Photo: Tom Corser (CC BY-SA 2.0 uk), via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do in Bridlington
Wondering what to do in Bridlington? This guide lists the area's attractions — zoos, museums, theme parks and more — with distances, so you can plan every day of your trip.
Showing museums, aquariums and attractions with indoor areas — the ones that work whatever the forecast.
Aquariums
17.3 mi from Bridlington
SEA LIFE Scarborough
SEA LIFE Scarborough is an indoor and outdoor aquarium where you can get close to more than 2500 creatures. Highlights include a walk-through Humboldt penguin colony on Penguin Isl...
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
24.6 mi from Bridlington
The Deep
The Deep is an education and conservation charity built around an aquarium overlooking the Humber Estuary, with daily talks on sharks, penguins and ocean life, plus the chance to m...
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Museums & Galleries
0.7 mi from Bridlington
Bayle Museum
The Bayle Museum occupies a Grade I listed former gatehouse in Bridlington's Old Town, once part of Bridlington Priory and later used as a prison, courtroom and garrison. Today it...
9.6 mi from Bridlington
Filey Museum
Filey Museum sits in the town's old town, tucked near the 12th-century St Oswald's Church, and is housed in two former cottages dating back to 1696, believed to be the oldest domes...
10.1 mi from Bridlington
North Frodingham Local History Museum
Museum in North Frodingham, England, UK
12 mi from Bridlington
Hornsea Museum
Hornsea Museum sits in Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, just half a mile from Hornsea beach, making it an easy addition to a seaside day out. Spread across six historic buildings...
✓
✓
12 mi from Bridlington
The Scarborough Fair Collection & Vintage Transport Museum
The Scarborough Fair Collection & Vintage Transport Museum brings together vintage cars, steam engines, fairground rides and mechanical organs, including a mighty Wurlitzer Organ i...
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
15.7 mi from Bridlington
Museum of the Wagoners' Special Reserve
Museum in Sledmere, England, United Kingdom
15.8 mi from Bridlington
Rotunda Museum
The Rotunda Museum is a historic, purpose-built museum on the Yorkshire coast, exploring coastal heritage and geology. Inside its Georgian gallery you'll find a frieze depicting lo...
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
16 mi from Bridlington
Maritime Heritage
Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre is a community-run museum dedicated to saving Scarborough's maritime history, based at 45 Eastborough in the heart of town. Here you'll find a...
19.5 mi from Bridlington
East Riding Treasure House
East Riding Treasure House, known on the council's culture website as Champney Treasure House, is home to the East Riding Archives in Beverley. Here you can explore an extensive an...
✓
✓
✓
23.2 mi from Bridlington
Skidby Windmill Museum of East Riding Rural Life
Skidby Mill is home to the Museum of East Riding Rural Life, set within the original outbuildings surrounding the mill's courtyard. Inside you'll find the Agriculture Gallery with...
23.8 mi from Bridlington
Hedon Museum
Hedon Museum is a small, volunteer-run museum telling the story of this historic East Riding town, from its Norman origins and silver mace to its railway and airfield past. You'll...
✓
✓
✓
24.2 mi from Bridlington
Hull Streetlife Museum
The Streetlife Museum of Transport is a transport museum located in Kingston upon Hull, England. The roots of the collection date back to the early 20th century, however the purpos... — Wikipedia
24.2 mi from Bridlington
Wilberforce House Museum
Museum building in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK
✓
✓
✓
24.3 mi from Bridlington
Hull and East Riding Museum
Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology sits in Kingston upon Hull and explores 235 million years of history through its collections. You can see Roman mosaics and a bath house,...
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
24.3 mi from Bridlington
Hull Maritime Museum
Maritime museum in Kingston upon Hull, England
✓
✓
✓
✓
24.3 mi from Bridlington
Norton and Malton Heritage Centre
The Malton and Norton Heritage Centre is home to the Woodhams Stone Collection, a volunteer-run local history archive covering the market towns of Malton and Norton from 1900 to 19...
✓
✓
✓
24.3 mi from Bridlington
Eden Camp Museum
Eden Camp Modern History Museum is a large Second World War-related museum near Malton in North Yorkshire in England. — Wikipedia
✓
✓
✓
✓
Zoos & Wildlife
1.8 mi from Bridlington
Sewerby Zoo
Sewerby Zoo is a family-friendly zoo within Sewerby Hall and Gardens, home to a mix of domestic and wild animals from pygmy goats and llamas to capuchin monkeys, raccoon dogs and H...
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
Where to stay near Bridlington
Places to stay within easy reach of these days out.
More around Bridlington
Itineraries
- A weekend in Yorkshire: an accessible itinerary · 2 days
- A weekend in Yorkshire with the kids · 2 days
- A weekend in Yorkshire · 2 days
Haunted Britain
Bridlington makes a good base for days out on the Yorkshire coast. A couple of small museums sit right in town, two country houses are among the listed landmarks, and there's a wide spread of family attractions, aquariums and galleries in Scarborough, Filey, Whitby and Hull. Below, the options are grouped by the kind of day you're after, with ideas for linking them up and where to stop for food.
Heritage and history
If you like old buildings and local stories, start in town. The Bayle Museum and the Harbour Heritage Museum are both in Bridlington, so you can see both in a relaxed morning or afternoon without moving the car.
For a bigger heritage outing, two historic houses are listed as landmarks for the area: Burton Agnes Hall and Burton Constable Hall. Each deserves a decent amount of time, so many people give one of them most of a day rather than rushing both.
Further along the coast in Whitby, the Captain Cook Memorial Museum and the Pannett Art Gallery pair up well for anyone keen on maritime history or art.
Family days out
With children in tow, these are the names to look at first:
- Flamingo Land, a theme park and an obvious choice for a full day out.
- Scarborough Sea Life Centre, an aquarium in Scarborough that suits younger children and works in any weather.
- Dinostar in Hull, a museum worth a look for dinosaur-mad children.
- Animal Education centre, listed under zoos and wildlife, for children who would rather meet animals than look at exhibits.
Theme park days are tiring. If you're staying several nights, it's often better to follow a big day with a quieter one in Bridlington's own museums.
Rainy day options
Yorkshire coast weather can turn quickly, so it helps to have a few indoor plans ready. The two Bridlington museums are the easiest fallback because you won't need to travel far. If you're happy to drive, Scarborough Sea Life Centre and The Scarborough Fair Collection & Vintage Transport Museum in Filey both work as indoor outings. In Hull, Dinostar and the Sutton and Wawne museum are other indoor choices. The Eden Camp Museum is also listed among the area's museums if you want a longer visit.
Outdoors and active
For something more energetic, Go Ape Dalby is the standout outdoor activity on the list. Activities like this usually run in set sessions, so book ahead and check any age or height rules before you promise the children a go. Pick a dry day if you can, and keep an indoor plan in reserve.
Grouping it into a sensible day
A few combinations work well together:
- Bridlington day: Bayle Museum in the morning, lunch, then the Harbour Heritage Museum in the afternoon.
- Coast day: Scarborough Sea Life Centre, then The Scarborough Fair Collection & Vintage Transport Museum in Filey.
- Whitby day: Captain Cook Memorial Museum and Pannett Art Gallery, with time to wander between them.
- Hull day: Dinostar with the Sutton and Wawne museum.
- Country house day: Burton Agnes Hall or Burton Constable Hall, taken slowly.
Before you set off, check travel times between towns. It's easy to overfill a day on the coast.
Where to eat
Several places in the area hold 5-star food hygiene ratings. For a sit-down pub meal, there's The Albert, The Merchant, Turks Head and Newlands Park, all listed as pubs and inns. For something quick to take away or eat on the go, Cooplands is a bakery. Pubs can be busy at weekends and in school holidays, so ring ahead if there's a group of you.
Turning it into a short break
BritStays lists 95 places to stay in the Bridlington area, which gives you plenty of choice whether you want a cottage for the family or somewhere smaller for two. A long weekend fits nicely with one Bridlington museum day, one bigger outing such as Flamingo Land or a country house, and one flexible day you can switch indoors or outdoors depending on the weather.
A few practical points: check opening times directly with each attraction before you travel, as they can change by season. Book timed activities like Go Ape Dalby in advance. Pack layers and waterproofs whatever the forecast says. Save the Bridlington museums for the day the weather turns, so you're not left driving around looking for something to do.
Frequently asked questions
Which museums are in Bridlington itself?
The Bayle Museum and the Harbour Heritage Museum are both in Bridlington, so you can visit them on the same day without much travel.
What historic houses can I visit from Bridlington?
Burton Agnes Hall and Burton Constable Hall are both listed as heritage landmarks for the area. Each is worth a good part of a day.
What are good family days out from Bridlington?
Flamingo Land, Scarborough Sea Life Centre, Dinostar in Hull and the Animal Education centre are all good options for families.
What can we do on a rainy day near Bridlington?
The Bayle Museum and Harbour Heritage Museum are the closest indoor options. Scarborough Sea Life Centre, The Scarborough Fair Collection & Vintage Transport Museum in Filey, and Dinostar in Hull are also good choices.
Where can we eat with a 5-star hygiene rating?
The Albert, The Merchant, Turks Head and Newlands Park are pubs and inns with 5-star hygiene ratings, and Cooplands is a bakery with the same rating.
How many places to stay does BritStays list in the Bridlington area?
BritStays lists 95 places to stay in the Bridlington area.
More ways to explore
Not booked yet? See the best places to stay in Bridlington.