- See the best of York from a different perspective with the brilliant City Cruises York.
- Cruise down the River Ouse and keep your eyes peeled for the wonderful variety of wildlife, including Kingfishers, herons and geese.
- Spot all of York’s iconic landmarks from the upper deck, including York’s 15th century Guildhall, the Millennium Bridge, the York Minster and the famous King’s Arms public house.
- Enjoy a spot of lunch or afternoon tea as you float down the river in York.
Looking to do some sightseeing in the beautiful cathedral city of York? City Cruises York operate sightseeing boat tours and dining experiences on the River Ouse. Take in the iconic landmarks of the historic city from the enclosed saloon or the upper deck of the boat as you sail down the river. See a variety of birds and wildlife in their natural environment on the River Ouse. Along the way, you may spot some kingfishers darting over the river hunting insects. Discover the history of York and extra fascinating facts from the live, sightseeing commentary given by the knowledgeable on-board crew.
Often determined by the river levels, weather and demand, the York river cruise sail for either 45 minutes or an hour and depart from the King’s Staith Landing and the Lendal Bridge Landing. The one-hour York sightseeing cruise usually heads upstream to Clifton Bridge before turning downstream to as far as the Millennium Bridge. You will see York Minster, St Peter’s School, the National Railway Museum, Scarborough Railway Bridge, the Bonding Warehouse, Lendal Bridge, Skeldergate Bridge, Rowntree’s Park, the Museum Gardens and York’s Roman and Viking history.
City Cruises York also operates a lunch and afternoon tea cruise on board the Captain James Cook river boat. Both last one hour and 30 minutes and offer vegetarian options. They depart from the King’s Staith Landing. There are also party cruises, floodlit evening cruises and the option to hire a self-driving boat.
There are loads of great family-friendly places to visit in York. If your children are fans of Vikings, the Jorvik Viking Centre is a must-see, or discover the history of chocolate making in York at York’s Chocolate Story. If you live elsewhere, City Cruises also operate in Poole and on London’s River Thames.
A boat trip to remember with your family!
What to know before you go
- There are four guaranteed sightseeing cruises from the King’s Staith Landing and the Lendal Bridge Landing each day.
- Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your boarding time.
- There are toilets available on board all the boats. Baby-changing facilities are available on the River Duchess sightseeing boat.
- Wheelchair access is dependent on the boat. Staff at City Cruises will be happy to recommend boats with wheelchair access.
- It is possible to use a York Pass on the daytime York City Cruises.
- Dogs on leads are permitted on board the sightseeing boats. Unfortunately, the dining experience vessels have no wheelchair access.
- It’s not possible to take mobility scooters on board.
- There is an on-board bar serving refreshments and snacks on the sightseeing tours.
- The city is full of fantastic restaurants, including the family-friendly Bill’s York restaurant in Coney Street and Double Dutch Pancake House in Church Street.
- Buggies can be taken on board but must stay in the main saloon.
- It’s possible to hire self-drive boats from the Red Boat landing at King’s Staith.
Getting there
- The main departure point is King’s Staith Landing.
- York station is on the East Coast main line between London and Edinburgh. King’s Staith Landing is a 13-minute walk from the station.
- Bus routes 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 26 all stop near the King’s Staith Landing.
- St George's Field car park and Marygate car park are close by.
