Harrogate or Durham?

Harrogate has the history of the Victorian Baths, a very large public garden/playground, very walkable center with individual shops for cheese, a fishmonger, butcher etc. and several Tea Rooms. There is a visitor center in the middle of town that will provide maps and a waling tour.
As well there is a very nice English Botanical Garden Harlow Carr. Harewood House Princess Mary, the only daughter of George V. Lived there, it has a small zoo within the gardens. The Victorian town is lovely to walk around and enjoy the architecture.

If you enjoy the outdoors Yorkshire Dales is a very lovely National treasure.

I did a day trip to Harrogate and visited the RHS garden at Harlow Carr, had a lovely tea at Betty's, and popped into the Old Swan Hotel where Agatha Christie disappeared to in 1926. The walk to the Harlow Carr garden from Harrogate was about 30 minutes through lovely woodland.

I haven't been to Harrogate, but really enjoyed my day in Durham. The cathedral (which you know) was just incredible, but I really enjoyed the city as well. I spent several hours wandering around, checking out shops and cafes. It had a really fun and interesting vibe to it. I really wanted to visit Durham Castle as well, but just couldn't find the time as I needed to get to Seahouses by dusk. I would definitely go back and visit again. This might help you: https://www.thisisdurham.com/things-to-do/durham-attractions

BTW, did you see the Lego model of the cathedral on display? So cool!

For Durham there's Crook Hall Gardens

A short distance away, there's Beamish museum, Washington Old Hall, Raby Castle, Bishop Auckland, Blanchland, Weardale, Teesdale, Escomb Saxon church, Locomotion railway museum at Shildon, Newcastle is only ten minutes by train

Three days will go quickly

Harrogate is charming and there is a lot to do. Our company used to have an affiliate located there and the employees that worked there and went to business meetings said there was plenty to keep busy. Lots of spas and royal gardens. Very posh!

Adding onto ramblin’ on’s list for Durham...

Beamish is wonderful - it is one of the best of the folk museums in the country. Buildings from round the area have been reassembled here and include a 1900s town with pit village, colliery, and railway station. There’s a 1940s farm, 1950s town and 1950s hill farm as well as Pockerley manor dating from the mid c18th along with an early tramway. There are trams and old buses taking visitors round the site, There’s loads to see - too much to take in in just one day. Staff are excellent and love to talk about the site and listen to stories from visitors.

Did you visit the treasury in the cathedral? Have you visited the castle? Crook Hall gardens are delightful and there is also the Botanic Gardens. The Oriental Museum is excellent.

Just a short distance from Durham is Ushaw College , a real hidden gem with its wonderful chapel. This used to be a training college for RC priests and was very private. It is now open as a tourist attraction.

Aukland Palace, once the home of the Bishop’s of Durha is well worth a visit. Kynren, an Epic Tale of England is being performed whiole you are in Durham. Do try and get tickets as it is a fabulaous light and sound story covering 2000 years of English history. There's a Viking boat, Roman soldiers, Normans on horseback as well as a fair with sheep and geese. There a pit explosion and the coffins of dead miners being carried for burial. Stevenson's rocket thunders across the stage too. I've been twice and have been spell bound by the performance. This really is a don't miss attraction.

There is Jarrow Hall with its Anglo-Saxon farm, and the Bede museum. Link this with a visit to St Paul’s monastery in Jarrow and also Jarrow Church. There’s also Monkwearmouth saxon church too.

There’s Tynemouth with its ruined castle and priory on the headland overlooking the mouth of the Tyne.

There’s Hexham with its abbey (don't miss the crypt) and that gives access to Hadrian’s Wall... with some superb walking along the wall.

Durham and the surrounding area wins hands down for me. My top picks would be Beamish, Kynren and Crook Hall Gardens.

Wow! Thanks so much for the great suggestions wasleys and everyone! I just looked up the Kynren event and I am not sure we can get there without a car. It looks great as do so many things mentioned!

Buses 6 and 56 take you from Durham to Bishop Auckland for Kynren, also trains from Darlington to BA (change at Darlington for Durham).

Kynren is a major local event and is well served by public transport taking people to and from the event. It is a wonderful atmosphere as people make their way there either by bus or on foot.

Email Durham Visitor Centre and I am sure they will be able to give you full details of how to get to Kynren by public transport.
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The cathedral in Durham is amazing. The Venerable Bede is buried there.

The Venerable Bede is buried there.

So is St Cuthbert!

There is also the wonderful RAF window at the back of the nave with its image of Durham Cathedral and castle...