There is a neatness to York: you arrive by train, and the National Railway Museum, which is free, is a few minutes' walk from the platform. You could do that alone and go home happy.
The rest of the city is medieval, walled and small enough to walk, and a lot of the best bits do not charge.
Free things to do in York with children
- National Railway Museum — Mallard, a Japanese bullet train, the royal carriages and a great hall full of locomotives. Free entry, though it is worth booking a slot in school holidays.
- The City Walls — Nearly two miles of walkable medieval walls with views over the city. Free, and the sort of thing children treat as an adventure rather than a walk.
- Museum Gardens — Botanic gardens containing the ruins of St Mary's Abbey and the Roman Multangular Tower. Free, central, and a good place to eat sandwiches.
- The Shambles and the Snickelways — The overhanging medieval street and the narrow alleyways off it. Costs nothing, and there are Harry Potter shops for those who care about that.
- Rowntree Park — Playgrounds, a lake, a reading cafe and space away from the tourist crush. Free.
Worth paying for
Not free, but cheap enough to be worth it, and all reachable without a car:
- York Castle Museum — The recreated Victorian street, Kirkgate, is the draw. Charges apply, but the ticket lasts a year.
- A river cruise on the Ouse — Short sightseeing trips run through the season and are reasonable for a family.
Getting to York by train
York station is a short walk from the city walls, and the National Railway Museum is signposted from the station itself.
Going by train also means nobody has to find a parking space, and children can move about, look out of the window and eat crisps for the whole journey.
Click here to book train tickets to York
Opening hours, admission prices and booking requirements change, and some attractions close on certain days or for refurbishment. Always check the attraction’s own website before you set off. This page was written in August 2026.
Disclosure: the train ticket link on this page is an affiliate link. If you book through it I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
