Hull Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Kingston Upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK)

There is plenty to do in Kingston Upon Hull, with a great choice of tourist attractions to comfortably fill your time. From the Victoria Pier, rides on Humber Speedboats are both popular and cheap, while further attractions reside around the Marina, Princes Quay, the Trinity Quarter and the Whitefriargate.

One of Hull's premier tourist attractions since its arrival in 2002, The Deep attracts literally hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. This award-winning aquarium easily has enough to fill an entire morning or afternoon, being called home by approximately 40 sharks, almost 4,000 fish and many further marine creatures.

The Deep (Aquarium)

Address: Tower Street, Kingston Upon Hull, HU9 1TU, England, UK
Tel: +44 01482 381000
The Deep stands at Sammy's Point, where the Humber Estuary and the River Hull meet, and really is a striking piece of modern architecture. As you explore the innumerable aquariums, a number of interactive exhibits provide further interest, as well as audio-visual presentations, and feeding displays, where divers feed the various rays and sharks by hand. The Deep's main attractions include the Coral Realm, the Deep Blue One Submarine Simulation, the Endless Oceans, the Evolving Sea Gallery, the Industrial Seas, the Kingdom of Ice, the Lagoon of Light, the Twilight Zone, the Underwater Lift and the Hullaballoo Play Centre. For a bite to eat, the Two Rivers Restaurant is hard to beat and is also open on Friday and Saturday evenings. As you leave, the 'Deepartment Store' is on hand to tempt you with fishy souvenirs.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children, students and seniors, children three years old and under are free

The Marina

Address: The Marina, Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
Serving as a popular marina for pleasure boats in the city, the Hull Marina opened in the early 1980s and is based on the site of the past Railway and Humber Docks. This marina is an especially vibrant place to hang out and is surrounded by a myriad of cafes, pubs and bars. Hull Marina comprises just under 300 berths, one of which is allocated to the museum ship, the Spurn Lightship. Each September, the marina plays host to the acclaimed Maritime Festival, which was formerly known as the Sea Fever Festival. The Humber Quays area is located directly to the west and is the setting for many of the city's most notable businesses.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Princes Quay and Whitefriargate

Address: Princes Quay / Whitefriargate, Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
Whitefriargate is the name given to the city's thoroughfare connecting the old and new town areas. For several centuries, Whitefriargate has operated as a major shopping street and lies off Parliament Street, Prince's Dock Street and Silver Street, near to the Queen Victoria Square. Close by is the glitzy Princes Quay Shopping Centre, which is somewhat futuristic in its appearance and incorporates a ten-screen cinema. Historians may be interested in searching out the ancient remains of the Beverley Gate, which once formed part of the original medieval city walls.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Trinity Quarter

Address: Trinity Quarter, Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
Based in front of Hull's majestic Holy Trinity Church, the Trinity Quarter occupies the site of a historic market square and includes the Victorian Hepworths Arcade, where independent specialist shops are plentiful. This square has been well looked after over the years, with substantial renovation work and attention ensuring that it continues to make quite a first impression. Small cafes in the Trinity Quarter provide very appealing places to sit down and spend some time people watching, while you may also like to consider a trip to the square's resident Hands on History Museum at the Old Grammar School.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Queens Gardens

Address: Queens Gardens, Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
The beautifully landscaped Queens Gardens were created in 1930 and cover just under 4 hectares / 10 acres in total. Before this time, this actual area was part of the Queen's Dock for many years, until it was decided to fill this part of the waterfront. If you look carefully, it is quite easy to envisage the original size and shape of this dock, since it was never completely filled in and the Queens Gardens stand a little below the adjoining streets. The central axis is lined with mature Japanese cherry trees and overlooks the Wilberforce Monument. Many colourful borders are regularly tended and filled with seasonal flowers. Visitors should look out for the plaque commemorating the fictional character of Robinson Crusoe, who was said to have sailed from this very spot in 1651, on his castaway journey. Various concerts and outdoor events take place here each summer, on the Mick Ronson Memorial Stage.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

East Park

Address: East Park, Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
The most expansive green space in the city of Kingston Upon Hull, East park was founded in 1887 and contains many enticing family friendly attractions, which are spread over 50 hectares / 120 acres. These include various animal enclosures, a boating lake with pedalos, a fun waterchute, some sporting facilities, and a small animal enclosure, with deer, wallabies and peacocks. East Park also serves as the setting for lots of the city's biggest events, such as the annual Lord Mayor's Parade, East Hull Harriers Race and Hull Motor Show.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Theatres

Address: Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
There are a total of three different theatres to be found within Kingston of Hull. The Hull New Theatre on Kingston Square is the biggest of these venues and opened in 1939, with one of the main shows here being its annual Christmas pantomime. Located on the Ferensway and founded in 1971 is the Hull Truck Theatre, which was custom-built in 2008/9 at a cost of almost £15 million, replacing a previous venue on Spring Street. Finally, the Northern Theatre Company also resides in the city and has done so since its creation in 1975.
Open hours: box office hours vary
Admission: charge for shows / performances

Nightlife

Address: Kingston Upon Hull, England, UK
The city's renowned nightlife is greatly influenced by its resident student community and Hull is actually home to one of the most significant concentrations of bars and pubs in the United Kingdom, many of which are based around the University of Hull. Bars and nightclubs stay open until late and always attract large crowds, with popular spots being based around Beverley Road, De Grey Street and George Street. In recent years, an increasing number of continental-style bars and coffee shops have made an appearance on both Prince's Avenue and Newland Avenue.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge for entrance to nightclubs