Options for kids to have fun in Leeds can be had in interesting museums, the nearby Lightwater Valley Theme Park and Roundhay Park Tropical World. Leeds also has a slew of parks and gardens where picnicking is possible, along with walking and cycling. Major city parks regularly host Leeds festivals and concerts.

Abbey House Museum
This fun museum just outside Leeds has loads of interesting interactive exhibits that children can play with, has a playground and is also of interest to adults. The museum is just across from Kirkstall Abbey and used to be the Great Gate House to the abbey. Highlights include reconstructed shops and houses from the Victorian era. 
Phone: +44 113 230 5492; www.leeds.gov.uk/abbeyhouse  

Leeds Parks
Leeds’s mild climate, and its being sheltered from weather extremes by the Pennine Hills has helped to make it one of Europe’s greenest cities. There is a staggering amount of flora in the parks, miles of walking and cycling paths, and attractions for kids. Popular city parks include Golden Acre Park, Leeds Canal Gardens, and Roundhay Park, while high profile parks outside town include Bramham Park, Thorp Perrow Arboretum, and Newby Hall and Gardens.

Leeds United Football Club
Located on Elland Road in nearby Beeston and accessed by bus numbers 51, 52 or 54 from Kirkgate Market, Leeds United Football Club is a well known English football club. Although no longer top-flight, it has great appeal to local football fans and its grounds at the Elland Road Stadium are worth a tour on non-match days. 
Phone: +44 113 226 1000; www.leedsunited.com

Lightwater Valley Theme Park
Situated just to the north of Leeds in nearby Ripon, the Lightwater Valley Theme Park is the perfect place to take bored kids to, with its fun rides and attractions. There are rollercoasters and other exciting rides here, as well as a huge maze, a zoo, a classic-car collection for dads, and a shopping village for mums. Picnicking options are also good. 
Phone: +44 1765 635 321

Roundhay Park Tropical World
With its huge collection of tropical plants, Tropical World in nearby Alwoodley is appealing to both kids and adults. Highlights of the park are the Coronation House, which is loaded with plants and huge koi carp, a butterfly house, the Nocturnal Zone, and the Amazon house with its golden lion tamarins. There is also a desert here as well as the Insect Zone. 
Phone: +44 113 266 1850; www.roundhaypark.org.uk/tropical-world-leeds  

Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Headingley is famous in cricket circles and is home to the Yorkshire County Cricket Club. If you are a cricket fan, watching a test match here is a must. The ground was established in the late 1800s and although not as old as Lords in London, it is nonetheless historic. You can get here by buses 74 or 75 from town. 
Phone: +44 113 278 7394; www.yorkshireccc.org.uk  

Leeds’ cultural options are interesting and varied, ranging from unique museums and galleries to stunning architecture and recreated villages. Must-see cultural sights include the Corn Exchange building, the Henry Moore Institute, and the Royal Armouries Museum. To get the most out of Leeds, get on a Leeds guided walking tour.

Corn Exchange
Located on Vicar Lane near the Kirkgate markets, Leeds Corn Exchange is a popular shopping area in the city. It was modelled on the Paris Corn Exchange by architect Cuthbert Broderick, features a huge glass dome and is photogenic. Broderick also deigned several other notable strictures in town, including the Millennium Square and Leeds town hall; the latter dates from the 1850s. 
Phone: +44 113 244 8668; www.cornx.net  

Harewood House
Harewood House can be found in Harewood district just outside of town and is a popular attraction for culture-vultures. It is a grand, 18th-century manor that features period furniture, paintings and stunning ceramics. Although updated, the spectacular gardens were designed by Capability Brown and there is also a playground onsite. 
Phone: +44 113 218 1010; www.harewood.org  

Holbeck Urban Village
This renovated city district in the southwest of the city is a popular historic area which highlights the Industrial Revolution. It displays oodles of historic buildings, including the Temple Mill, with its Egyptian look, and Italianate Tower Works. Restoration is ongoing and includes a collection of apartments and cafés. 
Phone: +44 113 247 8000; www.holbeckurbanvillage.co.uk  

Leeds Industrial Museum
Located in one of Leeds’s original huge mills, the Leeds Industrial Museum tells the story of the city’s rise to riches through thought-provoking displays on the working conditions and products made. Period working machinery is used for some of the displays and a highlight is the cloth-making exhibition. Buses 14, 66 and 67 run to the museum. 
Phone: +44 113 263 7861

Leeds Walking Tours
The best way to learn about the city of Leeds is to get on a walking tour and discover its finer historic points. Various tours are offered by the company Exploring Leeds, who cover different areas of the city depending on the theme. Guides are interesting and knowledgeable. 
Phone: +44 113 252 6807

Royal Armouries Museum
Leeds' Royal Armouries was famously built to house the weapons and armoury of the Tower of London and is a must-see museum. As well as the Tower of London exhibits, the museum covers thousands of years of history of fighting and defence through films, demonstrations and interactive exhibits. The museum is southeast of the city centre. 
Phone: +44 113 220 1940; www.armouries.org.uk  

Henry Moore Institute
Named after British sculptor Henry Moore, this gallery is one of the best sculpture galleries in Europe. It features many periods and cultures and includes the works Reclining Figure (1929) and Meat Porters, as well as several fascinating pieces by Moore's contemporaries. You can find the gallery next to the City Art Gallery. 
Phone: +44 113 246 7467; www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk/  

Along with most other UK cities, Leeds has a burgeoning dining scene where hearty British food is making a comeback and can be found on an increasing number of restaurant menus. There are cafés and restaurants galore in and around the city centre as well as a large number of fast food places like McDonald’s and Burger King, ethnic restaurants, and fish-and-chips shops.

Other popular areas to eat in Leeds are Headingley, Chapel Allerton, Roundhay and Harehills; the latter isn’t the safest spot in the city but has a growing number of shops, cafés and restaurants. Chains like M&S Simply Food and large shopping malls also have a great number of eating options.

Leeds has excellent shopping options. There are more than a thousand shops in town ranging from glitzy shopping mall outlets to typical UK high street chains and specialist boutiques. Some of Leeds shopping arcades have that Victorian look and feel, such as Briggate – a substantial pedestrianised street with free entertainment thrown in.

Much of the town centre is actually pedestrian-friendly, making shopping a breeze. There are also many popular markets in Leeds, including the French market on Briggate. If you are in Leeds at the end of the year (November and December), be sure to check out Millennium Square with its Christmassy theme around the German Christmas market (Christkindelmarkt).