At its peak in the 1950s, Grimsby was the busiest fishing port in the world. Today, the Lincolnshire coastal town remains one of the UK’s largest fishing ports, and a recent regeneration effort has brought new life to its docks and centre. Ready to explore? In this guide, we compile the very best things to do in Grimsby, from fishing heritage to breweries in converted churches, and underground museums to colourful street murals.
This site contains links to some services we love and recommend, which we may make commission from at no extra cost to you.
Is Grimsby worth visiting?
Grimsby might not have the biggest reputation as a tourist destination, but the town has a gritty charm and creative character that make it well worth a visit – not to mention its fascinating history as a world-leading fishing port.
While fishing is the town’s heart and soul, home to an industry that goes back to medieval times, Grimsby’s roots run even deeper. More than a thousand years ago the town was settled by Vikings, a history that lives in the town’s name, which derives from the Danish name Grim.
In Grimsby today, the regeneration of the docklands and the town centre have brought a new lease of life. The town is emerging as a popular filming location, and has been coloured by a wave of modern street art.
It is also becoming an interesting foodie destination, with new food halls, markets and bougie restaurants springing up – and of course, you won’t find better fresh fish for miles around!
Does Grimsby have a beach?
Grimsby does not have a beachfront itself, but you don’t need to venture far to find one. Adjoining town Cleethorpes has a long beach that marks the northernmost point of a vast stretch of sand reaching all the way down to Skegness.
You can find the top spots in this stretch of coastline in our guide to the best beaches in Lincolnshire.
Things to do in Grimsby: Sightseeing
1. Visit Grimsby Minster (and spot the Grimsby Imp!)
Dating back over 900 years, Grimsby Minster is a fascinating slice of history right in the heart of town. It’s been a central part of the community for centuries and was officially granted minster status in 2010. If you’re arriving in Grimsby by train, the minster is just a two-minute walk from the station.
The minster host various exhibitions and events throughout the year, or you can just pop in during the daytime from Tuesdays to Sundays and have a look around.
Inside the minster you can try and spot the Grimsby Imp, a 12th-century stone carving with a legend connected to that of the famous Lincoln Imp of Lincoln Cathedral.
The two imps are fabled to have been sent to cause havoc. The Lincoln Imp is said to have been caught and turned to stone, but a second imp got away – only to be caught later in Grismby. The imp is nestled at the top of a column beneath the bell tower of the minster’s south aisle.
Grimsby Minster also has a very good café, where you can grab a hot drink and a homemade cake.
2. Spot Grimsby Dock Tower
Grimsby Dock Tower is impossible to miss. Standing at 94.2 metres and built with more than a million bricks, it’s the tallest building in town and can be seen for miles around.
The tower was built in 1852, replicating the style of the Palazzo Publico in Siena, Italy. It originally provided hydraulic power to function the dock’s cranes, lock gates and sluices, and also featured a reservoir that could store 30,000 gallons – an ample supply of drinking water for ships and the local community.
Today, the tower is still used for aircraft navigation and as a radio transmission point. It is a Grade I listed building under a preservation order, and has been undergoing conservation works in recent years.
3. Find colourful street art murals
With its somewhat grey reputation, Grimsby might not be the kind of place you would expect to see vibrant street art. However, thanks to a project called Paint the Town Proud, you can find an array of colourful murals dotted around the town’s streets.
The project’s dozen murals in Grimsby and nearby Cleethorpes are grounded in themes that represent the towns’ identities. In Grimsby you can find works like “Harriet the Haddock”, “The Grimsby Docks Drive-In” and “The Valiant”, all celebrating the town’s fishing and nautical traditions.
4. Step aboard the Ross Tiger
Of all the fishing industry icons you can find around Grimsby, the Ross Tiger is perhaps the most cherished. Believed to be the oldest surviving diesel side-trawler in the UK, the ship has become intwined with the town’s character.
Built in the 1950s when the town’s fishing industry was at its uttermost height, the trawler was one of the world’s earliest commercial fishing vessels. She went on to serve for over 30 years under dozens of different skippers.
In 1992 the Ross Tiger was converted into a museum anchored on Alexandra Dock. You can take tours guided by former trawlermen to learn about its history and hear stories of life on board.
Tours run at 11am, 12noon and 3pm on Tuesdays to Sundays all year round, and last about an hour.
Things to do in Grimsby: Activities
5. Explore the Fishing Heritage Centre
If you want to delve deeper into Grimsby’s fascinating fishing industry, a visit to the Fishing Heritage Centre is a must. Located right next to the Ross Tiger on Alexandra Dock, this award-winning museum takes you on a journey through the town’s maritime past, from the origins of the port to its bustling heyday and beyond.
Fishing in those days was no easy life – it was a dangerous and unforgiving job. The centre pays tribute to the brave fishermen who risked everything, with poignant displays that highlight their courage and the lives tragically lost at sea.
Through interactive exhibits, you can step back into 1950s Grimsby in a way that feels incredibly vivid – complete with authentic sounds and even the distinct smells of the docks. It’s a fantastic day out for families too, with hands-on activities like exploring vintage equipment and trying on traditional oilskin fishing gear.
6. Take a walk on Grimsby Docks
If you have seen the popular Netflix miniseries Bodies, you might be surprised to learn that many of the scenes depicting wartime London were actually filmed on Grimsby Docks.
Walking around Grimsby’s old docks will give you a sense of why it is gaining attention as a filming location. The area has a gritty charm that transports you to a lost moment in time. Although the town is still one of the UK’s most thriving ports, many of the docklands buildings have faded into disuse, and amid the lively markets you can wander among crumbling warehouses and remnants of fish smokers and curers of a bygone era.
But the docks are evolving and renewing. The area known as the Kasbah Quarter is the focus of an urban regeneration project, bringing in specialist food and beverage producers to reoccupy the characterful old buildings, while also injecting an artistic touch around the 90-odd buildings in the area.
Take a train down to Grimsby Docks railway station and wander up to the Kasbah, see the Grimsby Fish Market that springs to life from 5am to 8am on weekdays, and stop for a moment at Coffee on the Docks. This is where old Grimsby meets the new.
7. Learn Grimsby’s history at the Time Trap Museum
Concealed underneath Grimsby Town Hall in some old police cells lies the Time Trap Museum, a charming little portal into the town’s past.
The museum is open from 10am to 4pm on weekdays, but you might not spot it right away. Head into the Town Hall reception, where you can pay a modest entrance fee (just £3.50 when I visited). From there, you’ll be directed to a winding wooden staircase that leads to the exhibits, and handed a pen, paper, and a fun quiz to complete along the way.
Once you descend into the old cells, the interactive displays walk you through the early growth of the fishing industry while also recounting various tales of disease, violence, politics and football that coloured the town’s development.
The museum takes about an hour to explore and is a great way to discover the town’s fascinating roots.
8. Browse contemporary art at Turntable Gallery
There is no better example of Grimsby’s fresh creative streak than Turntable Gallery, a contemporary art space opened by two internationally renowned artists in 2022.
Dale Wells and Darren Neave first opened the gallery in the town centre on Victoria Street, but in 2024 it moved to a new location at the heart of the docks. Thus it has become part of the renewed drive to reinvigorate the Kasbah Quarter.
You can drop into the gallery on Thursdays to Saturdays between 11am and 2pm and catch the latest contemporary exhibitions. There is a revolving door of displays and events to see throughout the year, exploring various thought-provoking themes.
9. Go for a stroll in People’s Park
While Grimsby is best known for its gritty docklands and urban aesthetic, the town does also have some lovely green spaces where you can wind down for a walk or a picnic.
Our favourite of these is People’s Park, a 23-acre Grade II listed green space that dates to the 19th century. Situated a few blocks south of the town centre, the park is a refreshing place to escape for a while, whether on a dog walk, a bit of relaxation with the family or you just want some downtime.
The park has a café called Coffee on the Park where you can enjoy a drink and a snack while taking in views of the tranquil lake. Drop by in summer and you can often see live entertainment from the bandstand.
Things to do in Grimsby: Shopping
10. Explore the new-look Freshney Place Shopping Centre
Freshney Place has the epicentre of the shopping scene in Grimsby for decades. First built in the 1960s and renovated in the 1980s, it has the aura of a classic British town shopping centre of the time, lined with 100 or so brand outlets.
The centre is undergoing a fresh makeover, which is set to open in autumn 2025 featuring a new food hall, market hall and five-screen cinema, injecting new life into a space that has been stagnating in modern times.
If you’re looking for high street shopping in Grimsby, this is definitely the place to start, and the centre’s central location makes it a great pivot for a day out in town.
11. Shop for boutique fashion at Abbeygate
If independent boutique shops are more your vibe, then Abbeygate Shopping Centre in Grimsby will be right up your street.
Opened in the mid 1980s, this little open-air shopping arcade occupies an old brewery yard behind the train station that has been transformed into an array of quirky shops, mostly with a focus on clothes, beauty and fashion.
In buildings that were once rundown factory houses you will find boutique fashion stores, salons, skin clinics, and a handful of bougie cafés and restaurants. It’s a gem of a spot that provides an alternative environment to the regular high street.
Things to do in Grimsby: Food and drink
12. Stop by for a lunch bowl at Pal
We stopped by at Pal Bar and Kitchen for a delicious lunch while wandering through Abbeygate on a weekday. This stylish little eatery is great for a friendly lunch, romantic tapas dinner, or just a couple of casual afternoon drinks with friends.
The menu includes a creative selection of bowls and flatbreads that you can combine with a drink for an excellent value deal during the day.
The evening vibe at Pal becomes a bit more ambient, just right for a date night. The tapas on offer is just as inventive as the lunch menu, with such treats as Mongolian meatballs, butternut bhaji and “pig prawns” (king prawns pan fried in pancetta).
13. Eat a wood-fired pizza at Tredici (or try a pizza-making experience!)
Standing directly opposite Pal, Tredici is another excellent and classy little eatery at Abbeygate. This is the only place in Grimsby where you can find authentic Italian-style handmade pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven.
“Tredici” is the Italian word for thirteen, which, contrary to British traditions, is believed to bring good luck. Well, you’re definitely in luck with this place if you’re a pizza-lover at a loose end in Grimsby. The pizzas are outstanding.
On Sundays at Tredici you can learn the skills behind the flavours by joining one of their pizza-making experiences. These highly popular workshop last 90 minutes and cover every step of the pizza creation process, from hand-stretching dough to baking in the oven to perfection. They get booked up well in advance, so it’s best to get in there early.
14. Explore the award-winning Freeman Street Market
Back over at the docks, Freeman Street Market is one of Grimsby’s new-age foodie destination spots.
There has been a market at the site for over 150 years, and Freeman Street itself was once the heart of Grimsby’s shopping scene, but it fell into decline. A regeneration in the last decade has seen the market hall modernised and revitalised as part of the drive to restore the docklands area to its former glory.
The rejuvenated market hall now combines classic fresh produce stalls with an array of street food options. In 2022, it was named the best small indoor market in Britain by The National Association of British Markets.
Freeman Street Market is typically open during the daytime from Tuesday to Saturday, and is a great spot for some lunch on the go while you’re exploring the docks.
15. Visit a brewery in a converted church at Docks Beers
After a day of sightseeing and exploring in Grimsby, you’ll probably be a bit thirsty. We definitely were! Docks Beers is the perfect place to end your day if you’re partial to a craft beer.
Set in a converted church, Docks Beers is a craft beer brewery that typifies the modern regeneration of Grimsby Docks. It’s an unpretentious, down-to-earth place that feels both old and contemporary at the same time.
The beers are fantastic and there are various types and variations to try. If you are in town on a Sunday, you can also take a tour of the brewery. These run at 12pm and 2pm and last about 90 minutes, including the chance to sample six different beers. Well worth it for £20.
Where to stay in Grimsby
If you’re looking to stop overnight in Grimsby, the options are a little thin on the ground – the town has just a handful of guest houses and hotels, many of them chains.
Millfields Hotel is a very nice hotel in a 19th-century building close to People’s Park, and about a 20-minute walk from the town centre.
Rooms here are really good value, some with four-poster beds at a price that won’t break the bank. There’s a lovely art deco bar to wind down, and an in-house restaurant that serves fresh Grimsby fish and chips.
For somewhere even more fancy, you could treat yourself to a night’s stay at Healing Manor Hotel just outside Grimsby, featured in our guide to country house hotels in Lincolnshire.
The hotel is set in a 19th-century manor house surrounded by 36 acres of parklands, less than 15 minutes’ drive from Grimsby town centre.
Map of things to do in Grimsby
Click the map below to browse the locations of the things to do in Grimsby featured in this guide:
For more Lincolnshire town guides, see our recommended things to do in Louth, Boston and Skegness.
Do you have any recommendations on things to do in Grimsby that we haven’t included? Let us know in the comments below!
Love this? Pin it for later!
