For date ideas, York is hard to beat. Whether you’re planning a first date or a romantic getaway with your long-standing partner, this historic city is tailor-made for romantic strolls in all seasons. What’s more, York has some great surprises for those with love on their mind.
For instance, if you visit York Minster, see if you can spot the “Heart of Yorkshire”. Clue - it’s worked into the design of the Great West Window. Legend has it that couples that kiss beneath the heart will stay together forever. So why not give it a try?
York Castle Museum is also worth a visit as it has one of the largest collections of Valentine cards for you to pore over together. There are more than 1000 declarations of undying love in these beautiful cards dating back to 1797. How sentimental and heartwarming is that?!
Riverside walks are made for intimate conversations and cosy restaurants have just the right ambience for candlelit dinners.
You’ll definitely want to stay overnight so you can fit in our three top date ideas.
Date Ideas York
1. Throw axes at The Hilt
The Hilt is a fantastic ice-breaker if you’re on a first date or nervous about filling the day with conversation. Let down your hair and you’ll soon be giggling like a pair of schoolkids (the minimum age for axe throwing is 13).
Step into the bay which has a wooden target and bullseye about four metres away. The first 20 minutes or so are with a coach who will take you through the basics and will then help you make your first axe throws.
Hurl the axe in an overhand motion and hopefully you’ll soon be impressing your date with your Viking warrior stance and impressive score. The aim is to get the axe to spin through the air and stab the target with the sharpened blade. It’s a lot of fun, even if you’re not a natural axe thrower, and it’s the perfect choice for a first date idea in York.
Once your axe-throwing session is over, head into the bar for mocktails, drinks and tasty morsels, Viking style. Order a few small plates of meatballs and snacks to share then sit close and re-live your best and worst moments hurling the axe. It’s a great place to start your date in York before moving on to our next date suggestion.
2. Comedy horror show at Ghost Bus
These Ghost Bus Tours are the perfect way to enjoy sightseeing in York (even if you and your date have lived in the city all your life!). No need to book, you can impress your beau by seemingly acting spontaneously, arriving at the bus stop right outside York station and hopping aboard the next bus to show up - just secretly check the ghost tour schedule first!
Sit close and get ready to see all the haunted nooks and spooky history that oozes from York’s most popular tourist attractions. You’ll hear chilling stories about the Monk Bar at St Mary’s Abbey and creepy unexplained events at the Black Swan Pub. You’ll get goosebumps for sure as you pass The Shambles and Clifford’s Tower. And who knew that Knavesmire was once the site of hangings in York? The gallows marked the final demise of Dick Turpin who terrorised coaches in the early 18th century. The site has also been a golf course, a prisoner-of-war camp, a school and York Racecourse, so plenty of potential for spooky stories at that point!
Your date is sure to be impressed by your fun-loving personality as you enjoy this 75-minute tour together. It’s a unique blend of Rocky-Horror-meets-history-on-wheels and will be a great talking point for dates to come!
3. Listen to music at The Hop
After all that physical action, excitement and chilling history, warm up together at The Hop on Fossgate. It’s a refreshingly different pub and, as York date ideas go, you really can’t go wrong with this characterful bar. It boasts an outstanding bar menu of ciders, craft beers and soft drinks. What’s more, it definitely ticks all the boxes for some quiet conversation, tasty food, excellent real ales and a friendly atmosphere. It’s just the place to get to know your date a little more intimately.
Find yourself a cosy booth, order your favourite wood-fired pizza to share and then relax and enjoy the foot-tapping live music. Every week The Hop lines up some of the best live music in town from acoustic guitar playing to up-and-coming bands. You’re sure to be pleasantly entertained with this final date idea in York’s city centre.
Love Is In The Air
As you can see, for romantic date ideas York is full of unusual places to go and things to do, whether you live just around the corner or are visiting the city for the first time. We’re sure your date will be totally gobsmacked by your axe throwing, ghost stories and live music preferences. And when that anniversary comes around in a year’s time, you can look forward to doing it all over again!
You’ll find plenty more things to do in York as part of a romantic date or weekend break. Why not go ahead and book a surprise romantic getaway in York with that special someone and get to know them better?