Forget passport problems, airport angst, currency costs, and expensive pet care; instead just unwind and enjoy a special summer holiday in Harrogate – charming, cosmopolitan, and surrounded by stunning countryside, there is something here for everyone, and their dog!

Dogs, Dales & Ales:  take your dog, and take in breathtaking scenery; among the many awe-inspiring walks on Harrogate’s doorstep is the iconic circular route around Malham Cove and Gordale Scar – stop off for wholesome food and real ales at the dog-friendly Buck Inn.  

Spend a day exploring the many trails around the scenic setting of Aysgarth Falls, and enjoy traditional pub grub at the nearby Wheatsheaf, a lovely country inn where dogs are as welcome as their humans.

Explore the beauty of Wensleydale, and then treat yourself to something special - The Wensleydale Heifer in the village of West Witton is renowned for steaks and seafood, including a selection of lobster dishes, and is the perfect spot to savour true Yorkshire hospitality with your four-legged friends.

Recreational Refresh: make a family switch from screentime to real time and explore the Valley Gardens. A town centre oasis where little ones love the playground, paddling pool and boating lake, where teens take to the skate park, crazy golf and pitch & putt, and where summer blooms, tranquil ponds, and woodland walks are enjoyed by all.

Stroll across The Stray - Harrogate’s famous green parkland – and savour a leisurely brunch, lunch or dinner at the popular West Park Hotel. Not only does the restaurant have dog-friendly areas, but it also ensures their comfort by providing dog beds!  

Castle, Crafts & Cuisine: just a stone’s throw from Harrogate is the picturesque village of Ripley, home to an imposing castle. Take a guided tour and discover its enthralling history, spanning over seven centuries; wander around the ornamental lake, across the waterfall and through the deer park; marvel at one thousand year old oak trees and spot fallow deer, rabbits, squirrels, heron, woodpeckers and, if you are very lucky, a kingfisher as it flashes past.

Ripley Castle also hosts superb summer events, including the annual Ripley Show – a key date each August for the local farming and craft communities.

Tick Boxes for Teenagers:  in and around Harrogate there’s cycling, hiking and horseback riding; there’s great shopping, cool dining and wall climbing. Everyman has big-screen movie escapism, or test your teens with real life Escape Room challenges – and, of course, nightspace properties have Wi-Fi bandwidth for all their devices.

With its parks and gardens in full bloom, its cosmopolitan pavement cafes and bars, and its warm Yorkshire welcome, Harrogate in summer is a very special place.

Spend leisurely days and long balmy evenings in this beautiful spa town, and explore some of its fascinating history.

Venture further afield - with its array of beauty spots, and the Dales on your doorstep, Harrogate is perfectly placed for savouring a scenic picnic. Treat yourself to a gourmet feast from Weetons, and dine al fresco amidst breath-taking views at Brimham Rocks, or enjoy the waterside tranquillity of local reservoirs.

For nightspace clients planning future visits during July there is the opportunity to immerse yourselves in the fictional world of murder and mystery. Now considered a world leader of events in this genre, Harrogate hosts the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival annually in July. Crime fiction icons Val McDermid, Lee & Andrew Child, Lisa Jewell, Ann Cleeves, Jeffery Deaver and Lucy Worsley are just some of the special guests who have been included in the killer line-ups! Book ahead to secure your nightspace stay at the centre of the action for 2024!

Harrogate’s connection with crime fiction dates back to the 1920s, when the town was at the centre of a real life mystery – the disappearance of Agatha Christie, one of the most renowned and beloved crime writers of all time.

In December 1926, when Christie’s car was discovered abandoned at Newlands Corner, a beauty spot near Guildford, the story gripped the nation as much as one of her fictional mysteries. It sparked the biggest national manhunt the country had known, with over a thousand policemen assigned to the case. Two of Britain’s most famous crime writers - Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy L. Sayers - were drawn into the search. Conan Doyle, who was interested in the occult, even went as far as taking a discarded glove of Christie’s to a medium.

The case dominated headlines until, after 11 days, Christie was found in Harrogate at the Swan Hydropathic Hotel (now The Old Swan) where she was staying under an assumed name. There was much speculation as to what caused the famous writer's disappearance; theories ranged from her having suffered a nervous breakdown, following a recent revelation of her husband’s affair, to the belief that it was purely a publicity stunt – Agatha Christie herself never gave an explanation for the mystery of the missing days…

Harrogate often featured in Agatha Christie's works, and her association has had a lasting impact on the town's literary heritage. The annual Harrogate Crime Writing Festival attracts famous authors and fans from around the world, and pays tribute to Agatha Christie's legacy and influence on crime fiction.