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What are the best, funnest things to do in York for a 9 year old?

46 replies

DearZoom · 21/03/2022 08:25

Just that really. I’m taking my daughter away for a bit of TLC at Easter. We don’t have a car so are limited to what we can do in the city centre.
Does anyone have any suggestions of things we can do? I’m not too bothered if we don’t have the most cultured time (we’ll definitely do bits) I just want her to have as much fun as possible.
Thanks.

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whenindoubtgotothelibrary · 21/03/2022 08:29

The Jorvik Centre is so much more fun than I thought it would be, and ideal for that age group.

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FlippyFloppyFlappy · 21/03/2022 08:29

Seconded the Jorvik Centre.

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JohannSebastianBach · 21/03/2022 08:31

Jorvik is really good. Castle museum also v good.

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DearZoom · 21/03/2022 08:44

Thanks. Will do the Jorvik centre then. Is it a whole/half day thing or a few hours?
Any other suggestions?

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FlippyFloppyFlappy · 21/03/2022 09:12

I think Jorvik is a couple of hours, tops.
York Minster is good too (the cathedral).

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AnaVanda · 21/03/2022 09:13

National railway museum. It's free which is a bonus.

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Talipesmum · 21/03/2022 09:17

Jorvik centre with Dig beforehand - it’s a hands on archaeology thing, designed exactly for that age range. Definitely need to book Jorvik.

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ILoveMyMonkey · 21/03/2022 09:40

If she’s in to Harry Potter we did a potions making class here www.thepotionscauldron.com/ it was only half an hour and quite cheesy but our HP obsessed son loved it. He also enjoyed the Harry Potter shop in the shambles and York minster - they have a kids trail which he liked doing. The castle museum and prison was also brilliant and very interesting.

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MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 21/03/2022 09:41

Mine enjoyed the chocolate museum

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HailAdrian · 21/03/2022 09:45

Definitely castle museum and I second the suggestion of Yorks chocolate story! If you're there a while, Rowntrees Park is near the centre, it involves a walk by the river and also has a cafe. Ideal if the weather is good!

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gingerhills · 21/03/2022 09:55

Definitely Jorvik. The railway museum is worth a look. The olde worlde sweetshops in the shambles are fun. Walk along the castle walls too. That's brilliant.

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mousehouse123 · 21/03/2022 10:02

York Chocolate Story is great or York Cocoa House (chocolate cafe and workshops from short lolly making to half day truffle courses - done v successfully with my 9 year old). Also the Hole In Wand wizarding themed crazy golf is fun - opposite Jorvik. Climb up the tower at the Minster? Rent a little red boat on the river or go on a city cruise boat trip. Walk the city walls. Lunch from one of the street food stalls at Shambles Market. Have fun!

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DearZoom · 21/03/2022 13:55

Thank you so much! Really good suggestions. Dd loves Harry Potter so the wizard golf and potion making sound great.
We’ll definitely spend some time just mooching about and walking the walls etc. Maybe York Minster. Definitely the Jorvik centre and maybe something chocolate based too. We are not there for long so can’t fit everything in but want it to be memorable and fun for dd. She’s having the usual 9 year old friendship issues and I just want her to get away from it all!
Thanks again.

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Aposterhasnoname · 21/03/2022 14:09

If she’s not overly sensitive the ghost walks can be quite good fun.

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Pootles34 · 21/03/2022 14:19

Just about to suggest ghost walks. You can hire a little red boat for 1 hr - it's not cheap (about £50 I think?) but good fun. I quite like popping to one of the bakeries beforehand (particularly mannion & co) to get a little picnic to take on with you!

If she'd enjoy being a bit 'fancy' and you can stomach the queue, Betty's could be nice for tea and cake?

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SartresSoul · 21/03/2022 14:33

Jorvik is shite. I paid £45 to take my DC during February half term and it lasted half an hour from start to finish. It’s a ride which the DC enjoyed but then after the ride there’s one small room with glass cabinets. They are interesting, granted but honestly for the price I expected to be there much longer.

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DearZoom · 22/03/2022 07:50

Just looked up the red boats and they look great. Are they easy enough to control though? I can imagine myself crashing or getting stuck and needing rescuing Blush

We are actually only there for one night (two long days) and are going to a show in the evening otherwise I think she’d have loved the ghost walk.

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Holothane · 22/03/2022 07:53

Jorvik place I’d love to go myself and I’m 55 but then I’m a History nut.

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DearZoom · 22/03/2022 08:11

It looks great doesn’t it. I went when I was a kid but I can’t remember much about it although I remember enjoying it. Obviously it’s been done up in the decades since then!
Dd does love history and we will go to both Dig and Jorvik centre. I just wanted to avoid the whole trip being too much like a pure education visit.

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bibliomania · 22/03/2022 09:31

Have a google for Harry Potter themed walks. There are some you can do yourself eg. this one and also ones where you can book a guide.

DD is not a history fan and is unmoved by Jorvik, Dig, the Castle Museum and the Railway Museum, but she does like the Chocolate Museum. For a quick blast of history, my suggestion would be Barley Hall - it's small and finding it down an alleyway is half the fun.

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MrsSkylerWhite · 22/03/2022 09:32

National Railway Museum is really good.

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bibliomania · 22/03/2022 09:32

Oh, and the Red Boats are pretty easy. You can putter along as gently as you like.

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RatherBeRiding · 22/03/2022 09:35

Walk round the walls - you get to see parts of York you wouldn't otherwise see. And there are lots of snickets and alleyways to explore - I would think the tourist info place might have a leaflet on the Snickets of York, or a quick Google should show them up on a map.

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Tonya345 · 22/03/2022 09:39

If it's a fine day there may be street entertainers. We have seen amazing juggling and unicycle riders.

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Horaceandgus · 22/03/2022 10:04

I used to live there

The railway museum
The dungeons (not if he’s a nervy child)
Castle museum
The bar walls
Harry Potter
Shambles (it’s just a street but loads of history)
Museum gardens to let off steam
The river Ouse boats-or just take a walk down it
Take a photo at the whip-ma-whop-ma-gate sign (smallest street with the longest name)
The chocolate museum
Rowntrees park
Jorvik centre


Avoid Clifford’s tower-look at it from the outside but don’t bother paying to get in-there’s nothing in it

(For lunch I’d give krusties sandwich bar a go-I moved away from York about 5 years ago and I miss that shop-it’s tiny,blink and miss it but they do the best food ever-find cex and there’s a church opposite-st Sampson’s church-turn down the tiny alley as though your going to the market-it’s on your left)

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