Gatekeepers

Flamingo Land is a theme park, zoo and resort at Kirby Misperton in North Yorkshire. It has been running since 1959 and was the first site in Europe to combine rides and a zoo. The theme park has eight themed areas, with thrill coasters such as Sik, Hero, Kumali and Velocity, plus gentler family and kids' rides.

Tip: Check the day's keeper talk and show times on the website before you go, and plan your route around them.

The ruins of Whitby Abbey crown a clifftop above the historic fishing port of Whitby. The headland has been home to an Anglo-Saxon monastery, a great medieval abbey and a 17th-century mansion, and it has long been wrapped in myths and legends. The substantial remains of the abbey church are Grade I listed and cared for by English Heritage.

Tip: Head into the museum in Cholmley House as well as the ruins - it holds most of the stories of the headland.

Whitby Museum is an independent museum in Pannett Park, run by Whitby Literary and Philosophical Society since 1823. It tells the story of the town from the Jurassic era to the present day, and its collections are a little quirky in the best way.

Tip: Park at the large West Cliff car park, under five minutes' walk away, or walk up from the harbour, bus or train station in about 10 minutes.

Whitby Abbey is a 13th-century Gothic ruin standing high above Whitby, with wide views over the coastline and the town. Its story goes back to about 657, when King Oswy of Northumbria founded it. It remained an important centre of religious life until it was suppressed in 1539, and St Hild hosted the Synod of Whitby here.

This is the house in Whitby where a young James Cook lodged as an apprentice seaman. Built in 1688 on Grape Lane, on the harbour side, it belonged to the shipowner Captain John Walker, who took Cook on in 1746. Cook is said to have studied in the attic by candlelight, and two ground floor rooms are furnished to match an inventory taken in 1754.

Tip: Opening days and hours change through the year, so check the museum's website before you set off.

Castle Howard is a Baroque country house in North Yorkshire, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and home to the Howard family for over 300 years. Inside, you can explore grand galleries, bedrooms and a world-class art and sculpture collection. The house is also well known as a filming location, including for Brideshead Revisited and Bridgerton.

Tip: Buying tickets online costs less than buying at the Ticket Office, so book online. House and Gardens tickets include the playground.

Scarborough Castle crowns a headland between the town's two bays. Climb to the viewing platforms in the Inner Bailey and the Great Tower for views over the town, the harbour and the bay. An exhibition tells the story of the site, including a Bronze Age sword on display, and there's a World Builder trail for younger visitors.

Tip: Leave plenty of time to wander the wide grassy headland as well as the castle itself.

MIMA, the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, is a contemporary art gallery in the centre of Middlesbrough, run by Teesside University. The building has gallery spaces, an auditorium, a café-bar, a shop and a roof terrace, so you can pair a look round the exhibitions with something to eat or drink.