Using one city as "home" base

1 day is probably plenty for Leeds, unless you are REALLY into shopping!
It's a great shopping city, with good restaurants & pubs, too.

OK, I've put Leeds back on the internary.  What should we do while we're there?  We are planning a day trip to York but I have two days down for Leeds. We will be on foot or have to rely on public transportation if we need to get away from the city center.

I'm baaaack!  What are your interests?

Personally, I'd spend more time in York and Leeds than I would either Nottingham or Sheffield (hee hee) but that's just me & I know you're coming over for specific reasons to see those locales in particular.

Leeds city centre is easily do-able on foot!  That's the beauty of Leeds.  It is great for shopping and also awesome Victorian architecture.  There's a fantastic museum near city centre:

http://www.royalarmouries.org/

Kirkstall Abbey is also very nice (short bus or taxi ride out of city centre):

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/kirkstallabbey/

We also have some nice stately homes further afield in the Leeds vicinity. But again it depends on where your interests lie...

Let us know what sorts of things you're looking for - shops? pubs? history? architecture? museums? etc...

Thank you.  Investigating this more, it looks like we'd be better off -- as you say -- in York and take a day trip to Leeds to see the University.

The trip has really changed from what I first planned... we're spending two days in London on our free BA two nights free deal and then taking the Eurostar to Paris for three days and then coming back to go to York? and see Leeds...

I'm not married to stopping in Nottingham anymore.  We'll come back in a couple of years when my daughter starts narrowing down her futher education choices.. so I'm just looking for something that's not too far from London, timewise (we'd like to take a train to London the morning of last day so we can catch our 3pm flight back to Denver)....

Just looking for a nice charming, town where we can relax the last few days of our vacation and enjoy England.

I'm looking for something with some English charm that has things to see/do for those on foot... my daughter is not too keen on museums.. we more like just exploring and seeing how people outside of London live... 

Just looking for a nice charming, town where we can relax the last few days of our vacation and enjoy England.

I'm looking for something with some English charm that has things to see/do for those on foot... 

I would say you can't go wrong with a stay in York for English charm -- it has bags of it!  York Minster (even if you don't fancy history/museums) is an absolute MUST & be sure to take the guided tour that comes with your entrance fee!   Plus if your health is up to the challenge & it's a reasonably clear day, pay the extra money to go up the narrow winding passageway of 275 steps to the top of the central tower for an amazing view all around!

Have lunch/tea at Bettys!  http://www.bettys.co.uk/cafe.asp?storyid=%7BCE5F672F%2DE1B0%2D4E5C%2D8F57%2D14237779479D%7D

Ooooh & take a ghost tour!  I did that once in York & it was so much fun!

we more like just exploring and seeing how people outside of London live... 

People outside London actually live quite well!  I love it here (Yorkshire) & can't imagine living in London myself -- though it certainly has its appeal and its own charms.  If you have any questions about Leeds, let me know!  Leeds Univ is easily accessible from city centre on foot, btw.

Hopefully, someday you'll be able to return & maybe rent a car as well -- because in both York & Leeds, you're very close to some amazingly gorgeous countryside as well in the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors national parks.

http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/

http://www.visitnorthyorkshiremoors.co.uk/

And the North Yorkshire coast is also beautiful -- all those old fishing villages, some actually built on steep cliffs overlooking the rugged wildness of the North Sea.

(I mean no disrespect to Nottingham or Sheffield -- never having spent much time in either.  Perhaps those who live there can comment on their charms?  Only that my British DH isn't particularly excited about either of them -- whereas he was very keen to show me all the wonders of Leeds and York, plus the adjacent national parks & the coast, etc once I started coming over here.)

seriously, Carolyn, I think we should nominate you for some kind of Yorkshire MBE!

Lady Carolyn of Yorkshire

seriously, Carolyn, I think we should nominate you for some kind of Yorkshire MBE!

Lady Carolyn of Yorkshire

 

I was just pleased to see Q-G stepping in for me, while I was away!  Even though she lives north of north , we'll make her an honorary Yorkshire woman -- eee by gum!