Looking at taking the kids to this. Would arrive early Saturday morning and stay the night. Travel back early Sunday evening. Any recommendations on how best to use the time and what else too see and do? Where would be good accommodation and a decent evening meal?

National Railway Museum is free and great if you like trains. Walk round the Shambles.

Any time i’ve taken the kids to York we’ve stayed in the Hilton.

They’re one of the few hotel chains that’ll take 3 kids in a family room.

It’s been surprisingly reasonable and is about 50 yards from the Jorvik.

Take the kids to the Railway Museum.

Any recommendations on how best to use the time

…by not going to the Jorvik Viking Centre! 🙂

Sadly, I would second muffin’s suggestion…unless you have a taste for expensive, tatty-looking animatronics.

National Railway Museum is fab.

book ahead. Queues get very long.

National Railway museum and a walk round the shambles looking  good. Is the Cathedral worth going to?

If you have a car then the air museum at Elvington is well worth a visit.  Jorvik is OK if you’ve never been, DIG also.  Railway museum, York Castle museum and Yorkshire museum also fab.  We normally stay at the YHA which is a nice walk along the river in to town.

Enjoy 🙂

Railway museum is a must, my 9 year olds face when he walked in and realised it was actual trains in there is something ill never forget! The castle museum if a fair size so allow plenty time, if you do go make sure and pay attention to the big X-ray on the wall of the lady with the handbag 🙂

Is the Cathedral worth going to?

[pedant]Minster[/pedant]

Yes.

We normally stay at the YHA which is a nice walk along the river in to town.

Good shout (assuming the river isn’t in flood) 🙂

The Cathederal is worth it just for the mad haircuts the Kings of England statues have – If they are authentic, those guys were dudes.

Jorvik thing is only mildly interesting and worth an hour but +1 for the Railway Museum.

Railyway museum is great. The Minster is great. Both genuinely world class.

If the kids are quite young (say <10) when you go into the minster you get a backpack with drawing stuff, binoculars, magnifine class and quizes/puzzles etc. Nice touch and a great way to spend and hour or two. Very much worth buying tickets online in advance for minster to avoid the queue. Even if thet queue is big once you’re inside its fine as it’s massive.

Clifford’s tower also interesting vantage point, plus a walk along the walls.

I didn’t realise there was so much to do. Looks like it will be a busy Saturday and Sunday.

York Dungeon is pricey but fun
Walking the walls
The ghost walks are fun

If your kids ride, I’ll be coaching for Clifton Cycling at York Sport on Saturday morning. Closed road criterium circuit.

More seriously, walking the walls is worth doing. Spot where they put a couple of holes in the wall for the original York Station.

+1 for York Castle Museum. We went last Monday and both children (15 & 8 yo) enjoyed it.

The Shambles is also worth visiting if only for the sweet shop.

We went for two days last October. We managed JVC, Dig, Clifford’s Tower, York Dungeon, a boat ride along the river and the Minster (don’t forget to go ‘underground’ to see all the construction stuff). Only thing I’d do different is swap JVC for the train museum. The rest was great.

My lad was 3 when he first went to the railway museum, it doesn’t get any better!

All the above are great suggestions. To be honest, of all the ideas on here, Jorvik would be my lowest priority. Long queue, expensive, but dry once you are inside.

Can’t believe no one has suggested a curd tart from Thomas the Bakers

Jorvik is fine. NRM is mega. You can prebook/q-jump Jorvik.

Ahh yes.
Breakfast at the Pig & Pastry.
Saturday only though.
Breakfast is until about 3pm

I think we did a chocolate museum in the city, and made our own chocolate ….. the kids would love that!

Loved York when we visited early last year so much so we want to move there…few drinks in the House of the Trembling Madness probably helped that decision 🍻

Can’t believe no one has suggested a curd tart from Thomas the Bakers

One of the few things I miss from living in Yorkshire is Thomas the bakers! Sausage rolls with apple sauce *baked right in them*!

Yorvik is rubbish, we went a few weeks ago. The other suggestions above are good though.

Yeah jorvik not great, tbh. York dungeon is much more fun. Also railway museum is ace and a wander around the shambles. Castle museum also pretty good. Watch out for the hen dos.