Golden Tours York
ENTRY
from £5
WHERE
York
What it’s like
One ticket bundle covers an open-top bus, a river cruise, Clifford's Tower and a live-actor dungeon walk around York.
This is less one attraction and more a pick-and-mix of York's big sights, all sold through the same ticket desk. The open-top bus is the easy way to get your bearings, hopping on and off for 24 hours while someone else does the driving and the talking. Swap the bus for the river and you get a cruise with live commentary instead, which is the better option if your kids get restless sitting still on a coach seat but are happy on water.
The York Dungeon is the one they'll talk about after. Ten live actor shows walk you through 2000 years of the city's grislier history, and it leans into jump scares and dark corridors rather than gentle storytelling, so it suits kids who like being spooked rather than kids who don't. Clifford's Tower is the calmer counterpart, a straightforward historic site entry without the theatrics, and at £9.50 for an adult it's the cheapest single ticket on the list.
There's a Van Gogh sound and light show too, a 35 minute walk through his life and work with a full soundscape, which is a good option if you need forty minutes of sit-down calm between the tower and the dungeon. On the water side there's more than just the standard cruise: a floodlit evening cruise, a fish and chips cruise, and even a self-drive motor boat if you fancy taking the tiller yourself for an hour.
Prices span a fair range, from a fiver for a child's bus ticket up to £27.50 for an adult on the fish and chips cruise, so the day's total cost really depends which combination you pick. There's no single all-in ticket mentioned.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
It varies by attraction. A child's bus ticket is £5, Clifford's Tower is £5.50 for a child and £9.50 for an adult, and the Dungeon is £16 and £20. The fish and chips cruise is the priciest single ticket at £27.50 for an adult.
What's the one thing kids will remember?
The York Dungeon, most likely. Ten live actor scenes with jump scares tend to stick in the memory more than a bus ride does.
Is the Dungeon suitable for younger kids?
It's built around live actors and dark, spooky scenes rather than gentle history, so it suits kids who enjoy being scared more than nervous younger ones.
How long does the bus tour last?
The ticket covers 24 hours, so you can hop on and off across a day rather than doing it all in one sitting.
Can we do a river cruise instead of the bus?
Yes, there's a standard cruise with live commentary, plus a floodlit evening cruise and a fish and chips cruise if you want something more of an occasion.
Is there something calmer if the kids need a break?
The Van Gogh sound and light show is 35 minutes of sitting and watching, which works as a breather between the busier stops.
Can we drive a boat ourselves?
There's a self-drive motor boat for up to 5 passengers, hired out for an hour, if you want to take charge of the river bit yourselves.
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