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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Things to do in York

38 replies

polkadotneedsachange · 30/05/2022 11:33

Hello wonderful vipers. Im off to York with 10 and 14 year old for few days. Any top tips/ cool places to eat/ things to see. They don't fancy Jorvik but pretty open to other ideas. Hit me with your quirky stuff - got a car so also happy to drive about. Thank you!!

OP posts:
SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 30/05/2022 11:59

Hire a blue or red boat on the river. Think they're called self driving boats. You get an hour with it.

Dungeons might be fun with younger ones too?

Newnormal99 · 30/05/2022 12:04

Castle museum was good. There also ghost walking tours but we didn't do one so do t know what they are like.

RazorstormUnicorn · 30/05/2022 12:58

Just walking the walls is quite fun and a nice way to see the city.

I agree Dungeons might be better than Yorvik for that age. Transport museum is ok and is donation entry so you can choose price and not donate much if you think you'll whizz round.

And depending on your 14 year old they might like the designer outlet but actually York's boutique shops are better.

I've no specific recommendations on food or drinks as everywhere is good. I go 3 or 4 times a year (live nearby) and seem to end up at a different restaurant every time! Never been disappointed though. I've never bothered queuing for Betty's, but only heard good things.

If you want a day outside the city the drive across the Moors to Whitby is lovely drive with nice views or Scarborough has a better beach.

Bells3032 · 30/05/2022 13:03

Castle museum is awesome, York dungeons. Opposite the Jorvik is a "Harry Potter" themed mini golf and cafe we loved too. The chocolate factory is also fun though might be the wrong age for it

CakeIsMyFavouriteAndBest · 30/05/2022 13:03

We are going in August with similar ages, been before though. Have booked the Hole in the Wand wizard themed crazy golf. Will also be going to the train museum as they loved it last time!

jimboandthejetset · 30/05/2022 13:09

Would they go to the Railway Museum? It's huge, free and really quite fascinating.
My kids were a bit obsessed by The Armory Shop on Stonegate. Lots of armour, axes etc. Quite good fun to browse in!

Notacottish · 30/05/2022 13:13

We went to York and it was amazing weather so we hired a car and drive about 45 mins to Brimham Rocks and it was AMAZING. Pack a picnic for a really fabulous day of climbing. Highly recommended. We then went to Harrogate for tea at Betty’s afterwards. That was lovely too (we had booked but you can queue up for it). Enjoy!

Georgyporky · 30/05/2022 17:42

Whatever you decide, I recommend pre-booking where possible.

There were some things we couldn't do when we were there last year because they were fully booked.

moiraandthebebe · 30/05/2022 17:42

Buy a ghost in The York Ghost Merchants.

jaffacakesareepic · 30/05/2022 17:50

polkadotneedsachange · 30/05/2022 11:33

Hello wonderful vipers. Im off to York with 10 and 14 year old for few days. Any top tips/ cool places to eat/ things to see. They don't fancy Jorvik but pretty open to other ideas. Hit me with your quirky stuff - got a car so also happy to drive about. Thank you!!

Whitby is nice, quirky and popular with goths if any of them are that way inclined, scarborough has a sea life centre

Also i think whitby has a small horror museum which was cheesy but fun if i remember rightly

CoralPaperweight · 30/05/2022 17:51

Was there at Easter with my almost 9 year old. Walking the walls and going for ice cream was his favourite thing. We got gelato from a place on Goodramgate opposite little italy. There was also a lot of street performance going on near the Minster and near York's chocolate story

Harry Potter golf at the Hole in the Wand was good fun - but book as it gets busy. Shambles is also fun but it gets busy - lots of queuing to get in the Harry potter shop.

We were disappointed by the self drive hire boats (they are run by city cruises now). It was expensive and noisy and there was no information to let you know what you were seeing. Maybe try the sightseeing boat instead?

Railway museum was good too - we paid to do the Mallard experience which was interesting ...

SausageinaBun · 30/05/2022 17:55

We did a treasure hunt style tour where clues are on your phone.

If you are going in half term there's a Viking festival on.

SlatsandFlaps · 30/05/2022 19:23

Yorkshire Air Museum which is on an old WW2 RAF airfield that's been fully restored to how it used to be. Loads of military & civil aircraft and a couple of simulators! yorkshireairmuseum.org
The Dig - All about fossils and your kids can dig for fossils themselves! My 7yr old loves it!
Yorvik Viking Museum (includes a fascinating ride!) Highly recommended.
There's also a hidden Cold War bunker you can visit
Web Adventure Park has a High Ropes Course
York Chocolate Story which we really enjoyed.

kickingupdaisies · 30/05/2022 19:27

Do a ghost tour for the interesting history! Definitely a must

Doubleraspberry · 30/05/2022 19:37

My kids adore afternoon tea at Forest restaurant. It’s a quirky tea with savoury stuff (including mini Yorkshires) as well as cheese and cake, and the kids get immense hot chocolate with popping candy in it. I think there are a few other good places for food with kids but we’re quite new to York and still discovering.

Castle Museum is a big hit. The Crypt in the Minster is really interesting. There is Go Ape at Dalby Forest and Ripon has some sort of tree top trampolining thing we’re yet to try!

York has a ghost bus tour with a double decker kitted out with lamps etc like the Knight Bus in Harry Potter. No idea what’s it’s like but it’s on our list.

Just walking the walls lets you see a lot of the city and you can come down anywhere for some good food. My favourite place so far for sandwiches, coffee and cake is Mannions on Blake Street. Their cheese scones are incredible.

Doubleraspberry · 30/05/2022 19:39

Oh, and DH did the Mindlock escape room thing recently and said it was excellent (he got locked in).

Blueuggboots · 30/05/2022 19:45

The ghost tour that meets at the end of whip ma whop ma gate is HILARIOUS. Family friendly.

Isleoftights · 30/05/2022 19:52

Betty's Cafe Tea Rooms, for quintessential English afternoon tea; not cheap and always a queue to get in. The attached shop sells treats to take home....try Betty's Yorkshire curd tart.

Antarcticant · 30/05/2022 20:09

National Railway Museum - it's free to enter.

ChocolateCroissantCafe · 30/05/2022 20:16

Do you like cats, by any chance? There's a free self-guided walking trail with clues and historical facts, that takes you round the cat statues hidden in the city over the centuries. It's run by the cat shop and gallery, and it starts and ends there.

YellowFlowersGreenStems · 30/05/2022 20:21

We really like to eat at Ate o clock and there's a good pancake place called the double Dutch pancake house.

Hole in wand is good if they have any interest in harry potter but you need to book. Also the yorkshire soap company shop. I always go in for a look! Brimham rocks is fantastic if you don't mind a bit of a drive.

Labracadabradoodle · 30/05/2022 20:24

I visited last year and can highly recommend the Cat trail and a Ghost walk..this one was brilliant
www.shadowsofyork.co.uk/

ClosedAuraOpenMind · 30/05/2022 21:55

Watching as we're heading back to York this year. For Harry Potter fans I can recommend the Potions Cauldron, where you can book potion making experiences, and but wizard slushes (including with gin Grin)
the chocolate experience was also good, and I lived Brigham rocks, though pre-teen DD was in a strop that day

NorthFaceofthelaundrypile · 30/05/2022 23:01

Highly recommend Mad Alice for her bloody tour of York ghost tour.
We also walked the full circuit of the city walls, which we all enjoyed.

Longdistance · 30/05/2022 23:11

I took dds who were 10 and 8 at the time. They loved everything we did.
The railway museum - we went twice
Castle museum
Afternoon tea
There’s a cat shop that sells anything cat related
We went along the Shambles and went to all the shops there.
We did go to Jorvik centre.