30 Fun Things To Do In York, England

Last Updated on 18th October 2023

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Are you planning a trip to York but not sure how to fill your time in the city? This ultimate guide of the best fun things to do in York England has got you covered!

I moved to York when I was 8 years old and it’s a city that I love more and more every time I’m back here. Before we went travelling, we lived in a studio apartment right in the city centre, just next to the Museum Gardens for a year, so spending all that time in such close proximity to one of the most beautiful places in the UK left me feeling incredibly lucky.

I’ve already written plenty of York guides on my blog, you can find some linked below or check out the archives here, but today I wanted to put together a huge guide and itinerary of all the best fun things to do in York England!

Let me know some of your favourites in the comments!

P.S. Please bear in mind that this post was originally written during the Covid-19 global pandemic (hence the face mask on the picture above).

1. Head to the Minster – fun things to do in York

The York Minster is undoubtedly one of the most iconic tourist attractions in York and is also one of the biggest and most impressive cathedrals in Europe, if not the world!

The imposing stature of the Minster really is a sight to behold and it’s no surprise that I’ve listed it as one of the best things to do in the city.

The inside of the Minster is just as impressive as its exterior, and you can even head right to the top for unparalleled, 360° views of the city and beyond!

2. Take a stroll down The Shambles

The Shambles is yet another one of the top attractions in York and the quirky and cute street that comprises The Shambles offers visitors an insight into Ye Olde York.

Thought to be one of the inspirations beyond Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter franchise, The Shambles are now donned with not one, not two, but THREE Harry Potter and wizard-themes shops!

The Shambles can get incredibly crowded and busy, so it’s best to head there early morning or later in the evening if you want to try and get a picture that’s relatively void of people.

Book a guided walking tour of The Shambles here!

3. Visit Clifford’s Tower

Clifford’s Tower is one of the oldest and largest remaining parts of the York Castle complex that resides in the city centre.

Sitting proudly on top of a hill, Clifford’s Tower was built by William the Conqueror in the early 1000s and the restored version now offers visitors impeccable views of the city on a clear day.

4. Eat afternoon tea at Betty’s

Betty’s is one of the most famous eateries in Yorkshire, with branches in numerous locations across the county, with the most popular being Harrogate and York.

Betty’s Tearooms are world-renowned for their vast offering of hearty afternoon tea and I truly think it’s an experience that everyone should enjoy on at least one visit to York.

It might be a cliché to eat here, but once you step inside and taste the food and enjoy the relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere, you certainly won’t regret it!

The traditional afternoon is always a winner, but the menu is also absolutely teeming with delicious dishes and desserts.

5. Visit Thor’s Tipi

Thor’s Tipi is a seasonal event and is currently only held during the summer months for a few weeks, as well as at Christmas time for a couple of weeks too.

I’ve been visiting the winter version of Thor’s almost every year since its inception and it’s an absolutely incredible and festive activity to enjoy during the winter months.

At Christmas time, you’ll find a giant tent, complete with indoor fire pits, log burners, hot apple cider and mulled wine, plus the cosiest atmosphere you can imagine!

6. Walk along the River Ouse

The River Ouse pretty much runs through the very centre of the city and it’s a perfect place to enjoy a leisurely stroll on a lovely day.

There are ample opportunities to sit down with a glass (or bottle!) of wine and a picnic, or you could challenge yourself to see just how far you can walk along it and see how much wildlife you can spot along the way.

7. Have a picnic in the Museum Gardens

The Museum Gardens are one of my personal favourite places in the whole city and that’s largely due to the fact that I used to walk through them every single day when I worked in town before I became a full time freelancer.

The Gardens are absolutely beautiful, regardless of the time of year, but they really do seem to come alive during the spring/summer when the grass is a rich green colour and there’s an abundance of flowers budding.

It’s an idyllic place for a picnic as it’s a quiet haven of greenery away from the busier areas of the city and it’s also a great place to bring kids if you’re visiting the city with the brood in tow in order to let them blow off a bit of steam!

8. Eat at Cosy Club – fun things to do in York

Long time readers of I’m Just A Girl will know just how many times I’ve raved about the Cosy Club branch in York and I’m going to do it all over again in this post.

Cosy Club is one of my all-time favourite places to eat in York and it’s somewhere that I recommend to absolutely everyone who’s visiting the city; whether it’s their 1st or 100th time there.

Some of my personal favourite dishes include the tapas selection, the Cosy Club Sandwich, steak sandwich, buttermilk chicken and the stew.

Read more: Cosy Club York Review

9. Visit the York Dungeon

I’ve only ever been to the York Dungeon once before so I don’t think it’s something you absolutely have to do on your visit to the city, especially if you’ve already been to the London and Edinburgh versions before.

However, it is still a fun experience, especially on a rainy day when outdoor activities have to be put on hold. You’ll be taken back to scarier times and the immersive experience is slightly terrifying, albeit tremendous fun!

Book tickets to the York Dungeon here!

10. Walk the City Walls

The York City Walls were built in the 13th century and comprise of four main bars, plus numerous smaller gateways, towers, windows, arrow-slits and more. They’re the longest town walls in England and consist of 3.4km (2 miles) of surviving masonry.

It’s remarkable to see how well in-tact they still are, especially after all the enigmatic history that’s occurred within them and they make for a great activity to enjoy for a couple of hours on a nice day.

The York Walls website has much more information about them, plus interesting little insights into the top sections and things to see along the trail.

11. Be a kid again at The York Chocolate Story

York’s Chocolate Story is one of the more recent additions to the city’s tourist scene but it’s already gained huge popularity since 2012.

At YCS, you’ll be taken on a guided tour through 3000 years of chocolate history within the city of York. It’s a fantastic, immersive experience for the whole family and you’ll learn how chocolate is made, as well as getting the chance to make your own and of course, sampling some delicious treats along the way!

Book a guided tour of York’s Chocolate Story here!

12. Enjoy a drink at Spark – fun things to do in York

Spark York is another fairly recent addition to the food and drink scene in the city in recent years.

Here you’ll find many shipping containers consisting of multiple local businesses and enterprises including food and drink stalls, jewellery and tattoo establishments, as well as workspaces and arts and culture sections.

It’s a fun, lively and vibrant area of the city and it’s a great place to find alternative food and creations.

13. Tuck into tapas at Ambiente

I could honestly spend hours talking about the food scene in York so before I bore you too much and repeat myself a million times, head over to my ultimate guide of places to eat and drink in York.

I will however, talk about another one of my top recommendations for food in the city and that’s Ambiente Tapas.

Ambiente actually have two branches in York; one on Fossgate and another one on Goodramgate.

The food at Ambiente is absolutely exquisite; I’m a huge fan of tapas anyway, but Ambiente always seem to take it to the next level and I couldn’t recommend it enough for a delicious meal in York!

14. Spend a luxury night at The Grand Hotel

The Grand York is one of the top rated and most beloved hotels in the city and while I’ve never actually stayed there myself, I have been to a few events there and I can 100% vouch for its luxuriousness!

It’s definitely not a budget accommodation option but it is a bloody lovely place to stay if you’re visiting the city for a special occasion and you want to treat yourself to a bit of luxe travel.

15. Go on a pub crawl – fun things to do in York

It’s thought that there are more than 365 pubs in York; that’s more than enough for every day of the year!

Of course, if you’re just visiting the city for the weekend, then you certainly can’t expect to visit them all (unless you have some super awesome powers!), but you can make a good start on a few of the very best.

There’s plenty of old pubs such as Ye Olde Star Inn, Lamb and Lion, House of The Trembling Madness, plus many more, as well as some new and more modern offerings too.

16. Experience the JORVIK Viking Centre

I’m very aware that the picture above doesn’t exactly reflect the JORVIK Viking Centre in any way, but unfortunately I don’t have a very good picture of the attraction as I didn’t take any on my last visit there.

However, the JORVIK Viking Centre is a must-visit in the city for history buffs and those looking to experience a bit of local culture while in York. The exhibitions throughout are truly amazing and life-like and it’s a great thing to do in York if you’re visiting with kids.

17. Admire the archaic St Mary’s Abbey

St Mary’s Abbey is actually part of the Museum Gardens but it’s such a cool part of the city that I thought it deserved its own spot on this list.

The ruins of this Benedictine Abbey provide a romantic, albeit almost eerie backdrop for photos in the Museum Gardens and it’s also a place that many people choose to have some of their wedding photos taken.

18. Go on a food tour of the city – fun things to do in York

I think it’s clear by now just how amazing the food scene in York is, but if you’re struggling to choose just one place to eat while you’re in the city, you should definitely consider embarking on a food tour.

Just before we went travelling last year, Matt bought me a Hidden Gems Food Tour from Tours In A Dish as part of my Christmas present and even though we thought we’d experienced pretty much every type of cuisine there is to enjoy in York, our food tour showed us differently.

We went to restaurants and food stalls that I’d never even heard of and we tried so many new and different things that we’d have probably never found ourselves.

If you’re looking for an alternative way to spend a few hours in the city, while still sampling plenty of scrumptious food, definitely consider booking a food tour of the city.

19. Visit the National Railway Museum

Again, I’m very sorry for the lack of accurate picture in this section but I can’t seem to find a good picture of the National Railway Museum, or even the bloody train station! I also lived pretty much next to the station for almost a year so this seems pretty much impossible but such is life 🤷‍♀️

The National Railway Museum is yet another great thing to do in York and it takes you on a journey through England’s railway past. There’s immersive experiences to be enjoyed, as well as the chance to see some truly old and fascinating trains.

20. Go back in time at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall is a Grade 1 listed building and comprises of a base for charities, workshops and businesses to enjoy, as well as a museum dedicated to numerous inspiring collections.

The garden area around the Hall is also beautiful and I spent many lunchtimes in there eating and reading a book.

21. Spend a day at the York Races

Thousands of people flock to York every single year to enjoy a day at the York Races and it’s something that will take up pretty much the entirety of your day, so you might want to incorporate your time at the races over the course of a weekend so you can enjoy the rest of the city too.

It’s a fun-filled experience, depending on which specific racing day you attend and it’s a chance to get dressed up and enjoy some time in the sunshine while making some (responsible) bets on your favourites to win!

22. Get spooked on a Ghost Tour – fun things to do in York

York is supposedly renowned for being one of the most haunted cities in England and the Ghost Tour of the city will see you visiting the most “haunted” spots in town.

The tour guides are always funny and not-so-serious and it’s a great way to see a different side of the city.

Book a York Ghost Bus Tour here!

23. Splash out on a meal at The Ivy

The Ivy isn’t necessarily a restaurant that’s exclusive to York, but it is one of the fanciest and most sophisticated so if you’re looking for somewhere to eat that’s sure to ooze luxury, then there’s no better place than The Ivy.

You’ll find plenty of British classics on the menu such as Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips, as well as more expensive dishes such as steak and salmon.

Read more: The Ivy York Review

24. Go on a river cruise

A cruise along the River Ouse is a popular thing to do in York amongst both locals and tourists.

It’s best enjoyed during the warmer months when you can sit on the open-top part of the boat and enjoy learning about historic spots along the river as you go.

Book a York City River Ouse Cruise here!

Bonus fun things to do in York

Splash the cash at the York Designer Outlet
Head off on a day trip to Castle Howard
Visit the York Castle Museum
Take a day trip to the North Yorkshire Moors National Park
Go shopping at Monks Cross and the Vanguard Centre
Visit the Yorkshire Coast on a day trip

Fun things to do in York – conclusion

I hope this huge guide to the best fun things to do in York, England has inspired your next trip! York is such a gorgeous city with so many fun things to see and do! It’s the perfect city for Harry Potter fans, couples looking for a romantic city break and for families travelling with kids; it really does have something for everyone!

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