Wharfe and offers visitors a chance to walk through beautiful gardens, take a boat ride in the river or have a play at the large playground.

• Gardens
• River
• Boat or pedalo
• Playground
• Cafe
• Skateboard park
• Outdoor gym

Riverside Park is located alongside the River Wharfe and has a fabulous, newly refurbished play area. It is an ideal space for both older children and tots to let off steam, with swings, many play frames, a pirate play area and a double zip wire.

Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 1BA

St Ives has a fantastic adventure playground with high towers, a rope bridge, tyre swings, sand play & natural musical toys, making it one of the best parks in West Yorkshire. (In my opinion anyway!)  Away from the play area, there is a pond and walking trails with chainsaw-carved sculptures and many hidden Geocaches to find.

• Woodlands
• Open moor
• Wildflower meadow
• Walking paths with chainsaw carvings
• Adventure playground
• Coppice pond
• Cafe (duck food available)
• Geocaching

Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley BD20 6LH

Cliffe Castle Park is located next to Cliffe Castle which is a local heritage museum with free entry. There you can find galleries dedicated to the geology of rocks and minerals as well as natural history.  Cliffe Castle Park has beautifully maintained grounds, a fantastic playground, an outdoor aviary, and small animals to see.

• Free museum
• Aviary
• Animals
• Adventure playground
• Free parking
• Cafe

Higher Coach Rd, Saltaire, Baildon, Shipley BD17 7LU

Set in the beautiful grounds of Saltaire, a Unesco World Heritage site, Roberts Park is a great trip out!  There is both a nice area for jumping, climbing and swinging as well as a skate park for older kids.  

Salts Mill is just a short walk away and free to visit. It and full of books and art including the works of David Hockney.  Salt’s Diner is a child-friendly cafe with fantastic hamburgers. There is also a nice pram friendly walk along the canal to make a full day out.

• Play area
• Skate park
• Bandstand
• Paths for walking and biking
• Cafe
• Ice cream van
• Free parking next to Salt’s Mill
• Nearby canal with walking paths

Bradford BD9 4NS

Lister Park in Bradford has a lot to offer including a boating lake, tennis courts, play areas, water gardens and the impressive Cartwright Hall.

• Car park
• Play area
• Multi games area
• Bowls
• Tennis
• Lake/river
• Boating
• Cafe
• Toilets
• Flower garden

Nova Ln, Birstall, Batley WF17 9LF

Oakwell Hall is the perfect place for a family walk, pond dipping or a play in the playground.  You can also find a cafe, visitors centre and ice cream vans onsite.  Oakwell Hall hosts plenty of family fun days like their Colour Rush Fun Run every Autumn and activity trails during school holidays.

There is an entry fee if you wish to tour Oakwell Hall, a furnished as a family home built in the 1690s.  However, there are 100 acres of country park to explore as well as the walled gardens of the home which have no entry fee and plenty of free parking.

There is also a fantastic mountain bike trail for more confident riders.

• Two play areas
• Walking trails (100-acre park)
• Cafe
• Shop with a visitors centre
• Accessible toilets
• Oakwell Hall (entry fee)
• Picnic benches
• Walled gardens
• Mountain Bike Trail
• Pond
• Free parking

785 Bradford Rd, Batley WF17 8NB

Wilton Park has a nice play area with free parking.   While you’re there you can visit the delightfully quirky Bagshaw Museum and come face to face with a mummy!

• Small lake
• Bowling greens
• Tennis courts
• Play area
• Cafe (there are toys out in the summer months)
• Ice cream van
• Free parking
• Bike ramp

Halifax HX3 0EB

Manor Heath Park offers a great day out no matter what the weather.  There are gardens, a play area and water play, as well as a small tropical house to visit (£1 entry per person).

• Jungle experience
• Walled garden
• Cafe
• Play area
• Splash area

Lister's Rd, Halifax HX3 6XG

Shibden Park has lovely grounds and a fantastic play area.  The pay and display parking is very reasonable and you can hire boats or take a ride on the miniature railway in the summer.  You can also tour the historic grounds of Shibden Hall (admission fees apply).  

• Boating lake
• Play area
• Biking paths
• Cafe
• Shop and information centre
• Duck food
• Land train (fee applies)
• Miniature railway (fee applies)
• Shibden Hall (fee applies)
• Car parking fees

Trinity St, Huddersfield HD1 4DT

Pack a picnic and head to Greenhead Park in Huddersfield for a day of outdoor fun!  There is plenty of space to play, bike, skate and paddle.

• Three playground areas
• Bandstand
• Miniature railway (small charge)
• Skate park
• Two cafes
• Paddling pool
• Ornamental lake
• Italian gardens
• Tennis courts
• Zip wire
• Bowling green
• Duck pond

Beaumont Park Rd, Huddersfield HD4 7AY

Beaumont Park is the perfect place to go for an atmospheric walk with its unique Victorian features, pathways and hidden grottos.  

In Beaumont Park, as well as a brand new play area, you can find Victorian follies, stunning, unexpected views and hidden pathways that ignite a sense of exploration. There are also interactive trails as well which you can use with the Love Exploring App.

• Football goals
• Basketball area
• Play areas for younger and older children
• Bike paths
• Visitor’s Centre contains
• Cafe (limited opening times)
• Woodland walks
• Bandstand
• Cascade water feature
• Nature trails
• Love Exploring App

Asdale Rd, Denby Dale Rd, Wakefield WF2 7EQ

Pugneys Country park in Wakefield has a lots on to keep kids happy including a circular walk around the lake and the Blown Away Adventure Trail based on the story Blown Away written by local author Conrad Burdekin.

Adventurous families can even hire a bike or walk to the nearby Sandal Castle.

• Play ground
• Zip wire
• Adventure trail
• Bike hire
• Cafe
• Ice cream van
• Nature reserve
• Bird Hides
• BBQ pits
• Disabled access
• Accessible toilets
• Parking charges apply

Haw Park Ln, Wakefield WF4 2EE

Anglers Country Park is a must-visit for Julia Donaldson fans!  There is a lovely circular walk around the lake following a Room on the Broom Trail as well as a visitor's centre, play area and bike hire available.

• A small parking fee now applies
• Café
• Toilets
• Changing Places facility
• Bike hire
• Pushchair and wheelchair friendly
• Adventure playground
• Picnic areas

Bark House Ln, Cawthorne, Barnsley S75 4AT

Cannon Hall Museum and Park has a small park for families but the estate has so much more! There are trails to follow in the historic home, an outdoor monster trail, swan pedalo boats and more!

Keresforth Hall Rd, Barnsley S70 6NF

Locke Park is a 47-acre park with Grade 2 listed structures and plenty on for families.

Clifton Lane, Rotherham, S65 2AA

Clifton Park is a very popular place to visit during the summer months as it has a bit of everything with gardens and sport, rides and games, water play and a fantastic museum!

• Play area
• Museum
• Water splash
• Fun park
• Mini golf
• Clifton Express
• Gardens
• Cafe
• Car parking fees

Post Code S6 6GF

Rivelin Valley trail really has it all: free parking, it's dog friendly, there is a cafe, play area, paddling spots and loads of waterfalls, and other natural beauty.

Abbeydale Road S, Sheffield S7 2QQ

Millhouses Park has plenty of green space, a boating lake and an interactive play area with water play.

• Playfields
• Outdoor gym
• Skate park
• Obstacle course
• Playground
• Zipwire
• SPLASH! waterplay
• Boating lake
• Cricket pitch
• Tennis courts
• Pitch 'n' Put
• Basketball court
• Formal gardens
• Free toilets
• Cafe
• Ice cream kiosk

Valley Dr, Harrogate HG1 2SZ

Valley Gardens in Harrogate is another favourite Yorkshire park.  It offers English Heritage Grade II Listed gardens as well as woodland, a great play area,  skate park, paddling pool and café.  Band concerts take place on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer.

• Tennis courts
• Pitch & putt golf
• Crazy golf
• Boating pool
• Paddling pool
• Play area
• Cafe
• Footpaths
• Stunning gardens
• Woodland walks

Rowntree Park is just a short walk from the centre of the historic town of York at the edge of the River Ouse and a great place to spend the afternoon.

• Woodland walk
• Tree trails
• Ornamental lake
• Tennis Courts
• Skate park
• Basketball court
• Cafe
• Toilets
• War memorial
• Children's play area

The Homestead, 40 Water End, York YO30 6WP

"Homesetead Park in the Clifton area of York reminds me of a good old-fashioned park from my childhood. Nestled amongst the parkland is an extensive play park with equipment suitable for all ages. There are also toilet / baby change facilities, car parking, picnic benches and pre-covid there was a pop up cafe and library," says Charlotte of teamstienblog.com.

• Picnic tables
• Toilets
• Pop up cafe & library
• Children's play area

St Nicholas Ave, York YO19 4TA

Sarah says, "As well as catering for both younger and older children, the park is covered with a large canvas ‘roof’ which means you can even go when the weather isn’t good. 

A big bonus for me when we visit this park is that just inside the nearest set of doors to the outlet there is a Starbucks so you can grab a hot drink to take out with you! "

Museum, Whitby YO21 1RE

Pannett Park overlooks the seaside town of Whitby and has a fantastic, nautically themed play area as well as being home to Pannett Art Gallery and Whitby Museum.

• Play area
• Beautiful gardens
• Pannett Art Gallery
• Whitby Museum (entry fee applies)

North Bay, Scarborough YO12 7TR

Why not visit Peasholm Park on your next trip to the seaside?  Pesholm Park has been designed with an oriental theme with waterfalls, a tranquil lake and boats to hire in the summer months. It has been named one of the UK's top 10 parks.

• Boating lake
• Putting green
• Pitch ‘n’ put course
• Tree Trail
• Lily pond
• Bandstand
• Open air concerts
• Naval warfare display
• Ice-cream kiosk

East Park is Hull’s largest park, and a Grade II listed park with over 130 acres of vibrant green space, an animal education centre and water fun!

• Free splash pad
• Gardens
• Sailing
• Kayaking
• Playground
• Cafe
• Farm
• Animal education centre (entry fee)
• Train