As the county capital, York is the place to begin your Yorkshire itinerary. Start your day with a tour of the historic headline grabbers, combining a city tour with a visit to imposing York Minster, before walking the York city walls with a guide. Take a leisurely stroll down the Shambles (or explore with a guide on a haunted after-hours excursion), then grab a hearty pub lunch and a pint at one of the city’s many historic hangouts. Or, take a chocolate tour to round out the day.

Pay a visit to Whitby to enjoy lemon-topped, soft-serve ice cream, jet jewelry, and a crumbling 13th-century clifftop abbey that remains a highlight of this coastal town. Not to mention the Dracula association—Bram Stoker took inspiration from Whitby—and the biannual Goth Weekend held annually. Snacking on a cone of salt-and-vinegar–doused chips on the seafront is a rite of passage here, as is climbing the famed 199 steps and admiring Whitby’s whalebone arch.

Not much farther down the coast you’ll find Scarborough, the original seaside getaway and resort town, ideal for family-friendly getaways. After the beach, make a pitstop at Scarborough castle (just one of many in this vast county), and enjoy the Victorian-era buildings and parks, before whiling away the hours on the penny slot machines in the arcades. If you tire of Scarborough, just 35 minutes south you’ll find Flamborough, home to the jutting Flamborough Head, a white chalk promontory.

One of West Yorkshire’s tiniest (and finest) villages with an outsized reputation, Hebden Bridge—aka the Lesbian Capital of the UK—can be found tucked away in the Calder Valley. Here, you’re a mere stone’s throw from the natural beauty of Hardcastle Crags and the canal that cuts through town, as well as the final resting place of writer Sylvia Plath. (She’s buried in neighboring Heptonstall.) Hebden Bridge is also known for its wealth of independent stores, galleries, and pubs.

As the home of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge—which has you scaling Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough in under 12 hours—Yorkshire Dales National Park has plenty to offer the outdoorsy adventurer, although you can also visit on a day trip from York. But foodies won’t be disappointed by the Yorkshire Dales—this stretch of Yorkshire is also where you’ll Wensleydale, of Wallace and Gromit cheesemaking fame, as well as the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest (and perhaps coziest) pub.

Haworth remains a top destination in Yorkshire, whether you love literature, chocolate, or charmingly retro village vibes. The cobblestone high street is awash with quaint stores, while the wild and windy moors are full of pop culture potential, including Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse that was said to have inspired Wuthering Heights. While you're there, pay a visit to the Haworth Art Gallery, home to the largest collection of Tiffany glass in Europe.

Cricket fans—or the cricket curious—will want to try and snag tickets to a game at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium, the home of Yorkshire’s County Cricket team, before moseying into the city center for a quick Leeds highlights tour or spot of shopping in the historic Victoria Leeds arcade, Grade I–listed Kirkgate Market, or Trinity Leeds. From there, tour the food scene like a local or take a detour to The Tetley, Royal Armouries, or Leeds Art Gallery for a spot of culture.

Situated 45 minutes north of Leeds, Ilkley Moor served as the inspiration for Yorkshire’s unofficial anthem, “On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at,” a dialect folk song about a person not wearing a hat. Yes, really. Anyway, if you plan on visiting, wrap up warm and get to walking (or rock climbing): The heather-blanketed panoramas and paths of this spot are ideal for some outdoor adventure in Yorkshire. And once you’re done, make sure to stop by Ilkley, the small spa town of the same name for some tea.

Hull may be among Yorkshire’s most overlooked destinations. Tour the city’s top museums and galleries, including Ferens Art Gallery and the Streetlife Museum, before heading to perhaps the star attraction of this coastal city: The Deep, an award-winning aquarium that juts out over the Humber Estuary. From there, return to the city center for gin-making workshops; ale trails; or to learn more about poet Philip Larkin, who called this “on the way to nowhere” city home.

Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I–listed stately home, thought to be among the largest in Europe. There, you can tour the grounds and gardens on an easy day-trip from major Yorkshire destinations including Leeds, Sheffield, and Huddersfield. And if you’re into all things grand and Downton Abbey–esque, Yorkshire has plenty of other stately homes to keep you occupied, including Castle Howard near York, Harewood House just outside of Leeds, and Allerton Castle in North Yorkshire.