Spooky season is just around the corner, and Halloween fans are ready to enjoy some festive fun. From seasonal shopping to spooky getaways, there are lots of options if you’re looking for tricks and treats.
Brits looking to celebrate the season with a staycation might consider York, North Yorkshire. The charming city has been dubbed the best place to get into the Halloween spirit. With all sorts of attractions, from haunted pubs and ghost tours to pretty tearooms and gift shops, it could be ideal for families, couples, groups, or solo travellers.
According to Visit York, the historic city is unlike any other. The tourism board said: “Perfectly placed half-way between London and Edinburgh and with the glorious Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Wolds right on the doorstep, York is unlike any other English city. There’s thirty world-class museums you can explore, the best racecourse in the country and a thriving cultural scene.”
TikTok user @josiewilkinz recommend visiting York for Halloween fun in a viral video. Josie told viewers: “If there’s one place to get in the Halloween spirit, it is York. Less than a two-hour train from King’s Cross, it is the perfect day trip. Grab a little mini pumpkin, make your own pumpkin bouquet.
“You feel like you’ve stepped into Diagon Alley from Harry Potter. All the wand shops, you can get butterbeer. If I was a child here, I would have imploded.
“When you go to the Shambles, you’ll find this little ghost shop (…) Beside it, this fudge pantry, you can go in and get some free samples. They’re delicious.
“Next to that is York’s longest-established chocolatier. This is where you can get a chocolate shot and a chocolate shot glass for only £3.
“I also recommend heading down for York Food Festival,” said Josie. “It’s got such a wide variety of vendors and loads of free samples. We were given a local tip that the best Yorkshire pudding is found at Chopping Block at Walmgate Ale House.
“They serve it as a bar snack, which I really like. The interiors are very rustic, lots of board games, it’s really cool, and they’ve also got a spooky haunted past, which ties in with that Halloween theme.
“Finished the day with York’s best flat white, found at Kiosk, and you’re in the Halloween spirit, all in a day’s work.” Her caption added: “If I could recommend one place for spooky season.”
For anyone planning a trip to York this month, the York Food and Drink Festival runs from September 19 to September 25.
Popular attractions include the Shambles, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval shopping streets; the York Minster, the city’s cathedral; and the city’s ghost walks, ideal for anyone looking for a spooky tour.
