Staying in York? How to Choose a Private Day Tour of Yorkshire

York is a good base for exploring Yorkshire, but choosing a day out can be harder than it looks. Do you fancy the coast, quiet villages, a grand country house or a day among the moors?

Our private tours from York are driven by me, Kes, the owner and local driver-guide. Your booking is exclusively for your group of up to four guests, with collection from your York hotel or accommodation and a return at the end of the tour. The price is for the whole group, not per person.

Here is how to choose between a few very different day trips from York.

Want the coast, moors and a steam railway?

A York to Whitby tour might be the right fit if you want varied scenery and have a full day to spare. Our North York Moors, Steam Railway & Whitby tour lasts nine hours and costs £395 for your private group, with a railway ticket charge added per guest.

The route runs from York to Pickering, where you take the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to Goathland. I meet you there with the vehicle, then we drive across the moors to Whitby for around three hours, before stopping at Robin Hood’s Bay on the way back.

The railway tour runs on selected operating dates. We arrange your Pickering-to-Goathland ticket; you do not need to book it separately. The chosen service is scheduled to be steam-hauled, though the railway may substitute another locomotive for operational reasons.

Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay have steep streets, steps and uneven surfaces, so consider that when deciding whether this route suits your group. You can find the route details on the Whitby and steam railway tour page.

Prefer villages, countryside and waterfalls?

The eight-hour Yorkshire Dales, Falls & Market Towns tour is £395 for your private group. The route takes in Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Grassington, Linton Falls and Brimham Rocks. Coldstones Cut can be included when time allows.

Grassington is the village used as Darrowby in All Creatures Great and Small. There are short riverside walks at some stops, but this is a driven day with scenic visits rather than a long hike.

The Dales are further from York than the nearby countryside, so there will be a fair amount of driving. It is a good choice if you enjoy seeing several different landscapes and villages, but less suited to anyone hoping to spend most of the day on one long walk.

More interested in history and architecture?

For a shorter day centred on a historic house and abbey ruins, consider Castle Howard, Abbeys & North Yorkshire. The six-hour tour costs £299 for your private group and visits Castle Howard, Helmsley, Rievaulx Abbey and Byland Abbey.

Castle Howard admission and abbey entry are not included, so you can choose your own admission options. Helmsley gives you a chance to pause for lunch or a wander between the main historic stops.

This is a useful option if you want a substantial day out but would rather not spend nine hours travelling around the county. It still involves several stops, though, so we cannot promise every visit will be as long as you might like if you add extra places.

Drawn to the Brontës and the moors?

Our eight-hour Brontë Country tour costs £395 for your private group. It combines Knaresborough and Our Lady of the Crag with Haworth, the Brontë Parsonage area and Penistone Hill.

Brontë Parsonage Museum admission is optional and paid separately. Interior access to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag depends on opening arrangements. The moorland stop is for the views rather than a long hike.

Haworth is a longer drive from York, as are the Dales and the coast. If you would rather spend less of the day in the car, the six-hour Castle Howard route or the shorter trip below may suit you better.

Only have four hours?

York Beyond the Walls is a four-hour private half-day tour for £199 per group. It visits Easingwold, Crayke, Byland Abbey and the Kilburn White Horse.

It is a handy choice if you want a taste of the countryside without giving up the whole day, or if you would like time to explore York before or afterwards.

What should you consider before choosing?

Start with the time you have: four hours for York Beyond the Walls, six for Castle Howard, eight for the Dales or Brontë Country, and nine for the railway, moors and Whitby. A nine-hour day is a long one, especially when you are also travelling beyond York.

Then think about what you most want to see: coast and railway, countryside and waterfalls, historic buildings, or literary places and moorland. Walking matters too. The Dales tour includes short riverside walks; the moors stops are viewpoints rather than hikes. Whitby, Robin Hood’s Bay and Byland Abbey have uneven ground and steps.

Finally, be honest about how much time in the car feels comfortable. The farther destinations take longer to reach. And the more stops you try to fit into one day, the more the outing starts to feel like a drive-past. We cannot promise every route or every stop will fit; it is better to choose a few places you really want to see.

There is a planned route, but a private tour leaves room for sensible changes: more time somewhere, a photo stop, a comfort break or a weather detour. It is flexible, not limitless. That is the whole point.

A few practical questions

Where do you collect us?
From your York hotel or accommodation, or another agreed York-area pick-up point. We return you to York at the end of the tour.

How many guests can come?
Each booking is exclusive to your group, with up to four guests. We do not take larger groups in the vehicle.

Is the price per person?
No. The prices above are for the whole private group. The Whitby railway ticket charge is additional per guest. Attraction admission, food and drink are normally separate unless stated.

Can I ask for a different route?
Yes. Tell me what you enjoy and how much time you have. We can suggest a suitable tour or discuss a bespoke route if it is realistic for the day.

What about accessibility or mobility needs?
Please talk to us before booking. We will explain any limitations honestly and adjust the pace or parts of the day where reasonably possible. Not every stop is fully accessible, and some have uneven ground or steps.

If you are staying in Harrogate or Leeds rather than York, some tours can start and finish there too, with different pick-up pricing.

Browse our Yorkshire tours from York or get in touch and tell me what sort of day you have in mind. I’ll help you work out which route makes sense.

Kes
Owner and driver-guide, Highwayman Tours