Days Out York

Take a trip with City Cruises – with some EXCLUSIVE Mumbler discounts!

Our Sightseeing Cruises are fun for ALL the family, you’ll have a great view of the city and our captains will share parts of the history of our ancient city and the immense impact the River Ouse has had on its development!

Book a Daytime Sightseeing or Evening Sightseeing trip online, using MUMBLER10 for 10% off!  Please note that this discount code is not applicable against other cruises (including the Fish & Chips Cruise).

Or how about being the captain of your very own boat? With our Self-Drive Boats, you’ll receive full instructions on how to operate the boat along with our safety and river rules, whilst life jackets will be provided for children. Maximum capacity of 5 passengers.

Book a Self-Drive Boat Trip online, using MUMBLER5 for £5 off on a weekday!

DOWNLOAD AND COLOUR Your captains Hat before cruising

Puzzle-filled Outdoor Games that Engage Children with Local History.

Families all across Yorkshire are discovering a new way to enjoy their cities. Local company CityDays run urban treasure hunts that explore the city streets and encourage players to engage with and be curious about their surroundings. A fun-filled mix of problem-solving, teamwork and local history, the hunts combine the best parts of escape rooms and walking tours to create the perfect family experience.

Teams receive clues to their phones that guide them with riddling directions from a start-point to interesting and scenic parts of cities like York and Sheffield. At select points they are tasked with solving puzzles using the buildings, statues and strange quirks found in the streets around them. When the correct answer is given they unlock fun facts about the area and more clues!

All the hunts are walking distance and feature optional breaks at great pubs and cafes along the way. The clues require no prior knowledge and come with hints to make the experience something everyone can enjoy. All this combines to make CityDays’ games a fantastic family day out. Get to know and love your city! Find out more here.

Running every 15 mins, 7 days a week, the CitySightseeing York tour will capture the hearts of all ages! With so many things to do and attractions to see, our live guides will guide you through 2000 years of history in York.

You’ll never be short of things to do in York. Take the City Sightseeing York bus tour and be inspired by the beauty this city has to offer. Hop-on our open-top bus at Exhibition Square and get ready to start the adventure through time! If you’re feeling ravenous then hop-off to grab dinner at one of the pubs behind Bootham Bar, some of York’s finest. This is also the stop for one of the country’s most impressive medieval cathedrals, York Minster.

Dive straight into the medieval history of York by taking a walk up the Shambles. Hop on again to visit Clifford’s Tower at the next stop.

Join us around York and enjoy the views! Your ticket is valid for 24 hours.

Now there’s a new way to take a look into the past as you explore North Yorkshire’s County Town, guided by the ‘Discover Northallerton’ app in the palm of your hand.

Discover more about the heritage of Northallerton and uncover hidden stories of fascinating people, places and events that shaped this historic market town through the centuries.

With 2 trails, there is loads of fun to be had!

‘Autumnfest trail with the Mowbrees’ enjoying the sights as we watered Tinker Mowbree’s veggie patch near the phone box, threw conkers in Applegarth Park, searched for treats hiding in pumpkins in Zetland Street, and danced with the twins, Violet and Spike Mowbree, by the pedestrian crossing!

‘Portals into the Past’ entitles the second trail, which is packed with information about the history of the town and we had chance to have a little look, but would love to return another day to take in the details of the trail.  Here you can uncover Northallerton’s hidden stories of fascinating people, places and events, including the Town Hall and Shambles, the Rutson Hospital, Register House, and the original site of Northallerton Grammar School before it moved to Grammar School Lane and then became Northallerton College.  This would be a great trail for schools to use as part of a local history project.

Read our review HERE

Stretch your legs and your mind with Openworld Quests! An interactive walking puzzle quest that’ll take you into the heart of York.
Start in the city with nothing but your team and a phone. Navigate the route by solving puzzles using strategy, creativity and logic. Each correct answer unlocks the next stage of the quest!

The debut game – The Ghost Quest – takes approximately two hours and is suitable for wheelchair users and buggies, and players aged 8yrs+.

It makes the perfect family activity, team building exercise, first date, or entertainment for guests!

“The clues were great and the writing was very funny, we laughed a lot. We saw so much of York; things that we have walked past many times but never noticed. It’s a great way to see something of the city, bits that you don’t know are there, and learn a bit of history at the same time.” – Karen Hayward

“A really fun way to explore the beautiful area around York Minster, it made us really look at our surroundings! A super mix of ghost stories and great humour, we loved the fitting end to our quest too!”
– Karen Skeel

“Fun and interesting meander around unfamiliar parts of York. Nice treat at the end!”
– Aileen Jones

Why not walk from Rowntree park to Homestead park?

Download the map here: Childrens Walking Map which has things for children to spot on the way.

The walk takes approximately 1 ½ hours. The last section is not suitable for wheelchairs or large buggies, but an alternative route is suggested.

Our Mumbler Mythical Creature Quest takes you on a short but magical walk around York to seek out eight mythical creatures that are hiding in the city. Perhaps you’ve walked past some of them before and never even noticed them? Once you find each creature you’ll need to unscramble the clues to uncover the magical Mumbler password!

Download your Mumbler Mythical Creature Quest map for FREE here or pick up your FREE quest map from Visit York Information Centre.

Watch our Mythical Creature Quest video on our York Mumbler You Tube channel.

 We’d love to see you out and about on our Mumbler Quest, so if you do take some photos, don’t forget to use the hashtag #MumblerMCQ so we can share the fun you are having! 

The Magic Hatter brings his award-winning entertainment to the streets, with spellbinding magic, comedy, and a dash of York’s history!

“The ‘best birthday party ever’ apparently, it’s been the talk of the class this week! Both the adults and children were captivated.” – R. Brown

“We couldn’t have been more delighted! They gasped, they laughed, they had a great time. A really special hour.” – Beth V

Magic Hatter Entertainments has over 10 years experience delivering unforgettable birthdays. Private Wizard Walk of York tours are available for truly magical parties which include…

• An exclusive 1-hour tour full of wizard magic, comedy and five-star fun
• A Wizard Wand Kit for the birthday child
• Optional Wizard Wand Kits for the guests at a reduced price (great alternative to party bags!)
• A chocolate frog, owl ring and personalised letter from the Wizard
• Free invitations

The birthday child even gets to assist the Wizard of York, becoming an Official Trainee Wizard!
Find out more on the website. Early booking strongly recommended.

If a private tour isn’t suitable, you can also book on one of the many public tours. Pre-booking only, selected days. Visit the website to book. Gift vouchers also available.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways, party tips and more!

York Minster Trails, Deansgate, York
💜 FREE for York Residents 💜One of the few indoor trails, so a perfect rainy-day option. There are lots of different trails to complete!

Look for shapes, patterns and colours as you journey around York Minster with the new STEM trails: Maths Quest, Light Quest and Nature Quest. Perfect to keep little brains busy!

Follow the Dragon Quest Trail to help legendary knight St George to find all the dragons in York Minster

Trails can be collected from the Welcome Desks or downloaded here: yorkminster.org/visit/schools/learning-resources/ Don’t forget to borrow a Little Explorer Backpack to help you on your quest!

💷 Cost: Free Entry for York Residents, just take proof of address. Free entry for up to four children aged 17 and under with each adult.

📍 Deangate, York YO1 7HH
⏰ Time to complete: Less than an hour