Mike - Harrogate is one of my favourite places and when I was a child I used to spend a week there every summer staying with relatives.

Make sure you visit The Valley Gardens. Not only are they beautiful to walk around but they often have open air concerts in the summer, you can grab a deckchair and just chill. There are some pictures here - http://www.harrogate.co.uk/album/valgd.htm

Here is a link to the HIC where you'll be able to seee what events are on - http://www.harrogateinternationalcentre.co.uk/

Here is the Harrogate directory, you'll find a link on there to eating out - http://www.harrogate-directory.co.uk/

If you have access to a car Knaresborough is a nice place to vist too.

Enjoy!
Dawn

thanks dawn i will have a look at the sites, have been to knaresborough and will take the in laws and has you say a lovely place to visit.

You may just find that its actually more suited to your in-laws than yourself, as there are more than a fair share of older folk reside in the area.

(raving rich, as well!)

You could try the Drum + Monkey (strange name for a place specializing in fish dishes) or Hedley's, both in the same area behind Betty's tea rooms
and both very good places to dine.
The town of Otley 25 mins drive has a very good farmers market on the last sunday of each month which is worth a visit.

The Bell Inn is a great 'proper' pub - real ales, good food, no music and no smoking. Near the centre of town. Bank holiday weekend will see plenty of events in and around Harrogate and North Yorkshire. There's an airshow at Elvington near York!

Hi, a Harrogate resident here!

Eating wise, it all depends what you like.

The Old Bell Tavern (Royal Parade opposite the Crown Hotel) do great food, and guest ales and lagers. A non-smoking pub too. Always busy.

For Indian - head to the Raj Put - Cheltenham Parade. My personal favourite!

Chinese - The Horoscope is top quality!

Outside of Harrogate, pubs that are very good include the Star & Garter at Kirkby Overblow, the Smiths Arms at Beckwithshaw and the Scotts Arms at Sicklinghall near Wetherby.

Not sure of events going in, but http://www.harrogate.gov.uk will give you updated event schedules. Surrounding places of interest will also keep you occupied (Mother shiptons cave @ Knaresborough, Fountains Abbey near Ripon, Bolton Abbey are all a short drive away).

Any specific questions, please ask.

As another harrogate resident lol try...
the orchid reataurant...thai food..part of the studley hotel down near valley gardens...opposite the mercer art gallery....a free gallery

The egyptian restaurant above the blues bar....just down from betties..
one of my favorites

Darley mill is a good trip out on the a59, skipton road...huge mill with clothes and household stuff with a restaurant,garden and duckpond

Marigold cafe down on the river at knaersborough...towards the bottom with rowing boats

Bettys will be packed and is expensive but go to harlow carr gardens which is part of bettys now so great food and may not be as busy as the town centre one which gets loads of coach parties.

The fair will be on the stray ...only small but fun.

For lunch ...the edinburgh woolen mill on parliament st. has a cafe downstairs which is nice and good value

try to avoid town centre late at night as full of drunk kids

Hales bar again near valley gardens is a nice pub as the inside is listed and still has natural gas lamps on the bar.

hope you have a nice weekend

We stopped of at harrogate the other week. We was only there for a couple of hours. So we did a bit of a walk and then we went and had a look at Bettys. Then it was of for a drink. We found ourselves in yates for one. Then we moved down to Wetherspoons. What a fantastic pub. It used to be the old baths. So we were told. Big sweeping staircases. Felt real glam walking down them in my jeans and trainers.

At the bottom of the staircase there were some massive plant pots. The roof is coloured glass. This pub is well worth a drink in. Very impressed with it.

Thanks everybody for the tips.

Wickedchris have also been to the wetherspoons in harrogate and has you say its really nice and i know what you mean about the staircase and it is impressive.

Just discover that the brother in law as booked us in at a restaurant called lords in harrogate anybody know whats its like good or bad?

average

Just to say had a very nice time in harrrogate and went to fountains abbey on the saturday and have to say what a lovely place and well worth a visit if you are into scenery, and the ruins of the abbey will definatly be going back there.

The lords restuarant was also good and had a good night in there and also tried the old station inn at birstwith which came across as supplying good service and good food and well worth a visit.

We stayed in a village called markington and basically just consists of two pubs & a post office and a caravan park and turned out to be very relaxing with some nice walks thrown in.

The only problem was having to come back home.

For Indian - head to the Raj Put - Cheltenham Parade. My personal favourite!

Cant argue with that, but if you cant get in the Raj Put, The Jinnah over the road is just as good and MASSIVE.

Best music bar has to be The Blues Bar, live music every night.

Personally I avoid town on a weekend night like the plague.

Hi all we are off over to Harrogate at weekend anyone got any suggestions of things to do/see.We are staying there for 2 nights .Also anyone any idea of where they film Emmerdale around this area?
Thanks Sue

Emmerdale has been filmed in variuos villages around Harrogate but eventually they ended up building a set in the grounds at Harewood House but it is not open to the public, that is for outdoor ie the village the indoor ones are filmed in the YTV studios at Leeds, some scenes for Hotton are filmed in Otley as is some of Heartbeat, seen them filming both many times ! also seen Emmerdale crew around Wetherby ! one farmhouse they used for the farm is between Otley and Harrogate and the pub was in Esholt I believe, it has moved so many times!!!!! the agreement at Harewood is the houses etc are just shells and when they have finished or planning permission runs out it has to be demolished, a waste to me!!! Chris Tate and Kim used to live near Killinghall but I believe they have split now also seen Jack around Pateley Bridge!! and the one(tiny and blonde) who fell off the rocks (Brimham) used to shop in Safeway Harrogate now Waitrose

Not much really happens in Harrogate but the Advertiser does let you know a few things

http://www.harrogatetoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=656&ArticleID=1457192
http://www.harrogatetoday.co.uk/mk4custompages/custompage.aspx?sectionid=9056

I think these are updated on a Friday, or just buy the paper when you get here.

The original Emmerdale village is Esholt, just outside Shipley in West Yorkshire. Even though it's no longer used the village still gets busy. Worth a visit and a pint in The Woolpack (which used to be called 'The Commercial). There's not much to see in Esholt, but Saltaire is just down the road and is well worth seeing.

We are going to harrogate this weekend to the Old Swan. I have seen good reviews of the Angel pub nr Rylstone anyone confirm this?. Is ther anything specific on this weekend? farmers markets, concerts etc.

The Angel at Hetton is lovely food you will probably need to book though , it is Pateley Show next Monday the last agricultural show of the year and is a good day out if the weather is good , not sure what else is on this weekeend try the Harrogate Advertiser which comes out on Friday