This post will be showing you what to do on a day out in Harrogate.
For my second trip in September, I visited the lovely spa town of Harrogate. I was looking for a quick trip to squeeze in before my schedule got tight and I’m so glad I took it. After visiting York in June, I made a mental note to go back to Harrogate before the end of the year. I’ve heard so much good stuff about the town and I was seriously hoping it won’t disappoint.
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire with nearby cities like York and Kingston Upon Hull. It is also bordered to the West by Wakefield and Bradford and to the South by Sheffield. I’ve currently visited three cities in Yorkshire with three more to go.
Harrogate is a Victorian spa town known for its highly beneficial spa water which contains iron, sulphur and salt. The beneficial properties of the spa water immediately drew attention to the wealthy people who were sick. It also became a popular tourist destination in the process. So, you had wealthy people from nearby cities coming into Harrogate to get that premium spa treatment for all their health and skin concerns.
Geting to Harrogate From Manchester
For the first time ever, I had to take a connecting train to Harrogate. Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct train from Manchester to Harrogate. But I wasn’t too upset about it because the entire journey took 1hr 30mins+ for under £30. So, I booked my ticket the day before and prepared for my trip.
On the day of my trip, I found my way to the Manchester Victoria train station from where I took a train to Leeds Railway Station. This took about an hour but I had about 20 minutes to find the connecting train to Harrogate. Thankfully, I found it shortly before it arrived. Then I took a 30 minutes train to the Harrogate Railway Station.
On my way back, I repeated the same process. But this time, I took an earlier train because my ticket was flexible enough for different routes. With this, I was able to get back to Manchester earlier than I planned.
As always, I usually do a walking tour of any city I visit rather than taking the bus or any other type of transportation. For Harrogate being a town, walking around was a no-brainer.
To help you navigate the town centre here’s a walking tour map for you;
9 Things To Do On A Day Out In Harrogate
As I mentioned earlier, Harrogate is a town so I wasn’t really looking forward to doing so much. This is why I pushed my departure time to noon. That way, I could cover the entire town in a short time. This turned out to be a brilliant plan in the end. On previous day trips where I had extra time to spare at the end of the day, I didn’t in Harrogate. Instead, when I was done, I took the next train back to Leeds.
As always, armed with my backpack, camera and tripod, I was off to explore Harrogate.
PS: All attractions are mostly free unless otherwise stated.
Stop by the Victoria Shopping Centre
Depending on the direction of your itinerary, you can decide to shop at the beginning or at the end of your trip or even both. Either way, the first thing you would see when you get out of the Harrogate Railway station is the Victoria Shopping Centre. So, instead of going into the shopping centre, I explored around and chose that route as a starting point.
Just like every other shopping centre, they have a few of your high street brands. Personally, I look out for unique brands that I don’t typically see anywhere else.
Grab Brunch at the Betty’s Cafe Tea Room (Paid)
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a queue to enter a tea room before. It wasn’t until I saw how highly rated it was on Google that I understood how popular this franchise is. Yes, it is a franchise of Tea Rooms with six locations. So, if you decide to visit any Betty’s Tea Room location, make sure you research ahead because you might need to book ahead.
Learn more about the history of Bettys.
Enjoy a much needed spa time at Turkish Baths (Paid)
Imagine being able to use the same spa as the wealthy did as far back as 1897! This is what you would call the ultimate luxury spa experience that I would reserve for special occasions like my birthday. The Turkish Baths are supposed to be the highlight of this trip but because I didn’t plan for some spa time, I found it underwhelming. In other words, I’ll need to go back when I’m ready to book a session or a few packages.
Grab some souvenirs at the Harrogate Tourist Information
Unlike some other cities, Harrogate isn’t a place where you would find street vendors to buy cheap souvenirs. Instead, you need to really go out of your way to find them. This was why I was so happy to find the Harrogate Tourist Information where I could get a complimentary fridge magnet to add to my collection.
Learn some history at the Crescent Gardens
Just opposite the Harrogate Tourist Information is the Crescent Gardens which is supposed to be a park and garden where you will find a sculpture accompanied with brief details about Harrogate Spa History. This is a very nice place to relax after a long walk before you continue your journey.
Spend some time at the Mercer Art Gallery
A five minutes walk from the Crescent Gardens is the Mercer Art Galley which exhibits 19th and 20th century fine arts. Unfortunately, when I visited, it was closed while they installed a new exhibition. I don’t know if it’s my luck but all the art galleries I’ve visited in the last couple of months are always closed when I visit only to end up opening when I leave.
Explore the history of Harrogate at the Royal Pump Room Museum (Paid)
I hardly ever pay for entry into attractions except I really want to or they are really worth it but I honestly didn’t mind paying the £3.50 entry free to the Royal Pump Room Museum. There’s something about this town that feels enchanting. It was almost like I wished it was a city rather than a town with more offerings. There was just so little to do and see for such a historic town.
It doesn’t even help that the Royal Pump Room was super small compared to typical sizes of museums. So while I enjoyed learning about the history of the spa town and the different types of mineral waters that can be found in Harrogate, it left me hungry for more.
Then again, maybe that is the essence of the town. You have the Turkish Baths which is still running today and the Royal Pump Room which details the history of the Baths which is pretty much everything you need to know.
Don’t forget to grab some Harrogate Sulfur Soap
FUN FACT: The Harrogate Sulphur Company formulates a skincare range that targets skin concerns such as Psoriasis, Eczema and Acne. These products are made with authentic spa water from Harrogate’s natural springs hand-drawn from Harrogate’s Old Stinking Well.
If you know anything about skincare ingredients, sulphur is an amazing antibacterial ingredient that treats acne. As someone with acne-prone skin, I had to get the signature original Harrogate Sulfur Soap for myself. I also regret not getting the Sulfur Shampoo especially since I struggle with dandruff and itchy scalp. Thankfully, you can grab any of the products from their online store.
When I eventually get around to using the soap, I’ll post a dedicated review.
Relax and enjoy the scenery at the serene Valley Gardens
While I found the Turkish Baths underwhelming, I was blown away by the scenery and serenity of the Valley Gardens. This is an extensive 17 acres of English heritage grade II listed parkland, themed gardens, floral displays and historic buildings This is probably the largest garden I’ve ever been to. Plus I love how it is split up into smaller gardens including the Japanese Garden and the Pinewoods.
You know how Harrogate is known as a spa town because of its various mineral waters? Turns out, about 36 of those springs/wells can all be found in the Valley Gardens. It was developed as an attractive walk for visitors of the Spa town who needed to take a break as part of their routines.
I spent about an hour exploring and just taking in all the scenery. It was such a relaxing experience despite the gloomy weather. Plus I didn’t hesitate to take some dope photos of myself against the scenery as a backdrop.
Learn more about the history of the Valley Gardens.
Finish up at the Montpellier Quarter
Towards the end of my trips, I always like to finish up by exploring all the independent shops and cafes just to find unique souvenirs I can take along with me. This led me to the Montpellier Quarter which is also known as the ‘Antiques and Art Centre of the North’. From Art & Antiques shops to Jewellery shops and even charity shops, there’s so much for everyone. Whatever your interests are, you’ll definitely find something you love.
In Conclusion,
My Day out in Harrogate was definitely a quick and easy trip. Especially since I had very short notice to plan. Unlike some other cities, I would definitely love to come back to the Turkish Baths and brunch in Betty’s Tea Room. It’s not too far from Manchester and is somewhat affordable if you plan ahead.
So, if you’re looking for a quick day trip or you’re taking a city break to Yorkshire, make sure you stop by Harrogate.
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