Yorkshire
Date ideas in York
Updated
York packs two thousand years into a city you can walk across in half an hour. There are Roman and medieval walls to walk along the top of, a vast Gothic minster, crooked timber streets and two rivers, plus some of the best museums in the North when it rains. These are our picks, from free strolls to a proper dinner, with a few spooky ones for after dark.
Our picks in York
York Minster
Deangate, in the middle of the old city
Address: Deangate, York YO1 7HH- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
Explore one of the biggest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe, with its huge medieval Great East Window, then climb the 275 steps of the central tower for a view across the rooftops.
Why it's a good date: Breathtaking inside even if you're not one for churches, and the tower climb gives you a shared bit of effort and a great view. Stay for evensong if you'd like to hear the choir.
Photo: MatzeTrier, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
The city walls
Start at Bootham Bar, by the Minster
Address: Bootham Bar, High Petergate, York YO1 7EW- Outdoors
- Free
Walk the walls that still wrap most of the old city, the longest medieval town walls in England, climbing on and off at the gateway bars.
Why it's a good date: A couple of hours of free history with the Minster in view for much of the way, and you can stop whenever you fancy a coffee. The stretch from Bootham Bar to Monk Bar is the prettiest, and the walls close at dusk.
Photo: Tim Green from Bradford, CC BY 2.0 (resized)
The Shambles and the Snickelways
The Shambles, between King's Square and the Pavement
Address: The Shambles, York YO1 7LX- Other
- Outdoors
- Free
- Culture
Wander the Shambles, a medieval street of overhanging timber-framed shops, then lose yourselves in the snickelways, the narrow passages that cut between York's streets.
Why it's a good date: York at its most storybook, and free. It's packed by late morning, so go early or after the shops shut when it's quiet and lamplit, and grab something to eat at Shambles Market just behind.
Glide through a rebuilt Viking street on the spot where archaeologists dug up Viking-age York, sights, sounds and smells included, then see what they found.
Why it's a good date: Fun, a bit daft and genuinely interesting, so it's an easy one to enjoy together. Book a time slot to skip the queue.
Photo: Richard Sutcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
National Railway Museum
Leeman Road, behind the station
Address: Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Wander huge halls of locomotives at the free railway museum, from a Japanese bullet train to Queen Victoria's royal carriage.
Why it's a good date: Free, enormous and full of beautiful machines, whether or not either of you is into trains. It's a short walk from the station, so it's an easy rain plan.
Photo: Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
York Castle Museum
Tower Street, by Clifford's Tower
Address: Eye of York, York YO1 9RY- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
Walk down Kirkgate, a full-size Victorian street with shops you can step into, then visit the old prison cells in the museum by Clifford's Tower.
Why it's a good date: Kirkgate is like stepping into a period drama, and there's plenty to talk about. Clifford's Tower is next door if the weather holds.
Photo: geni, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Clifford's Tower
Tower Street, by York Castle Museum
Address: Tower Street, York YO1 9SA- Culture
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
Climb the steep steps up the mound to the 13th-century stone keep of York Castle, then walk out on its roof deck for a view over the city to the Minster.
Why it's a good date: A short, sharp climb with one of the best views in York at the top. Go on a clear day, and save the Castle Museum next door for when it rains.
Photo: Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Museum Gardens and St Mary's Abbey
Museum Street, by Lendal Bridge
Address: Museum Street, York YO1 7FR- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Stroll the botanical gardens by the river and the ruined arches of St Mary's Abbey, with the Yorkshire Museum's columns behind.
Why it's a good date: A calm, green spot right in the centre, ideal for a picnic or a slow walk between other plans. The abbey ruins are especially lovely in late-afternoon light.
Photo: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Bettys
St Helen's Square
Address: 6-8 St Helen's Square, York YO1 8QP- Café
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Cosy
- Foodie
Queue for afternoon tea, a Fat Rascal scone and a pot of Yorkshire tea in the famous tea rooms on St Helen's Square.
Why it's a good date: A proper old-fashioned treat, with waiting staff in uniform and cakes in the window. The queue moves, but go mid-morning or late afternoon to keep it short.
Photo: Spudgun67, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The Original Ghost Walk of York
The King's Arms, King's Staith, by Ouse Bridge
Address: The King's Arms, 3 King's Staith, York YO1 9SN- Event
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Halloween
- Big night
Meet outside the King's Arms on the river at eight for the ghost walk that's been leading people round York's darkest corners since the 1970s.
Why it's a good date: Spooky enough for a good excuse to hold hands, with plenty of laughs too. Go in autumn or winter when it's properly dark, and warm up in the King's Arms afterwards.
A cruise on the Ouse
King's Staith, by Ouse Bridge
Address: King's Staith, York YO1 9SN- Activity
- Mid-price
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
- Outdoors
Take a boat from King's Staith along the River Ouse, past the old warehouses and under the bridges, with a skipper pointing out the sights.
Why it's a good date: An hour of sitting back and letting the city drift past. The evening cruises are the romantic choice, so book one for a summer night.
Photo: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Squeeze into York's smallest pub, two tiny rooms on Fossgate that haven't changed since an Edwardian refit, with real ale and no music or TV.
Why it's a good date: There's nothing to do here but talk, which makes it perfect for a date. It's small and doesn't take groups, so it's best for just the two of you.
Photo: Malcolmxl5, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Graze through small plates at a relaxed restaurant on Micklegate where modern British cooking picks up ideas from all over the world.
Why it's a good date: Small plates mean you both get to try everything, and the cooking is precise but playful. Book ahead, especially at weekends.
City Screen Picturehouse
Coney Street, city centre
Address: 15-17 Coney Street, York YO1 9QL- Event
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Cosy
See a film at the independent cinema on Coney Street, then have a drink at the café bar looking out over the river.
Why it's a good date: An easy, classic date in the middle of town. Get there early to bag a table by the window over the Ouse.
Photo: Malcolmxl5, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Dates in York: quick answers
What are good rainy-day dates in York?
The National Railway Museum is free and indoors. York Minster, JORVIK, York Castle Museum and a film at City Screen keep you dry too, and afternoon tea at Bettys or a pint in the Blue Bell is a fine way to sit out a shower.
Are there free date ideas in York?
Lots. Walking the city walls, wandering the Shambles and the snickelways, and Museum Gardens with the abbey ruins all cost nothing, and the National Railway Museum is free.
Is York good for a day trip date?
Very. The station is a few minutes' walk from the walls and the Minster, and the main sights are close together, so you can see a lot in a day without a car.
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