Advice on trip to York

[MrsElm]

I have just visited York for the first time, 2 days 1 night. It was a work jolly, so only some free time, but enough to make me realise it's a gorgeous city!

I would like to take my DD12 on a trip there, staying from Monday to Thursday, during October half term. I would really appreciate some tips and advice from York MNers, or any one else who travels there.

Hotels - I am looking at the Novotel. Any experiences of this? And are prices likely to go down or up from now ie should I book now or wait.

Things to do. I have shopping and the Jorvik centre on the list so far. Any other must sees? And is October half term likely to be busy?

Trains - we will be travelling up from the South Coast, and would like to avoid the tube. What's the best way to go?

Many thanks in advance ☺️

The Novotel is very nice and perfectly located. We’ve used it a few times when visiting my son at uni. Prices tend to go up is my experience. Nice little swimming pool, but you still had to book a time when I was there last month.

Cost of parking there or in city centre is horrendous, so the train is a good shout. If you could Thameslink to St Pancras, it’s an easy walk to Kings Cross to get a fast train direct to York.

The Yorvik has always had queues when I’ve been there, so worth checking pre-book and fast track options. The Minster is beautiful. A walk round the city walls is free and fab. There are a few chocolate tasting/ making type experiences. A river trip is lovely. Great shopping in the city centre - I wouldn’t bother with the out of town designer outlet type place. Lots of quirky cafes - brunches especially good!

The castle museum is excellent, definitely have tea at Betty’s
, walk the city walls, boat trip on the Ouse.

Novotel is good (or at least was when we last stayed in early 2020).
If it gets really busy (and it does at half term) they do restrict the pool times so you might need to plan around that.

National Rail Museum and Castle Museum are both brilliant.

From where on the south coast? If Sussex, you’re best bet is to get the Thameslink up to St Pancras, then it’s just a case of crossing the road to get to Kings Cross, so no need to go anywhere near the tube.

Thank you so much @partystress @HermioneWeasley @DaisyDozyDee

The Novotel is looking like a definite, we will book the swimming, as DD is very keen on that.

I did the Yorvik centre, river cruise and Betty's on my work trip, so all added to list. DD is very into shopping so that will feature highly, but I would like to insert some culture too. But probably not the Minster. I did the Tower Challenge on Thursday, and my leg muscles are still extremely painful 😫

Does anyone know how best to book cheap advance rail tickets? The Trainline app was not very helpful.

If you are planning on travelling by train with her again I would get a family railcard, it really brings the price down.
Go to the Ghost shop my teen loves it instagram.com/yorkghostmerchants?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
there’s always a queue. If she likes Harry Potter there are a few shops.

Also you are well placed to go to somewhere like Newcastle or Leeds for the day as well.

The Van Gough exhibit is well worth a visit if it's still there is October.

Jorvik museum
York dungeons
Betty's for tea and cake
Hire a boat on the river Ouse
Castle museum
Clifford tower
The Minster
Harry Potter shops
The Shambles
The chocolate story
Walk the bar walls
Take the bus to the designer outlet
Bus to Vanguard, they have a bowling alley, crazy golf, swimming pool etc

There’s a good outlet mall just outside the city - you could get a taxi if she likes shopping

We went on an evening ghost walk which we all enjoyed. Not really scary or gory, more like a history walk. Also went on some kind of evening gothic bus tour (vintage double decker) that was fun. We had a lovely afternoon tea at the Railway museum in an old fashioned railway carriage. Unlimited drinks and sandwiches and a bit different to Betty’s.

If you are set on tea at Betty's (I would be), there's always a queue unless you go early morning, or late in the day.

The art gallery is free and if she’s interested in art worth a visit. It won’t take long though as is small. Dd enjoyed it. Me not so much but I’m not very cultured 🤭

the chocolate story the dc enjoyed it at that age. They also like the bar walls. That can take a whole day as you can hop off and go for coffee/lunch at points near town. Just one bit that’s basically on a busy road walking past supermarkets and not very pretty. And the bar gates can be a bit grubby the one by the art gallery had lots of rubbish inside where people have obviously been sat eating macdonalds etc.

rail museum?

dd always enjoyed the shambles. Looking at the restaurant where her mum and dad had their first official date. It’s been taken over by Harry Potter tat now the whole street but still interesting and good window shopping.

if you want to shop there is a bus to the outlet.

we’ve stayed at Novotel a few times as we live down south now and it’s good and clean and breakfast is nice.

All these…there are other nice cafes aside from Betty’s…though it’s nice for a treat….
shopping - that must include the shambles . Most kids will prefer this than trawling round the modern shopping streets that could be any town.
if you have some cash, the carriage rides form cathedral are nice to see city..or there’s an open top bus
my son used to give walking tours when he was a student there. They probably still run. His companies ones used to start at cathedral. They were good value as in you paid only by tipping at end for amount you thought it was worth. . I seem to remember there are also “ghost” walks in evenings which I imagine older kids would find a hoot.

Brunch & Brownie do a fabulous breakfast menu as well as cakes/pastries/brownies.

Footprint tours was the free walking tours from students…just tip what you think it’s worth. 2 hours.

There's a Harry Potter themed mini golf opposite Jorvik. You get a game for around £6 and a free potion drink at the end.

The Shambles has an outdoor food court with various street food vendors. There was this amazing burger van last time we were there and also a noodle vendor that did a great Pad Thai.

Thank you so much everyone! I have the hotel booked, and have ordered a railcard.

With regards to the shopping, I think we will stick to the Shambles and the town centre, rather than the outlet. The art gallery is a good call too!

You can use Clubcard points for the Jorvik centre if you have any. There are 3 or 4 parts to the Jorvik centre and we got a combined tickets for “free” with those. Didn’t end up having time to do it all in the end.

The railway museum was a surprise hit, have zero interest in trains normally but found it fascinating, especially the different royal carriages through the ages.

The infamous ghost shop is shut on Wednesdays as I found out sadly!

DD17 & I stayed in York for 3 nights last summer holidays and had a fab time. We went to Jorvik, York Castle Museum and York Dungeon which were all brilliant. We also went to the Museum of York which has a detailed history of York and an interesting section on dinosaurs. Rather than walk the walls we did the Cat Walk which is an excellent way to get to know the city on foot. You can pick up a route map in the Cat glass shop in The Shambles. We also visited Dick Turpin's grave where DD did the Dick Turpin song from Horrible Histories! All the ghost walks were booked up so we went on the evening ghost bus instead which was fantastic fun.
I would advise pre-booking everything in advance so that you get to choose when you go in somewhere. Most stuff was good value for money except the Dungeon which, although DD found entertaining & fun, was quick and rushed for the money.

We also travelled up from the South coast and went via Waterloo. The tube journey to Kings Cross is easy and short. Remember to book seats for all your train journeys between Kings Cross and York. We stayed in a self catering apartment right on the river in the city centre and only had a 10 minute walk to anything we wanted to go to.

We went a couple of years ago with teenage children. Got the York pass, and my teens loved...

York dungeon
Jorvik
Chocolate story
The York nuclear bunker (eldest was a bit of a history nerd at the time)
The Yorkshire museum

Also did Clifford tower (wouldn't pay to do it, but as it was on the pass, didn't mind)
The boat trip and bus tour
York minster

And there's a great Yorkshire pudding shop that does fab Yorkshire roasts!

Adding Clubcard vouchers for Jorvik to list. And the Cat Walk sounds intriguing. DD loves anything Cat!

Novotel is well located to walk in to town, castle museum is very handy. Half term is pretty busy but there's plenty of space and you can plan ahead. I would do museum etc first thing in the day then shopping later. There's a nice cinema off Coney Street in the town centre if you fancy that.
Maybe a ghost walk or similar.

We had great pizza here: www.crescipizzeria.com

Advance rail tickets usually go on sale 12 weeks in advance. If you look at the LNER website, you can see what tickets are 'open' and sign up for an email notification for your required date. You can also get automatic delay repay and you don't pay a booking fee, and there are some exclusive discounts, and you can book tickets for all rail companies. (I don't work for them, but I can never understand why people use trainline when they charge booking fees!)

STOP PRESS!!! There is a Cat Cafe in York! ☺️🐈☺️🐈☺️🐈

We may actually be spending most of our time there 🤣

There's a cat cafe too in York which you have to book but looks lovely if you want a chilled out cuppa