Step back in time to Jorvik
For those with an interest in history, York's Jorvik Viking Centre is hard to beat. It balances a great deal of educational content with genuinely fun and fascinating entertainment, as lifelike exhibits recreate scenes from life in the time of the Vikings. There's also loads of information about the digs which have resulted in the many finds around which the centre is based. This is one place which remains much more of an experience than a simple museum.
Explore York's nooks and crannies
Take a walk around the Roman castle walls, shop till you drop in York's charming city centre (where a trip down the famous Shambles is a must), or relax in the iconic Bettys Tea Rooms. There's plenty for kids, too, including open-top bus sightseeing tours and the Chocolate Story museum.
Out and about in Yorkshire
York Maze, the Yorkshire Farming Museum and the Yorkshire Air Museum are all close by, while those tempted to venture further afield in their explorations of 'God's Own Country' could head north to take in the North York Moors National Park, or east to the picturebook seaside towns of Scarborough and Bridlington.
Planning a trip to the Jorvik Viking Centre? Travelodge York Central Micklegate Hotel is closest, just across the river. Travelodge York Central Hotel and Travelodge York Central Layerthorpe Hotel are also good options.