Tours & Activities in York

Book a guided tour of Heartland filming locations and see the towns of Whitby and Aidensfield up close.

Enjoy 75 spooky minutes of sightseeing in York on board the Ghost Bus! Your creepy conductor will show you the city’s top sights and give you bone-chilling and humorous insights into some of the more gruesome events in York’s past.

Don't get lost in the crowds. Explore York at your own pace and in private with one of our expert, fully qualified, personable guides. Delve deep into the medieval maze and discover secret corners few other visitors get to see. This is an entirely personal service - once you have made your booking we will get in touch to arrange where to come and meet you (such as any city centre landmark or hotel). We will ensure you don't miss any of the highlights - including the world-famous Minster (exterior only) medieval city walls and Shambles - but if you have any particular areas of interest, please get in touch. It's your tour and we want you to experience York your way!

Discover York's ghoulish history on a vintage London bus

Fancy a boat ride around York? On this river cruise, you'll admire some of the most iconic landmarks in this British city as we sail the River Ouse.

Hop-on the City Sightseeing bus and get ready to start an adventure through time which will bring you to discover the fascinating city of York.

Join a relaxing cruise on the River Ouse and see the sights of York from the water with live commentary! Book a slot, but join any cruise departing between 10:30 and 15:00 each day.

NEW for 2025, from the multi-award-winning "Deathly Dark Tours" comes The Spookologist's Guide to Haunted York; a fascinating and engrossing exploration of the paranormal history of York, a city often claimed to be the most haunted in all of England. This small group tour features a blend of local history, infamous supernatural sightings and a sprinkling of paranormal science. Fans of shows such as Uncanny and Most Haunted, or those with an interest in the supernatural will find this experience especially enjoyable.

Learn how local manufacturers turned the cocoa bean into an icon

Explore the charming Yorkshire region with this Moors, Whitby & The Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip. Enjoy the seaside town and traditional moorland villages.

Book this Harry Potter walking tour with games and quizzes for a 2 hour, fun-packed adventure around beautiful York.

Join one of our award-winning guides for theatrical ghost story-telling, dark comedy and spooky ambience. The perfect way to get your bearings in York whilst having a good time!

*IMPORTANT NOTE: This tour is offered in ENGLISH and in SPANISH. Please make sure you specify your preferred language when booking.* The Saints and Sinners Tour looks at the history of York through the eyes of those who shaped it. Meet the King, the Bishop, the Highwayman, the Chocolatier, the Martyr, the Terrorist, the Emperor, and the Artist. Do you know their names? What do you know about their lives? Where can you find their traces in the city? Were they saints… Or sinners..? I am your guide: Irene, an art historian born in Madrid and living in York for the last eight years. Join me on a fascinating walk around York to discover all this and more!

Make magic in York by hopping on (and off!) this handy bus!

On this tour aboard the York Ghost Bus, we'll take you on a scary night out in the city. A very special crew will tell you creepy-crawly stories from the city.

Book your City sightseeing cruise of York and enjoy an hour cruising along the River Ouse and checking out York's most loved sights with your guide.

Explore York on an unlimited hop-on hop-off bus tour valid for 24 hours. Discover the city's key sights, such as York Castle and Monk Bar, and enjoy panoramic views from the open-top deck.

You will travel by Hot Air Balloon over the Historical City Of York and it's surrounding countryside. We offer Champagne Balloon Flights over the beautiful city of York from April – October each year. Our balloons are all multi coloured and look amazing both form the ground, from the air and in your pictures! Pilot Ollie says - "There’s nothing more peaceful and serene than watching the world go by as you fly over the countryside in a Hot Air Balloon. The most rewarding part of piloting balloons is being able to share the experience and excitement with others" Your ballooning experience will include: - 3 - 4 hour Experience - Detailed Passenger Safety Briefing - Opportunity To Help Set Up The Balloon - 45 minutes to 1 Hour Flight From York - Opportunity To Help Pack The Balloon Away - Champagne Toast - Flight Certificates - Optional In-Flight Photographs & Video (£20) - Minibus Ride Back To Launch Site

Ten live shows, scary surprises, and 2,000 years of Britain's dark history

The York Pass gives you free access to more than 40 fantastic attractions in York. Visit ancient castle ruins, the aquarium, the iconic York Minster, and more!

Book your Floodlit evening cruise in York and round off a day of sightseeing with this relaxing river cruise with music and a drink.

Enjoy a tranquil cruise along the river, with a complementary drink and a classic pairing of strawberries and cream, accompanied by a calming acoustic soundtrack of timeless tunes.

Dorian Deathly has been leading ghost tours in York at night for 10 years and has a lot of interesting tales to share, but sometimes he likes to come out during the daylight hours and enjoy a tour with a difference! York can be a noisy old place in the daytime, particularly at peak times so it can be difficult to be fully immersed in the terrible tales! We use a tour guide system with high quality over the ear headphones and a professional microphone system to ensure incredible clarity. You will be absolutely captivated by the stories, yet free to move around and explore the spaces as you like. The tour will cover a collection of some of the fouler fiends from York's darker past, blood spilled on these old stones that we tread upon. The tale of Death By Pancake! Questionable Victorian medical practices... History has never been so disgraceful.

See historic landmarks while cruising along the River Ouse

Join us on this tour of the Witches of York, to discover the darker side of this beautiful walled city. Scary stories and ancient legends await!

Book your tickets for a self-guided audio tour in York and discover the city and its medieval marvels

Try your hand at skippering your own boat by hiring one of these nippy little self-steer boats in York. Rent a boat that is fun, safe, easy to pilot, and suitable for up to 5 passengers.

Explore York on a guided e-bike city & surrounding area tour. Tours run daily and last around 2.5 hours Riders must be 16 and over and be competent riding a bicycle on UK roads. Bikes and helmets included

Drink in the evening scenery of York from the River Ouse – with bubbly!

If you'd like to visit one of York's most iconic landmarks and admire breathtaking views of this ancient city, our Clifford's Tower Ticket is perfect for you!

Discover the darker side of York's history as you board the Necrobus on a 75-minute theatrical sightseeing tour.

Take a walking tour that is a must for any and all Harry Potter fans. Explore the exquisitely magical world that Harry and his friends found themselves in, on this guided tour in York.

This tour will take you across the historic centre of York and stop at a number of independent businesses, each one of which will provide you with generous examples of their fabulous food & drink. You'll get to enjoy Yorkshire Cheeses, Fish & Chips, Tacos, Chocolate and Pintxos with Sherry before choosing a sweet or savoury finale with a well earned Yorkshire ale! While walking between the venues you'll hear a bit about the history of York and pass by several of the cities major attractions such as York Minster, Cliffords Tower and the City Walls. Your guide is a York based food writer who knows the city and its hospitality scene intimately. He's been featured in the Lonely Planet guide, is a coordinating judge for the Guild of Fine Food and helps run York Food & Drink Festival....You can recognise him by the cutlery tattoos!

Historic sights and scenery on a day trip through the North York Moors

This ticket to Whitby Abbey will take you on a journey to England in the Middle Ages during which you'll discover its history in full! 

Book your York bus tour and admire the iconic landmarks of York from an open-top bus and hop-on-and-off as many times as you like to explore the sights better.

Enjoy the finest and freshest fish and chips as you sail through York and into the surrounding countryside. Unwrap your fish and chips on board then sit back, relax, and take in the sights as you eat.

As well as following in the footsteps of Anne Lister, we will visit some of the locations used in the recent BBC TV series Gentleman Jack

Enjoy the finest and freshest fish and chips as you sail through York

On this excursion through Yorkshire Dales National Park, we'll explore the breathtaking landscapes that ignited the creative sparks of renowned English writers.

Admire the iconic landmarks of York from an open-top bus and hop-on-and-off as many times as you like to explore the sights better.

A happy hour like no other! Soak up the stunning views of York, grab a discounted drink from the bar, and listen to our live commentary, with activity sheets to keep the little ones entertained.

Explore Roman York, at your own pace with your own personal tour guide! This is a new private bespoke tour run by York Walls Tours - with over 100 5 star reviews for our other tours on Trip Advisor! Your private guide will take you on a informative and entertaining trip around York, discovering its fascinating Roman past, where for over 300 years the most dangerous province in the entire Roman Empire was governed from. Learn about the emperors who visited (and died here!), discover lost sites missed by tourists and explore the extraordinary history of this most iconic of Roman Cities, from Dark age battles to lost legions, crazed emperors to gladiator cemetaries, the private Roman tour of York has it all!

Join us on-board for an enchanting York River Ouse Sunset Cruise—an experience that combines scenic beauty with insightful commentary, for lasting memories!

Walk around York with a tour guide learning all there is to know about the city and travel deep into the Snickelways of York!

Choose your adventure with a York City Pass. The pass is valid for 1, 2, or 3 days of sightseeing and gives you entry to over 20 attractions in York.

For group sizes of up to 4, 8 or 15 passengers, this Private Day Trip from York, just for your party, provides the opportunity to explore the stunning scenery of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, visiting Bolton Castle, Askrigg, Kettlewell, Pateley Bridge and the traditional Dales Market Town of Hawes, where you will have the opportunity to visit the award winning Wensleydale Creamery, the home of Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese!

Discover the beautiful landscape in Northern England with this Yorkshire Dales National Park Day Trip. Visit popular filming locations and charming villages.

Enjoy an exclusive 2-hour private bespoke tour and discover the city of York however you like with your tour guide!

Create your own chocolate bar in a hands-on chocolate-making workshop in York. Experiment with different flavors, learn about the origins of cocoa, and work with white, milk, or dark chocolate.