Summer Days Out for under £20

In and around the Yorkshire Dales

Looking for days out for the family for under £20?

Then you are in the right place! We know that the 6 week stretch of the school holidays can be both daunting and expensive! Which is why we have our bumper Summer Holiday Guide which is not only packed with free and cheap days out, but also days out on a budget too!

These activities and attractions are all based in and around the Yorkshire Dales and can all be done for under £20, so won’t totally break the bank (sadly, there are far fewer days out for under £20 than there have ever been when it comes to families!)

(Where individual prices apply, we have calculated for a family of four, simply because that is what we are! You will see that some attractions to offer a family discount varying between 2+2 or 2+3)

Buy Me a Coffee

Make a Donation

Thank you for taking the time to have a look at my website and for reading this now!

I set up the Reluctant Explorers and maintain the website and attached social media accounts in my spare time, around mum-life and two jobs. It was designed to provide access for parents to free resources to help get more families outside and exploring in nature. These walks have all been created by myself and the kids and we have walked each one ourselves (and re-walk them regularly to keep the information as up to date as we can).

If you would like to support us and can afford a few pennies, you can make a donation to our ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ page. Simply tap the button below to head there!

Tap Here to Buy Me a Coffee
Jervaulx Abbey ruins in the spring sunshine

Above: Exploring the Wensleydale Cheese Factory

Left: Playing hide and seek at Jervaulx Abbey

Play hide and seek at Jervaulx Abbey

[ Ruin - History - Picnic - Explore ]

Described as the prettiest ruin in Yorkshire, Jervaulx Abbey is a top place for a picnic and a game of hide and seek! To visit the ruin there is a suggested donation of £5/ adult and £3/ child. Payment is by honesty box on entrance. Parking is a £1, also on an honesty box basis, across the road! Take a picnic and make the day of it!

There are also tearooms at Jervaulx Abbey, so why not grab a coffee and a cake too!

Take all rubbish home with you!

The abbey also hosts weddings and may be closed for that reason. They list the closure dates on the Jervaulx Abbey website.

Visit Wallace and Gromit at the Wensleydale Creamery

[ Indoor Attraction - History - Kids Activities ]

Located in Hawes (Wensleydale….. duh!) this is a top way to spend an afternoon! With loads of cheesy facts (who doesn’t love a cheesy fact), kid friendly activities and cheese making demonstrations, as well as a museum and a sneaky peek into the factory itself, it’s a bargain at £14.95 for a family ticket. Parking is free at the creamery too and there is of COURSE a cheese shop there, as well as a super cheese based cafe and restaurant. A cheese-lovers dream!

To make a day of it, why not head to the park, or take a wander? Check out our visit Hawes with kids guide for more information!

Child sliding down a black tube slide
Children in a museum looking at an exhibit about a mining mystery

Above: The Dales Countryside Museum

Left: Doing the Bolton Abbey Welly Walk

Go to the Dales Countryside Museum

[ Museum - Yorkshire Dales History - Nature Trails ]

Located in Hawes, the Dales Countryside Museum has a range of Summer Holiday activities going on through the Summer Holidays. The family friendly museum costs £5 to enter and children under 16 go free. A ticket lasts for 7 days too. There are walking trails around the grounds of the museum, the car park is a dark skies reserve and it’s right opposite the park in Hawes too! Bargain!

Bolton Abbey Welly Walk

[ Ruins - Historical Attraction - Walking Trail ]

We love Bolton Abbey, and you can happily while away a full sunny day here! Head to the Priory ruins and paddle with a picnic before heading off on the welly walk (included in the price of the admission).

Early bird tickets are £12.50 per car, on the day tickets are £15/ car.

Children feeding alpacas at the farm on a sunny day
Child reading a leaflet about red squirrels

Above: The Snaizeholme Red Squirrel Trail

Left: Hazel Brow Farm

Do the Hazel Brow Farm Nature Trail

[ Working Farm - Self Guided Trail - Nature Activities ]

For £5/ car, you can head off on the self guided nature trail on Hazel Brow Farm! They also do animal experiences, but they are found on the Days Out for Over £20 page. They are not included in the nature trail.

Do the Snaizeholme Red Squirrel Trail

[ Self Guided Trail - Red Squirrels ]

Book yourself a parking spot at the Dales Countryside Museum to see the red squirrels in their sanctuary just outside of Hawes. There is only room for 2-4 cars there, so booking ahead of your preferred visiting date is essential. You will not be permitted to park there otherwise, as it is private land. Alternatively, there is a bus service that runs to the reserve from Hawes.

The cost of visiting the reserve is £5 in an honesty box at the cottage at the car park.

More Summer Days Out?

Looking for more ideas for Summer Days Out with the Kids?

Well we don’t stop at free! We have so many ideas, that we have categorised them into four categories…

Free Days Out

Cheap as Chips Days Out

Days out for Under £20

Days out for Over £20

Tap here to head to all of our Summer Days Out Ideas

Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks

Follow us for up to date Outdoors Adventures!

We live and BREATHE the Yorkshire Dales outdoors life!

BEEN INSPIRED? Tag us @reluctantexplorers

Come follow our journey over on Instagram and Facebook where you’ll find up to date walk info, breaking news on Yorkshire Events, new Yorkshire Dales wild swim spots, climbing, caves and more!

Follow us on Social Media for all the up to date info: @thereluctantexplorers

Children paddling in the river with ruins of an abbey behind

Staying in the Yorkshire Dales?

We have a LOAD of Visit with Kids guides to help you to find inspiration for your family days out! Think family friendly walks, local attractions and importantly, where to find the ice cream (and the play park!)

Tap here to head to our visit with kids guides

Leave No Trace

The Yorkshire Dales is our home, and the home of so many others who care deeply about this beautiful space.

Should you visit, make sure to:

Take home anything you bring, leave no rubbish behind.

Make the world a better place by picking up any rubbish you see, even if it isn’t yours.

Leave everything else as you found it.

Help us to protect our wild spaces.