Activities in Halifax

It’s one of the most impressive examples of architecture in the north of England, so it comes as no surprise that Piece Hall tops our list of days out in Halifax. Piece Hall is a huge courtyard surrounded by more than 300 rooms and was built in the 1700s to provide a quite incredible market for the booming local wool trade. However, the Industrial Revolution saw Piece Hall fall into decline. Thankfully, it was beautifully restored and reopened as a tourist attraction in 2017 with shops and cafes including Loafers Vinyl & Coffee – one of our favourite places to eat in Halifax. What’s more, the huge courtyard provides a stunning home for markets, food festivals, sports events, live music concerts, and an ice rink during the festive season. It’s right in the heart of town and one of the must-see attractions in the area.

If you’re staying at one of our Halifax hotels with family, then you’ll certainly want to pay a visit to Eureka! during your time in town. To give its full title, Eureka! The National Children’s Museum is an incredible place dedicated to ‘learning through play’. In total there are more than 400 interactive exhibits for children up to the age of 11 to explore. When they say interactive, they mean it; nothing is kept out of reach behind glass cabinets so kids can get as handsy as they like whilst exploring topics such as science, sound, music and the human body. Plus, if you’re planning on making a return visit to Halifax tickets can be used multiple times over the course of the year, so you get even more bang for your buck.

Take a trip back in time by paying a visit to Shibden Hall, a historic building dating back to 1420. If these walls could talk they’d tell you a thing or two. Instead, the team behind Shibden Hall do a great job of bringing its fascinating history to life. On top of that, the adjacent 17th-century barn is home to a wonderful collection of carriages, while there’s also a recreated brewhouse and inn for you to stop off at during your visit. Shibden Hall is less than a ten-minute drive from our Halifax south hotel, and worth the drive even just to explore the 32 acres of park and woodland that surround the house. You’ll find the boating lake, fruit gardens, cascades, and even a miniature railway.

When the weather takes a turn for the worst – it’s going to happen; we’re in West Yorkshire after all – and you have some time to kill, sometimes you simply can’t beat a trip to the cinema. Your best bet is to make your way to the 9-screen Vue in Broad Street Plaza. If you’re staying at our Halifax Town Centre hotel you don’t have to head far; you’ve probably seen that it’s practically next door.

Alternatively, you could take to the lanes for a bit of tenpin bowling at Electric Bowl, a short walk from the Westgate Arcade. As well as being a ten-lane fully-licensed bowling alley, Electric Bowl is also the home of the Halifax Snooker Club, The Race Centre – where you can test your skills in a Formula 1 simulator, a golf simulator, and Fast Eddie’s pool hall.

One last activity that needs mentioning is The Escaporium. By now you’ve probably heard of escape rooms, a worldwide craze that has broken out of the subterranean dungeons of Budapest. But, just to be on the safe side, we’ll walk you through the premise. It’s simple; you’re locked inside a room for one hour. Within that time, you and your team need to crack codes, decipher clues, solve puzzles, and uncover the secrets that will eventually earn your freedom. When the clock’s ticking and the pressure’s on it’s an incredibly immersive activity that’s a whole lot of fun, particularly if you’re playing with friends or family. You’ll find it just over the road from Piece Hall, right in the heart of Halifax town centre.