If you are looking for a great day out in the UK with your family, be sure not to miss out on a visit to York. This ancient walled city in North-East England, founded by the Romans, makes a perfect getaway, with an incredible history and architecture. Families have plenty of great choices, and here’s our pick of 14 fun and exciting things to do in York with kids.
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Lead your tribe around this vibrant city, from Roman ruins to medieval streets, Georgian townhouses to modern glass buildings. It truly is one of England’s most beautiful and interesting cities. There’s lots on offer, so read on for plenty of things to do in York to ensure a fantastic time with the whole family.
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Family-Friendly Things to Do in York
Jorvik Dig
DIG is a hands-on archaeological adventure giving kids the chance to become trainee ‘diggers’ and discover exciting artefacts spanning 2,000 years of York’s history.
With four special indoor excavation pits, all based on real-life digs in the city and filled with replica Roman, Viking, medieval and Victorian finds, children can pick up a trowel and explore how people lived in these times. For little diggers, there’s a special area where children can dig, play, handle objects and listen to stories that bring history to life.
An archaeologist is on hand to answer questions about your finds and help you piece together what life would have been like in the past. Kids can really get hands-on with history and touch finds from real archaeological digs, including pottery, bone and even antlers.
York Maze
Created from over one million living, growing maize plants, the award-winning York Maze isn’t just the largest maze in the UK, it’s a fun-filled day out in the countryside.
With a different maze design every year, the maze will baffle visitors both old and new, so a return visit can be just as much fun as the last. Find your way around the maze and collect the clues to solve the puzzle, then relax and enjoy the café and BBQ while the kids enjoy all the activities on offer.
With plenty of different rides, attractions and shows to enjoy, the kids won’t be bored. There are huge play areas to keep them busy all day long. Bump along on a tractor trailer ride, whizz round the track on the electric quad bikes, tackle the Kernel’s House of Cornfusion, putt your way to success at the crazy golf, or even try your hand at pig racing. For calmer activities, the kids can play in the sand or water area or get creative on the mural wall. Set out early to make the most of this super family day out.
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Yorkshire Museum
The Yorkshire Museum is a dino-tastic adventure where you and your family can explore fantastic exhibits about the old capital of the North and its intriguing history.
Learn about how York of old has shaped modern-day Yorkshire. If giant creatures from Jurassic times are a family favourite, the Extinct: A Way of Life exhibition lets your kids marvel at fossilised dinosaur bones and learn about creatures past and present that didn’t make it to the 21st century.
At the extinction exhibit, you can walk over real dinosaur footprints enclosed in glass casing, and your kids can weigh themselves to see which dinosaur they match closest in weight. Exhibitions change regularly, so every visit brings something new to keep everyone entertained.
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York Dungeon
York has plenty of ghost stories – are you willing to test your nerves? York Dungeon offers a live-action journey through some of the darker parts of York’s history, and you’ll meet characters such as highwayman Dick Turpin and renowned plotter Guy Fawkes. The actors are great and the exhibits are suitably gruesome.
This attraction isn’t advisable for under-10s, but entry is at parents’ discretion. Booking tickets online in advance is generally a good idea for popular attractions like this one.
Piglets Adventure Farm
Get your wellies over your trotters and discover that there’s a lot more to Piglets Adventure Farm Park than just pigs (although they’re certainly a “pig” part of the attraction). Meet goats, guinea pigs, cows, donkeys and pigs, and you can feed and pet some of them too.
Ride the tractor or the pink barrel train for a taste of farmer fun, dig up the giant pigs in the sand pit, and don’t forget to check out Truffles farmhouse and barn. If you and the family like a little friendly competition, test your strength and skill on the ‘Olympig’ obstacle course before bouncing on the large inflatable pillow.
If the weather isn’t on your side, discover the undercover Bale Play Baaarn, climb the straw bale mountain, race friends on ride-on tractors, brave the drop slides, monkey about on rope swings, and mess around in the dig’n’play corn pit. The child-friendly café serves a varied menu when you need to recharge, or carry on the fun with a game of crazy golf.
The National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a transport lover’s paradise, housing over 100 locomotives spanning the 19th century to the present day. Kids of all ages will love it.
Begin by looking at some of the old Royal steam trains that once carried Queen Victoria and King Edward. Everything is as opulent as you’d expect – Victoria’s carriages look like a miniature palace, decked in blue silks with golden trim. King George’s carriages, built for touring the country during the Second World War, are much more rustic.
The modern age is showcased in the main hall, where a large shinkansen is displayed, including a carriage you can walk through. There are trains from all ages and countries in this hall, including a towering Chinese locomotive – and don’t miss the Mallard, the fastest steam engine in the world. For very little ones there’s a play area, plus plenty of interactive displays for older children.
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Derwent Light Valley Railway
Continuing on the same train of thought is the Derwent Valley Light Railway, also known as The Blackberry Line, a heritage railway running on about half a mile of the original track.
Fancy a step back into the Wild West? They have just the coach for you: Sylvia – a wide-windowed observation/verandah coach and an attraction in itself.
Kids and adults alike can use their imaginations and become Station Master at the ticket office, inside the unusual and lovely station building. A day ticket for Murton Park also lets you move between the Derwent Valley Light Railway and the other attractions at Murton Park as often as you like on the day, including family favourites such as the Yorkshire Museum of Farming and a reconstructed Viking Village.
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York Minster
York Minster is an immense gothic cathedral, and so spectacular inside that even the hardest-to-impress family member won’t fail to be wowed. Allow plenty of time to walk around the ground floor, and pick up a map at the information desk so you don’t miss anything. If you have small children, pick up an Explorer’s Pack complete with an I-Spy challenge, binoculars, torch and mirror, compass and map, coloured pencils and paper, and a tape measure to keep them entertained as you go round, or download a family trail from the website before you visit.
You can also get hands-on in the Undercroft Museum. See the remains of an original Roman barracks through glass floors beneath the Minster, and touch archaeological remains uncovered over the centuries, including objects from York’s Viking past. Use the interactive displays to explore 2,000 years of history at the site, or get in character with outfits from the dressing-up rail.
You can also climb one of the towers for a great view over York – be warned, there are nearly 300 steps, and this isn’t suitable for under-8s. York Minster also runs dedicated family activities, especially during school holidays, so check the website to see what’s on when you visit.
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York Museum Gardens
York Museum Gardens are a great place to let the kids blow off some steam after visiting York Minster. These gardens have plenty of open space for the kids to enjoy, alongside some beautiful flowerbeds.
Within the gardens you’ll find fascinating ruins that were once part of a Roman fortress and a medieval hospital. At the centre of the gardens are the remains of St Mary’s Abbey. This beautiful building was begun nearly a thousand years ago on the orders of William the Conqueror and became one of the most important Benedictine monasteries in the country. The medieval hospitium, where visitors to the now-ruined abbey would have stayed, is one of the other buildings you can see inside the gardens, alongside the York Observatory.
This lovely garden is perfect for a picnic, but there are also riverside pubs nearby if you don’t want to pack your own lunch. There’s also a treat for geocachers, as the gardens include a dedicated geocache trail.
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York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower
York Castle Museum is one of Britain’s leading museums of everyday life. It shows how people used to live by displaying thousands of household objects, and by recreating rooms, shops, streets and even prison cells.
The museum was named after the former York Castle, which stood on the site. It’s best known for its recreated Victorian street, Kirkgate, which combines real shop fittings and stock with modern sound and light effects to evoke the atmosphere of Victorian Britain.
Elsewhere are plenty of displays, including historic toys, fashion, armour, weapons, tools, printing presses, cooking utensils, farming equipment and much more. The museum’s past as two prison buildings is explored in York Castle Prison, where visitors come face to face with ex-prisoners including highwayman Dick Turpin, who was hanged in 1739 for horse stealing. The real stories of the prisoners and staff are told in sometimes gruesome detail, so bear that in mind if your kids are sensitive to that kind of thing.
Clifford’s Tower
Clifford’s Tower is the largest remaining part of York Castle. The castle itself is long gone, but Clifford’s Tower once had a chapel and apartments inside. It was also used as a prison – Dick Turpin was held here before he was executed.
If you climb the steps to the top of the tower, you’ll be rewarded with a great rooftop view over York. It’s worth noting that this isn’t accessible for buggies or wheelchairs.
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Jorvik Viking Centre
Another historical museum covering a different phase of York’s history is the Jorvik Viking Centre, a short walk from Clifford’s Tower. York was known as Jorvik during Viking times, when many people came from Scandinavia and settled in the area.
At the Viking Centre, a ride takes you through a reconstruction of Jorvik populated with animatronics based on real people from the recreated settlement. It’s a day out full of surprises, with something new to see around every corner. Bear in mind that, to keep the experience authentic, it does smell a bit ripe – the aroma of dung is very lifelike.
York’s Chocolate Story
Enjoy York’s 300-year history with chocolate and unwrap the story behind many much-loved chocolate brands at York’s Chocolate Story.
Watch as expert chocolatiers make delicious treats – you’ll even get to sample a few. This interactive experience lets you get hands-on as you wander through the exhibition telling the stories of sweet makers from years gone by.
You’ll also learn how chocolate is made, how it’s transformed from bean to bar, and then have a go yourself. If you haven’t had your fill from the samples, enjoy more chocolate delights in the café, and pick up extra treats for home from the shop on the way out.
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York City Walls
York City Walls look like ancient battlements – which, of course, they were. York has always had defensive walls of some sort, and today 3.4 km remain. Walking the walls is a must-do activity, giving you some great views of the city.
As well as the views of York, the most interesting features of the walls are the bars, or ancient gates. One of them, Walmgate Bar, has the only remaining barbican. There are several different routes to take, so it’s worth checking these before you visit. There are also several places to stop for a drink or to rest tired little legs. Keep the kids close, especially when it’s busy, as some parts are steep.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is York a good destination for a family day out?
Yes – York packs an enormous amount into a compact, walkable city. Many of the top family attractions, including York Minster, the City Walls, Clifford’s Tower and the Museum Gardens, are within easy walking distance of one another, so you can cover a lot of ground even on a single-day visit.
Is York Dungeon suitable for young children?
York Dungeon isn’t advisable for under-10s, as some of the content and effects are designed to be scary and gruesome. Entry is ultimately at parents’ discretion, so consider your own child’s sensitivity before booking.
Do you need to book tickets in advance for York’s attractions?
For popular attractions such as York Dungeon and York Maze, booking online ahead of your visit is generally a good idea, both to guarantee entry and to make the most of your day. Check each attraction’s own website for current booking details.
What should we bring for a walk along York’s City Walls or a visit to York Minster?
Comfortable, sturdy shoes are a must, as parts of the City Walls are steep and York Minster’s tower involves nearly 300 steps (not suitable for under-8s). For younger children visiting the Minster, an Explorer’s Pack or downloadable family trail can help keep them engaged.
Are York’s museums good for younger kids as well as older children?
Yes – places like the Yorkshire Museum, National Railway Museum and York Castle Museum all have interactive displays, play areas or hands-on elements aimed at younger visitors, alongside plenty to interest older kids and adults too.
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Fancy more days out like this? Bookmark this guide to York for your next family trip, and browse our other UK travel ideas whenever you’re planning your next adventure.
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