#OnlyInYork This Summer.

Summer's here and you bet I'm going to be heading off on some road trips around the UK. The first destination on my list is York. York is a fantastic city in the northeast of England. It's packed with culture, art, history, shopping, food and so much more so it's no surprise why hundreds of people descend there for a trip each year. More so during the Summer when the city offers so much more to its visitors, making it clear why its known as 'The Original City Adventure'.

In collaboration with their tourist board, Visit York I'll be heading up on a weekend adventure to explore some of the best bits that York has to offer and embrace it all in the sunshine (I hope!). There's so much that the city has to offer that it already provides a challenge for myself. What helps is we'll have use of the York Pass. The York Pass is an added value sightseeing card that provides you the flexibility to visit top attractions throughout the city and beyond. There are over 30 attractions you can experience for free!

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There is no other better option than to use one of these to explore the city at your own pace. 

We're going to be heading up during the weekend and what will be the start of the Summer Holidays so it's vital for us to get some kind of "plan" on what we'd like to do whilst we're there. I have been to York previously ( I went to York Dungeons for a collaboration with Branston Beans) so I know what kind of things I can expect from my visit, but there's still plenty I haven't seen. I thought it would be a great plan to share some of our ideas with you in the hope it'll inspire your road trip to York. 

Of course first up is the York Minister. Being one of the world's most magnificent cathedrals and crafted in stained glass and stone it stands above anything else in York's structure. I've visited it before but it doesn't tire of being a must-see everytime you visit the city. The cathedral has more medieval stained glass than anywhere else in the country. It's a real spectacle to see.

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After a multi-million pound re-imagining of the centre, JORVIK Viking Centre is now open and we'll definitely be checking it out. This is a hands-on experience of Viking-Age York like no other. Whilst you are here you are transported back to the year AD960 in a all-improved ride experience. See for yourself the story of Eric Bloodaxe, the last Viking King in Jorvik who has been expelled. You can see how the introduction of international trade impacted on Viking-Age York.  

One of the award-winning attractions of York that is on my list is the National Railway Museum. It's home to iconic locomotives and engineering firsts in our railway heritage. It's a true celebration of the past, present and future of innovation on the railways all in one place. Some of the highlights at the museum include the world's fastest steam locomotive, the Mallard and check out the Japanese bullet train. I love museums which offer something interactive and the National Railway Museum doesn't miss the mark as they offer turntable demonstrations, you can climb on board some of the historic carriages and get stuck into some activities organised throughout the Summer holidays! Great for families! It's also free to enter. 

On our weekend trip, we'll make sure to do some shopping! Once we've finished off wandering the streets of The Shambles, the bustling centrepiece of historic York we'll be sure to head to the York Designer Outlet. Located just 15 minutes in a car away from the centre of York, you can some of the best discounts from the biggest brands. There are some amazing stores on site including GAP, Clarks and Nike. 

Lastly on the list is essential for most city breaks, a sightseeing tour! The CitySightseeing Hop on Hop off bus tour helps you to discover all of the major sights and attractions throughout the city. There are twenty stops around the city and you can see so much for free in the city with your York Pass. 

You can get a glimpse of what the city has to offer with their gorgeous promotional video below;

If you enjoyed reading my post ahead of my trip to York you may enjoy reading about my experience at York Dungeons last time I visited the city.

*in collaboration with Visit York.