Activities in Leeds Activities

The City Square

City Square is a pedestrian area known for its statues, the nearby J. Priestley Church, as well as the spectacular Victorian Town Hall, with its impressive 200 feet high clock tower.

Another great City Square sight is the Civic Hall, the city’s heraldic emblem. From there you can visit the famous Leeds Art Gallery – a simple “must” for art enthusiasts, housing a magnificent collection of works by some of the greatest British and foreign artists (Cotman, Constable, Gainsborough, Courbet, Renoir and others). Since you love art, do not fail to visit the Millennium Square, a central point for theatrical shows and live concerts.

Roundhay Park

Roundhay Park ranks among the biggest and most popular city parks not just in Britain, but in the whole Europe! A staggering 700 acres of grassland, woodland, small lakes and prized gardens, home to great array of wildlife species and a famed multi – sports terrain, ideal for friends and families that love cycling, football, rugby and cricket.

Roundhay Park also boasts having the “Tropical World”, a specially designed island area for families that love tropical wildlife and rainforests but can’t afford a trip to South America.

Temple Newsam

A great country house surrounded by a beautiful landscape and a family – friendly parkland, home to a rare breed’s farm, is what makes Temple Newsam such a great choice for both families and animal lovers. A 40-room Tudor-Jacobean mansion, surrounded by a 900-acre park on the outskirts of Leeds, Temple Newsam offers you the chance to marvel a variety of rare breed animals. It is also ideal for relaxing strolls in bridle paths, beautiful woodland and gardens, playing football, golf, or having fun with the kids in the playground.

Stockeld Park

Stockeld Park, just between Leeds and Harrogate, is a great spot for families and woodland lovers during the spring. Except for the bewitching landscape, Stockeld Park offers visitors an array of great outdoor activities, like go-karting, roller-skating, electric scooter driving, jumping and sliding in inflatables, maze games, climbing and thrilling quests among the imposing trees of the “Enchanted Forest” and several themed adventure playgrounds.

While it is at its prime during the spring, if you visit Leeds during the winter, you and your friends and family can also enjoy skiing around the Forest or ice – skating.

A Shopping – Therapy Haven

Leeds has been a shopping haven for centuries – especially in the famous Kirkgate Market, a maze of imposing arcades, market stalls, fashion houses and boutiques weaving Europe’s biggest covered market. Preserving an almost medieval market air, with constant callings from the traders and shops covering every need and fancy, shopping in Kirkgate Market is a great experience just by itself.

Lotherton Hall

Home to a spectacular gathering of more than 130 rare bird species, Lotherton Hall is a haven for nature enthusiasts and parents who wish to learn their children to value Earth’s living artwork. The adventure playground for children up to 8 years old, equipped with climbing frames, a zip wire, swings and roundabouts, and the Woodland Play area (for older children) add to the whole experience. Grown-ups, in the meantime, can enjoy the spacious gardens and the red deer wandering through the woodland.

The Royal Armories – A 3,000 Years old Battleground

The Royal Armories is much more than an exhibition of weapons and shields; it is Britain’s national arms and armor museum, with more than 8,500 objects on display, covering a 3 millennia era. The best thing about this fascinating museum is the way it helps visitors grasp the terror of hand–to-hand combat throughout the ages, through live demonstrations and stunning reenactments. Families and history buffs shouldn’t miss it for the world.

Leeds is very popular among cyclers and runners, mainly because of the “Tour de Yorkshire” and the Age UK Abbey race, while those who love escape games or romantic hot-air balloon rides will find it hard not to return for more. Indeed, numerous fascinating activities can be found both within city limits and in relatively close destinations, including mountain biking, climbing and caving.

Water – Sports at Yeadon Tarnfield Park

Yeadon Tarnfield Park is extremely popular with people of all ages and open to the public all year round. Youngsters enjoy the playground and BMX track, whilst others prefer a leisurely stroll, or a relaxing game of bowls. But the most distinguishing feature of the park is its water – sports premises, ideal for sailing and boating.

Join the “Tour de Yorkshire”

“Tour de Yorkshire” is a relatively new cycling race, usually held during mid – spring. Ever since it has begun it gathers hundreds of professional and amateur cyclists who love healthy competition set in Yorkshire’s bewitching landscapes. So, if you love cycling, get your gear and join the race!

Fancy an Escape Game?

You suddenly regain consciousness and realize that you are trapped inside a room and there is no obvious way to escape; if you find this scenario fascinating and not a realized nightmare, Leeds is the perfect place for you.

Well – known to escape game lovers, Leeds offers a range of thrilling scenarios, from labyrinths and crystal mazes to medieval dungeons, where you and your mates must employ your observational skills, find hidden clues, solve puzzles and riddles and discover a way out. Will you accept the challenge?

Biking & Hiking in Yorkshire Dales

Yorkshire Dales is an upland area with river valleys and hills that are great for mountain biking and hiking. The majestic scenery, rare wildlife and lovely villages make an excursion to Yorkshire Dales a must for all first-time visitors in Leeds.

Boasting a network of over 900 km of bridleways, byways and green lanes, you will surely find trails and spots that match your physical condition and expectations.

Ever Tried Caving?

Stalagmites, stalactites, fossils and waterfalls are hidden in caves within the vast limestone areas under Yorkshire’s soil over 300 million years ago. Caving is an exciting activity, suitable for families with grown children and groups of friends that love nature’s treasures. Leeds is surrounded by several spots ideal for caving and underground explorations, and agencies offer guides and gear in reasonable prices.

Geocaching

If you seek something different in Leeds, try geocaching: certain boxes are hidden all around the city, containing an object, but they are not so easy to find. Using the web to gather clues and hints, you must solve riddles and track down their coordinates. You’re free to take whatever you find in the box, providing you replace it with something of at least equal or greater value. In the meantime, you get a chance to discover the city by having fun with your mates.

Go on A Hot Air Balloon Ride

Using Temple Newsam as their land base, hot air balloons take brave and romantic souls up on a ride away from earthly impression to the bewitching and liberating feeling of seeing the wonderful Yorkshire landscapes from above. Stunning views of lakes, woodland, the River Aire the city’s vibrant streets, while sipping a glass of champagne and marveling the reddish hues of the setting sun.

The West Leeds Activity Centre

West Leeds Activity Centre is a 17-acre outdoor asylum for activity addicts, just 10 minutes away from the city’s centre, offering a variety of fascinating activities for both children and grown-ups, in a challenging but 100% safe environment, and is ideal for families and groups of friends or colleagues that want to blow off some steam etc.

Hence, if climbing, Go-Karting, BMXing, mountain and motor biking, survival games, archery and bushcraft fascinate you, you surely found what you were looking for.

If, on the other hand, you wish for something more adventurous, you can also try the notorious “Leap of Faith”: after climbing a 20-foot pole you must simply… jump off, trying to hit a punching bag. Are you brave enough for something like that?

“Run Forest! Run!”

Leeds boasts numerous sporting challenges, but, without doubt, the annual Age UK Abbey Dash held every November is the most important, at least for ardent runners. Huge crowds of professionals and amateur runners flood the city and even if your time doesn’t prove that good, the city’s vibe during the event is amazing.

Leeds suffers from a serious affliction: chronic insomnia. The city comes alive at night, teaming with wild partying youths and students, buzzing bars and pubs, spectacular shows, live music or sophisticated restaurants.

Still Leeds is not a just party – animal jungle; it is a city famous for its cultural heritage, where concerts, theatre, ballet and opera are prized shows attracting thousands of ardent enthusiasts from all around Britain.

It’s not an easy task to “survive” a Stag and Hen weekend in Leeds – but we are sure that’s exactly what you are looking for!

A Stag & Hen destination ever growing in popularity, Leeds offers a diverse nightlife, a unique shopping experience and an array of fascinating and well organized themed activities that will travel you out of the stagnant waters and set the scene for a truly unforgettable Stag & Hen weekend. Some of the most popular options include Extreme Laser Tag, Quad Biking, Air Rifling Competition, Axe Throwing, Battlezones, Butlerettes, Man v Food Pizza sessions, Casino nights, Nightlife Booths & Passes and many, many more.

There are a lot of great things to see and do in Leeds, and although the bars, the clubs and the museums, the shops and the parks are second to none, we believe that Leeds’ strongest point is its diversity, its ability to offer families, youngsters, couples, adrenaline addicts and relaxation seekers exactly what they are looking for.

Many attractive parks and gardens are ideal for relaxing walks, and the surrounding Yorkshire Dales and moors are excellent for hiking, caving and biking. Within city limits, Leeds is renowned for its escape games, geocaching and its romantic hot-air balloon rides – and of course its notorious Stags & Hens parties.