Top 10 Things to Do in York, England
#10 - York’s Chocolate Story
If you’ve ever wanted to walk through Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, this is one of the closest things to it. You will have a guide who will walk you through how chocolate is made, why each process matters, and gives you an immersive experience of chocolate-making, along with getting to sample many types of chocolate as well. This is perfect for kids (and kids at heart)!! Lastly, you get to try your hand at making your own chocolate to take home with you. It’s a perfect afternoon for kids and chocolate lovers!
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Average Cost: £17.50
#9 - Valhalla Pub
Some people would say this is super touristy, which usually means the food and drinks won’t be good, but my goodness - the shareable boards were out of this world! There are many boards themed to Norse mythology, like the Odin board, the Thor board, and the Ragnarok board - all of which contains home-baked breads, cheeses, pork pies, crudités, and more. Pretty much all of the food and alcohol is locally made, which really makes a difference in taste and quality. What’s fun is the building it’s in. While the pub opened in 2017, the rooms give you a sense like you’ve entered the Viking age!
Hours: Monday - Thursday (11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.), Friday - Saturday (11:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.), Sunday (11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.)
Average Cost: depends on what you order
#8 - York City Walls
A must-do for everyone visiting York is walk the York city walls. These are old medieval walls containing the old city of York. Some portions of it are gone, but most of it still remains. There are some plaques displaying the history of the city walls that can provide some interesting stories and facts. It is about 2 miles long, making it the longest medieval city wall in all of England. For the most part, the top is pretty smooth to walk on; however, you will need to climb some steep stairs if you want to make your way to the top. Prams are not allowed on the city walls, so if you have babies, make sure you carry them in a sling.
Hours: 24 hours
Average Cost: FREE
#7 - The Hole in the Wand
Initially when we walked in, we thought this was a Harry Potter themed gift shop. To our surprise, it was actually a Wizard-themed mini golf! Honestly, we wonder why nobody talks about this when visiting York because it was one of the most fun activities we had done while visiting the city. First off, you are given your wizard name. Then, you select your dragon egg (golf ball) and get pictures taken. After that, you are free to play your 9-hole game. However, it is very different and unique from traditional mini golf - it’s actually really difficult. We’ll not spoil the rest for you, but there are prizes for each player at the end of the game, depending on how many points you scored. Definitely worth a visit for a fun couple of hours!
Hours: Monday - Friday (11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.), Saturday (10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.), Sunday (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
Average Cost: £7.99
#6 - National Railway Museum York
We were recommended the railway museum by many family members and our Airbnb host. We kind of hesitated because we thought, “A railway museum? That can’t be fun.” We ended up going since it was free. Long story short, we walked out amazed! The National Railway Museum is more of a collection of old carriages and trains, with more than 100 locomotives on display. You can walk up to peak inside some of these trains from the 1800’s and 1900’s. Many of them are in gorgeous shape and are beautifully preserved, so you can really get a sense of what these would have looked like when they were in their prime. We were wrong when we thought this wouldn’t be fun. It was actually one of the main highlights of our trip!
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Average Cost: FREE
#5 - York Castle Museum/Clifford Tower
We’ve decided to combine these 2 together since they’re right next to each other. The York Castle Museum is not a museum of a castle, but it is sitting right on the location where the original York Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068. Rather, this museum serves as a collection of WWII, 1960’s, and York-specific historical artifacts and objects. There are other portions within the museum, but it was closed to the public at the time of our visit. The museum provides more of an overall history of England and York in particular.
The Clifford Tower is a portion of the castle that still remains here. In the tower, you will be able to walk inside the preserved areas of the castle, get to see an old chapel, learn about the horrible massacre that claimed 150 Jews, and walk up to the top of the tower to catch a stunning view of the city of York.
York Castle Museum Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (11:00 a.m. start on Mondays)
Clifford Tower Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
York Castle Museum Cost: £7
Clifford Tower Cost: £8.50
#4 - The Shambles
If you’re scrolling at pictures of York, this is probably what you’ll see. The Shambles is an iconic street of shopping with a narrow pathway and wobbly cobblestones. It is considered one of the best preserved medieval streets in Europe, with many of the buildings dating to the 14th century. Pretty much all of the shops are fun touristy gift shops, with themes ranging from Harry Potter, “potion” shops, old-fashioned candy stores, Viking souviner shops, and much more. Although JK Rowling states the Shambles is not the inspiration for Diagon Alley, it certainly feels like you’ve entered into one of her books!
Hours: 24 hours (store times vary)
Average Cost: FREE
#3 - York Ghost Tours
You might be surprised to know that York is considered the most haunted city in Europe. Since the Romans took this land in 71 AD, there has been a large history of bloodshed from the Romans, to the Viking Age, to more recent histories of murder and plots (don’t forget - Guy Fawkes is from this haunted city, and he likes to make appearances). Walking around, you’ll see symbols of black cats, silhouettes of ghosts, and alleyways that look like the perfect scene for a murder. By doing a ghost walking tour at night, you’ll be able to hear these tragic and creepy stories of the city’s past. But don’t think it’s all scary… it’s usually comedic with fun jokes and puns mixed into the stories!
Hours: varies
Average Cost: varies depending on what tour group
#2 - Jorvik Viking Centre
York is a fasinating place with rich history. And one of the periods that made York great is during the Viking Age. Even the name comes from Norse origins - Jorvik was the original name for this area in the 800’s by the Vikings. These Vikings were either Danes or Norse and took over the land that once belonged to the Romans. During excavations in the 1970’s and 80’s, there were considerable amounts of Viking areas and artifacts still in tact. These items that were found are now on display in the Jorvik Viking Centre. What’s fun about this centre is that they have a 20-minute ride at the beginning that mimics that of the old 1990’s version of Spaceship Earth at Epcot (definitely outdated, but fun nonetheless). This centre offers you a picture into the lifestyles of the Vikings living in York and how they contributed to the progression of life in England.
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Average Cost: £15
#1 - York Minster
And finally, one of the best attractions to do in York is go to York Minster. This is a gorgeous gothic-style cathedral that has semi-hidden crypts, colourful medieval stained glass windows, and extra large and immaculate ceilings. Built between 1220-1472, this beautiful cathedral has seen a long history of royal marriages, treasons, fires, wars, potential collapses, social liberties, and other historical events. It can be seen from almost every view in York and is in the heart of the city. You can take free tours of the cathedral or just walk around and take in history.
Hours: Monday - Saturday (9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.), Sunday (12:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.)
Average Cost: £16
