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Leeds event weekends: what to do between sessions

Yorkshire's big city: Victorian arcades, Headingley cricket and rugby, and the Dales and York close by.

Events we cover in Leeds

1 Jun 2027The Ashes 2027 in Leeds
Leeds, United KingdomCricket 27 Aug 2027*Leeds Festival
Leeds, United KingdomFestival

Arriving

Leeds Bradford (LBA) is 30 minutes by bus; Manchester airport is 1.5 hours by train.

Where to stay

Budget	Where	Why
Budget	Station area	Chain hotels.
Mid-range	City centre	Arcades and bars.
Splurge	Country houses near Harrogate	Spa hotels 30 minutes north.

Three hotels we would book

Budget: Premier Inn Leeds City Centre (Whitehall Road)
Mid-range: The Queens Hotel
Splurge: Rudding Park

Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Tours

Full day · Family

York day trip

Minster and the Shambles, 25 minutes by train.

See times and prices

Full day

Yorkshire Dales tour

Villages and waterfalls.

See times and prices

Half day · Family · Indoor

Royal Armouries

Free museum of arms and armour.

See times and prices

Where to eat

Kirkgate Market Huge indoor market
Trinity Kitchen Rotating street food

With kids

Tropical World.

Rainy-day backups

Thackray Museum of Medicine.

Free things to do

Royal Armouries.
Leeds Art Gallery.

Getting around

Headingley is 15 minutes by bus or train from the centre.
Tap in with a contactless card on buses, trams and most urban trains.
Book long-distance trains early on the operator app or Trainline: walk-up fares are expensive.
Uber works in most UK cities; local black cabs are metered.