As someone who lived in York for 2.5 years, I’ve gained knowledge of a fair few things to do here.

My favourite weekends are often the ones which involve a wander into town as York never seems to lose its charm. I’ve compiled some activities as my top things to do here, enjoy!

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While there are plenty of free activities and sights to see around York, grabbing a York City Pass to gain access to 20 attractions all for one price is a great idea!

Activities

Walk the Bar Walls

Hard to miss, the bar walls surround the entirety of York, giving the city centre only four points of access at each bar. It’s possible to walk the almost-complete loop, which offers great views over York. If you ever want to complain about York’s traffic, this, and roadworks, are great scapegoats. “The city just isn’t built for todays volume of cars!” is a crowd favourite.

York Minster

No trip to York is complete without paying a visit to the York Minster. You can attend a service, or visit during their general admission opening hours. There are very helpful & friendly volunteers who are happy to share their knowledge and the story behind the stained glass.

Treasurer’s House

Part of the National Trust, you can visit the Treasurer’s House. This is located right by the Minster, making it an easy addition to your adventure around York.

Ghost Bus Tour

York is famous for it’s haunted history, so climbing aboard the York Ghost Bus Tour for a comedy horror show is a no brainer. This bus is always busy driving around York each night, so is perfect for a fun night out!

Museum Gardens

One of my favourite things to do around York is to stroll around the museum gardens. Especially during autumn when the changing colours come alive. The remains of the St Mary’s Abbey can be found here too. You can also visit the museum here, although this is something we haven’t got round to dong just yet.

City Cruise

With the River Ouse running through York, going on a city cruise is a no brainer. We went just before Christmas without realising our ticket included a hot drink & mince pie, win!

Decide between different options, such as the floodlit evening cruise, or the early evening cruise.

National Railway Museum

One of the first things I ever did in York was visit the Railway Museum with my family. If you’re into trains this is definitely the place to go, and to be honest its great even if you aren’t.

Merchant’s Adventurer’s Hall

Located in the centre of York, this unique building can be admired from outside, or you can go inside to explore the hall, or pop into the cafe.

Jorvik Viking Centre

Home to an interactive ride through the viking era, the Jorvik Viking Centre is a unique place to pay homage to York’s historic past. Once the ride is over, there is a museum full of viking history. Fun fact – Jorvik is the old name for York! We were lucky enough to visit here for free during York’s Resident Weekend.

Make Chocolate

Situated in a perfect city centre location, you can get involved with making your very own chocolate bar to take home. Perfect for a rainy day activity!

Mansion House

Another gem we visited for free during the Resident’s Weekend was the Mansion House. This grand building is located slap bang in the middle of York, and we’ve often seen important people in fancy outfits make the journey from the Minster to here for some important reason, I’m sure.

Harry Potter Walking Tour

If Harry Potter is up your street, York is the perfect place to visit. With plenty of places allegedly the inspiration for the books, taking part in a Harry Potter Walking Tour is perfect to learn about York’s fascination with wizardry!

Explore the streets

York is full of iconic streets, each quirky and unique in their own way. You can make your own way around them, including the Shambles – a particularly iconic street. Visit early in the morning or during the week for your best chance of missing the crowds.

Alternatively, you can join a walking tour of York, to learn lots of local insider information about the city.

Monk’s Cross mini golf & bowling

Both located in Monks Cross (accessible by bus or car), you can play mini golf, and even go bowling at the Hollywood Bowl right beside it. Monks Cross is also home to many large fashion brands & supermarkets to fill out your time here.

If leaving York is more your style, I’ve also compiled a load of recommendations for day trips from York.

Thank you so much for reading,

Love, Lydia x