Where to stay

Harbour town, market square or a farm at the head of a dale? Choosing the right base makes the trip.

Pick a base

Which area suits your trip?

🌊 The coast

Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes, Runswick Bay, Sandsend. The widest choice of hotels, guesthouses and holiday cottages, plus restaurants, nightlife and beaches. Busiest in summer and at Goth Weekend; book early. Best for first visits, families and anyone who wants the sea on the doorstep.

🏰 The southern edge

Helmsley, Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale, Kirkbymoorside. Market towns with pubs, inns and B&Bs, within easy reach of the abbeys, Sutton Bank, Dalby Forest and the steam railway. Well placed for York too. Best for couples, history and a car-based tour.

🌿 The dales and the high moor

Rosedale, Farndale, Hutton-le-Hole, Goathland, Lastingham. Farm B&Bs, self-catering cottages, campsites and moorland inns. Quiet, dark skies, walks from the door, limited eating out. Best for walkers, stargazers and anyone escaping.

🚂 The Esk Valley

Grosmont, Egton Bridge, Glaisdale, Lealholm, Danby, Castleton. Riverside villages on the Esk Valley railway with good pubs and a slower pace. Car-free visits are easy. Best for train travellers and a mix of moor and coast.

⛰️ The western escarpment

Osmotherley, Great Ayton, Stokesley, Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe. Villages under the Cleveland Hills, close to the A19 and Teesside. Best for Roseberry Topping, the Cleveland Way and a weekend from the north.

Types of stay

From hostel bunk to country house

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Hotels and inns

Coaching inns in Helmsley and Pickering, seafront hotels in Whitby, moorland pubs with rooms such as the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge.

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B&Bs and farm stays

The moors' speciality. Working farms in every dale offer breakfast with a view of the sheep; many also have holiday cottages and camping.

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Self-catering cottages

Hundreds of cottages across the park, from fishermen's cottages in Robin Hood's Bay to converted barns in Farndale. Book early for summer and Christmas.

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Youth hostels

YHA hostels at Whitby (in the abbey grounds), Boggle Hole (on the beach), Helmsley and Osmotherley. Private rooms as well as dorms.

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Camping and glamping

Campsites at Rosedale, Hutton-le-Hole, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and in Dalby Forest, plus shepherd's huts, pods and yurts on farms across the park.

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Touring and motorhomes

Club sites and farm pitches throughout the moors. Note that the steep dale roads (Rosedale Chimney Bank, Blue Bank at Sleights) are not for large vehicles.

We do not take bookings or list individual businesses. For accommodation search and booking try the National Park Authority, Welcome to Yorkshire, YHA and the tourist information centres in Whitby, Pickering and Helmsley.