Sheffield to York drive: Distance, time & best road trip stops

The best stops on the Sheffield to York drive are Magna, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Leeds, Bramham Park and Lotherton Hall. The distance from Sheffield to York by car is 59 miles, with a 1h17m minute driving time.

Planning a Sheffield to York road trip

The drive from Sheffield to York takes you from the biggest city in South Yorkshire to one of the most attraction-packed cities in England.

Interesting Sheffield activities include outdoor escape games, learning about the city’s past and culture on a private walking tour and treasure hunts with cryptic clues.

The historic walled city of York is one of the best places in Britain for visitors. Top York experiences include ghost walks, history-based walking tours, hop-on, hop-off bus tickets and chocolate bar-making workshops. For attractions, try the York Dungeon, York Cocoa Works and the Jorvik Viking Centre,

Visitors planning to cram a lot in may be better off investing in a York City Pass, which covers entry to more than 25 attractions.

Sheffield to York distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Sheffield to York is 59 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 17 minutes. The quickest route heads along the M1, A1(M) and A64.

The best stops to add to a Sheffield to York road trip itinerary are Magna, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Leeds.

Attractions between Sheffield and York: Magna Science Adventure Centre

The Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham is one of those fun, button-pushing science museums, where kids can learn about physics while playing with water and diggers.

However, it is much more than that. Magna is inside one of the biggest steelworks ever built. The hulking behemoth of a building is an attraction in itself, and much of the old industrial equipment is left in place. This is brought to life during a spectacular sound and light show.

Other highlights of Magna are the massive playground and water splash park outside. Branch off the M1 at Junction 34.

Sheffield to York road trip stops: Yorkshire Sculpture Park

A short distance from Junction 38 of the M1, between Barnsley and Wakefield, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a large open space. It comes with woodland, walking trails, cutesy bridges and plenty of sheep.

Interspersed amongst this are more than 100 sculptures and art installations. These include many by internationally-revered artists such as Antony Gormley, Jaume Plensa and Henry Moore.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park manages to marry the peaceful and the playful.

Sheffied to York drive: Leeds

Going into Leeds requires a bit of a detour, but it has several attractions worth a look. The Royal Armouries is the big hitter, with several floors of armour, weapons and warcraft. The Leeds City Museum is a thoughtfully presented all-rounder, and the expansive Roundhay Park offers a series of gorgeous gardens.

The best Leeds activities include food tours that visit top local restaurants and Emmerdale filming locations bus tours.

Clifford's Tower in York, England.
Clifford’s Tower in York, England. Photo by h_s/ Pixabay.

More Sheffield road trips

Sheffield to Birmingham | Bradford to Sheffield | Sheffield to Leeds | Sheffield to Lincoln | Middlesbrough to Sheffield | Sheffield to Milton Keynes | Sheffield to Newcastle | Worksop to Sheffield.

More York road trips

Birmingham to York | Bradford to York | Darlington to York | Derby to York | Doncaster to Sheffield | Sheffield to Durham | Doncaster to York | Leeds to York | Manchester to York | Middlesbrough to York | Newcastle to York | Nottingham to York | Wakefield to York