When planning our 10 day trip in London, it was tough to figure out how much time to spend where, in terms of days and hours. I’m slowly going back and working on sharing all the details of what we did and where, hoping that it will help other families planning trips to England! York was initially just a stop for us, and I added some extra time to explore more than that after doing online research. Once we were there, we realized we wanted more than 1 day! It is at the top of our list to places to return to over there. I’m sharing a list of the top 10 things to do in York, England with kids, let me know if I missed any of your favorites!
While you’re here, check out these posts as well:
- Visiting Alnwick Castle with kids – the harry potter castle in real life
- 7 steps to plan a family vacation
Pin this list of the top 10 things to do in York England with kids with this link or collage image:
Top 10 things to do in york england with kids
1. Jorvik Viking Center– This was a huge draw for us because my kids love learning about vikings! It was smaller than I expected and only took about an hour to go through, but we’re glad we stopped. It showed the excavation and talked about what scientists had dug up there, and then had a Disney-style gondola ride through an animatronic recreation of the village that used to be there.The small museum and gift shop shared additional information and examples of things found in the area. Visit their website here.
2. York Minster– An online friend recommended stopping here and I was skeptical about visiting with the kids but they actually had fantastic kid programming and we enjoyed our visit! They had cute little explorer backpacks with tools and gadgets, a scavenger hunt, and fun workbook. We loved seeing the beautiful art, architecture, and learning more about the history here. Visit their website here.
3. York city walls – We stumbled on these just walking from the train but the kids loved walking along them, and I spotted this cool crayon rubbing activity that we would’ve done with more time. Visit their website here.
4. Harry Potter spotting– If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, there are some special sports in York! This photo is from the train station in London heading to York above, but check out their “selfie trail” list for descriptions of Harry Potter significant spots in York!
The rest of these suggestions came from my research and are on our list for the next visit!
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5. National Railway Museum– Free and close to the train station, this museum has lots of hands on activities for kids to learn about trains! Also check out their interactive scavenger hunt app before you go! Visit their website here.
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6. Dig– This is associated with the Jorvik Viking Centre, giving kids a hands on experience for archaeology. Visit their website here.
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7. York Castle Museum– Highlighting history, this museum has a wide variety of exhibits and topics including one on the local prison’s history. Their site talks about lots of hands on opportunities and regular programming for kids during the day. Visit their website here.
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8. Yorkshire museum – Dinosaurs and medieval objects, can it get any better? Lots of hands on activities and regular kid programming here a well. Visit their website here.
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9. The York cat trail – A quirky walking trail option, wander around the city spotting cat sculptures and seeing the sites while you do! My kids love playing i-spy. Visit their website here.
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10. Castle Howard – If you’re looking to see a castle, pop in here for historic displays and pretty gardens. Their adventure playground looks super fun! Visit their website here.
Bonus, if you’re visiting at the right time of year, how much fun does this “ice trail” activity look like!
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