With a rich history and an abundance of cultural landmarks, Hull, or Kingston upon Hull if you’re using its official title, is reinventing itself as one of East Yorkshire’s most exciting destinations. Eat, shop and discover the city’s best bits, before heading out to discover the rest of this beautiful region.
City gems
Take the opportunity to discover The Deep, Hull’s top attraction. This award-winning aquarium, nestled proudly on the banks of the Humber River, offers fun for all the family, and you can see colorful schools of fish, menacing sharks and eerie stingrays up close. Watch the penguins being fed in the Kingdom of Ice, take a ride in the bubble lift through the Endless Oceans exhibit and even dine among the fish at the Two Rivers Restaurant.
Stick to the naval theme and head to the Maritime Museum where you can learn all about the city’s past as a port and whaling town. It’s free to wander the exhibitions inside the Victorian Dock Offices which display a range of intriguing artefacts, including a full-sized whale skeleton and amazing ship models.
Another must-visit is the Streetlife Museum. Take a walk through history as wander through recreated street scenes spanning 200 years. Along the way, you’ll see vintage buses, shops of times gone by and a collection of 19th century bicycles.
The Humber and history
Grand merchants’ houses and Edwardian buildings line the cobbled streets of Hull’s old town. Spend an afternoon wandering through the atmospheric narrow lanes and stop off at one of the cozy pubs. Ye Olde White Harte dates back to the 16th century and is thought to be where the English Civil War was plotted, whereas the Lion and Key is the perfect place to sample quintessential British fish and chips.
Another architectural gem can be found just a short distance outside the city. The Humber Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, is an impressive sight, stretching more than 1,400 meters across the river. Park up and stroll across the whole length of the bridge while enjoying excellent views of the Humber Estuary. From here you can also access the Humber Bridge Country Park, a wooded nature reserve with wild flower-filled meadows, woodland and chalk cliffs.
Beautiful Beverley
Drive just a short way into the countryside around Hull and you’ll come across Beverley, a quaint market town with a wealth of history and delightful Georgian architecture. At the weekend, the town center transforms into a lively marketplace, with stalls selling artisan produce and handmade crafts.
Park up and explore its pretty center on foot. Among the labyrinth-like cobble streets you’ll find the 13th century Minster. The honey-toned façade of this Gothic church wows with its stone carvings and, inside the huge nave, you can see its colorful stained glass windows.
With car rental in Hull you can discover the gems of this historic port city along with the pretty Yorkshire countryside.