There are activities, events and days out in York that are accessible, autism-friendly, sensory-friendly or audio-described.
Note: We have not included places, events or activities unless they have specifically noted they are accessible. There are lots of wonderful places in York that may be suitable to visit, but if it doesn’t state it’s accessible on their website then they are not included it here. Please do get in touch if you have any more we could add.
City Screen York offers some autism-friendly screenings – find out more here.
Cineworld
Vue Cinema York offers autism-friendly screenings of recent releases. Find out more here.
Open Country directories are produced to help you discover accessible places.
North Yorkshire accessible places to visit – Open Country
Energise Leisure Centre offers various inclusive sessions/activities, including:
Inclusive swim sessions: Every Tuesday 10.30 – 11.30 and Sunday 14.45 – 15.45.
SEND Swimming Lessons: Monday 16:30 – 19:30
Level Water Swimming Lessons: Monday 15:30 – 19:00
For more info: https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/york/energise/inclusive
York Stadium Leisure Centre
SEN Clip ‘n Climb
A SEN focused Clip ‘n Climb session with reduced capacity and no music to support any sensory sensitivity. These colourful exciting state-of-the-art climbing wall systems allow you to have the best experience in a safe, supervised environment, suitable for those aged 4 and up.
This specific session happens in the Clip ‘n Climb arena every Friday at York Leisure Centre, 15:40 – 16:40. BOOK HERE
Inclusive Toddlers World
Situated within our Sports Hall, our Toddlers World is a fun and interactive play session with a
Jungle Bouncy Castle and soft matting with soft play shapes. Children must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
This session has a reduced capacity.
Thursday 11.05-12.05pm
Ages: 6months -5 years. If you feel a child will enjoy this session however is older than the advertised age range please email us at
Yorkstadium@GLL.ORG. BOOK HERE
Inclusive Swim
This open session is designed for people with disabilities and their carers and family members in a friendly and safe environment. Pool hoist assisted entry to the pool and easy access steps available. It is a dementia friendly session with no music for sensory sensitivities. The session has a reduced capacity and includes access to all pools, Main Pool, Learner Pool and Splash Pad.
Ages: All ages, under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult. Carers can attend for free and do not need to book.
Times: Saturday 28th October 16.40-17.40. (Normally on 16.20-17.20pm every Saturday) BOOK HERE
Point Zero Trampoline Park offers a ‘friendly’ session every week, for all abilities and is autism-friendly, with no flashing lights or music:
Agility Parks York offers a quieter session every week, for all home educated children. Music is lower, smaller numbers and instructor led. Discounted rate if pre-booked online.
Everything is considered to suit all shapes and needs that a family might have. The trails are very nature based and therefore sense driven. The gardens is flat with hard standing paths in most areas so suitable for mobility aids. Even heading into the parkland there are barked paths where possible to open up some of the wider walks. (Riverside, less so sadly). The play area is created with bucket swings and fully supportive seats, a wide low slide and different height frames so all ages and stages can play together.
There are accessible toilets in both toilet blocks – near the entrance and near the play area.
No specific quiet time but first thing and last thing often naturally is, however with 8 acres to explore, if needed, families can find themselves the space they want.
Piglets Adventure Farm
Piglets offer “Animal Encounters” SEND sessions every day at 4pm throughout both term time and the holidays. Our SEND sessions do not use a microphone or have music and are limited to a smaller number of children. Our Animal Barn Team are also currently receiving Makaton training so as they all pass their training over the next few weeks, this will also be brought into our sessions on a daily basis!
Jorvik Viking Centre welcomes you and any visitors with additional needs. They are proud to have won the 2020 Visit York Award for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism.
The Potions Caultron & Hole in the Wand
These organisations have made significant strides in advancing accessibility for all visitors to our establishments. They have instituted various measures to enhance the experience for individuals with diverse needs.
The Wizard of York loves welcoming autistic and other neurodiverse visitors on his award-winning tours, and has been working on a Social Story to help ease any concerns before attending.
The Wizard has consulted with autism charities and parents of autistic children to ensure it is as effective as possible in helping prepare children for this magical experience.
It can be downloaded at https://www.wizardwalkofyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Social-Story-Wizard-Walk-of-York.pdf (warning, contains minor spoilers!)
The download is also on the wizarding website at www.wizardwalkofyork.com
too, under the Accessibility section of the FAQs.
The Wizard Walk of York is available to book for regular public tours, as well as private tours for schools, birthdays, Cubs, Beavers, Rainbows, Brownies and more. It’s the most magical ticket in town!
Murton Park, home of the Yorkshire Museum of Farming, living history sites and the Derwent Valley light railway. The park covers approx. 16 acres of mostly flat terrain. Whilst they make every effort to make the site accessible and wheelchair friendly, the nature of some of the outdoor areas and the surfaces of the trackways may present difficulties for those requiring certain kinds of mobility aid or wheelchair. Your visitor information sheet (given to you on arrival – and can be printed off in advance) features a map of the site: the facilities are indicated on this. They have also just become the first Makaton Friendly family attractions in York and North Yorkshire.
York Museums Trust aim to enable as many visitors as possible to experience all their sites. Members of their Welcome Teams have received special training including on autism, deaf and hard of hearing, blind and partially sighted, dementia, and different types of guide dogs. Some team members can also use British Sign Language.
For full accessibility information including suggested quieter times, accessibility, sensory baskets, ear defenders, access lanyards etc. click each site below.
York Art Gallery – more info
York Castle Museum – more info
Yorkshire Museum – more info
York Museum Gardens – more info
PLEASE NOTE
This list is not exhaustive, if you would like to be included in future lists then please just email with full details emily@mumbler.co.uk
For details of year-round SEND activities and events, click below: