Day trip from Manchester to york

[User6784097]

Hi I wanted advice about day trip from Manchester to york with two preteens and a toddler? Any top tips? Where to park and what sights to see. Is it doable
am I right in thinking that the walls won’t be suitable with the toddler.
Thanks

Park at any one of the park and rides that circle the city. go to the National Railway Museum

I always park at Askham Park and Ride. It is the first one you get to on the A64. It is much cheaper than parking in York, and the bus lane means that you sail past the traffic jams.

There are also loos at the park and ride.

Under other circumstances I would suggest going by train but TPE are absolutely rubbish just now with strikes and cancellations.

Very doable. It's only an hour.

Why don't you get your teens to choose the activities? Theres tonnes to do.

Toddler would find the walls uneven to walk on. I don't think it's dangerous.

There's a very lovely park by the river for your toddler and you could park near there, then walk along the river to the city centre. We just parked in a Q park or similar right near the minster.

I like the grounds of the York museum with the ruined monastery/Abbey. I prefer to wander round the city really just eating and soaking up the sights.

I think yorvik is good fun, go early and book in advance.

The older ones are preteens. About 8/9

If you park at the rawcliffe park and ride, get a day ticket, get off at the national railway museum, then once you've finished there it's only a short walk to the city Centre where there's plenty of shopping, and dining options as well as the bar walls, Clifford's tower, minster, Jorvik Centre, etc.
if you're getting the train, can do the same as the railway museum is directly behind the station.

Depends on how well behaved your toddler is as to whether the walls are a good idea. I'd take my 2 year old on the walls but definitely not my 3 year old niece! 😂 and either way, reins would be a good idea!

Jorvic centre (pre book) and have a look at Dig - think you can get combined tickets. Dig may be a bit young for the older ones.
Railway museum is good (and free).
Definitely park and ride!

The walls can be seen from the ground if you don't trust the toddler - and I wouldn't do it with a pushchair.

Thanks so
much everyone

At that age DD absolutely loved the Castle Museum. It houses the prison where Dick Turpin was kept as well.

Its a great City.
We have done the park and ride but also managed to park in the city.
Jorvik is good and its nice to show them the Shambles and explain how the city grew.
I think they will love it
You can also show them Guy Fawkes house near the minster
If its a small wall walk you want Conwy was a Medieval walled town and 90% of the walls are still walkable, great history lesson for them too. Easily combined with a beach and some Crab fishing
www.donthibernate.co.uk/conwy/

Thanks for all the tips can’t wait xx 😊

If you want to walk a bit of the walls, the section from Bootham Bar to Monk Bar (IMHO the best bit) and Monk Bar to Jewbury is completely fenced, so no big drops. Not suitable with a pushchair though.

The railway museum is great, and free, even if no one is that into trains there's lots to see and plenty of space if your toddler needs a run around.

If you have an M&S Sparks card (or sign up for one) English Heritage entry is half price over the summer so that will save some money into Clifford's Tower, not sure about anything else. I think it's just reopened after a refurb too.

Great street food market in the Minster/Shambles area. Don't know if it is just weekends or every day.

The Castle Museum is wonderful! Easy to overlook because of the "big name" Jorvik and National Railway Museums. Also the Yorkshire Museum, smaller and a bit more traditional "museum and gallery" but still fun.

Castle Museum is brilliant. So much in it, and fascinating for kids.

You could also get the train to York from Manchester. My kids always like a train ride.

Trans Pennine Express services are shockingly unreliable at the moment with strikes and cancellations @chipshopElvis.

If going by train I would usually pick up the TPE at Huddersfield but sadly, I am using the car more these days.

Just to update we absolutely loved our trip to york. Loved the Jorvik and the castle museum. Also Clifford’s tower and the shambles. York minster , railway museum . It was so much to see and do that we decided to spend a night. The older two kids loved everywhere and the toddler was also happy.
it is a wonderful city. Just walking around was amazing. So many quirky and independent shops

we managed to find parking very easily in the city. Would definitely like to come back and spend some more time. Thanks everyone for the tips

That's great that you had a good trip, thanks for coming back to tell us! Makes me hanker after a trip to York (I'm only about 40 minutes away, no excuse!)

Thanks for letting us all know, glad it was good