Date spot in York
Museum Gardens and St Mary's Abbey
Stroll the botanical gardens by the river and the ruined arches of St Mary's Abbey, with the Yorkshire Museum's columns behind.
Museum Street, by Lendal Bridge
Address: Museum Street, York YO1 7FR- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
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)
More from our York guide
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)
