The 4 Best Treasure Hunts and City Games in York

1.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around York with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 248 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $20Our pick

Captain Bess guides you by smartphone through York’s Museum Gardens, Minster, Shambles, and lesser-seen lanes. Solve cryptic clues, request hints when needed, pause for food or drinks, and finish with a useful overview of the city. No app download, paper, or group guide is required.

“We really enjoyed the whole experience , it got you to parts you wouldn’t normally go and finding the clues to get answers , some of which were quite tricky ,only added to our enjoyment.”

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2.Immersive Murder Mystery in York, A City Treasure Hunt Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 54 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Start near Clifford’s Tower and follow 19 Telegram clues through York’s walls, lanes, and lesser-seen corners. You’ll solve a murder set in 1491, with hints and lost messages when needed. The 4-kilometre route takes about 2.5 to 3.5 hours and includes two optional pub breaks.

“The clues can be quiet hard and need to think about answers otherwise you can quickly become lost in York”

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3.The Treasures of Bloodaxe – A Fun Viking Treasure Hunt in York

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 21 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $8Best value

Explore York with Eric Bloodaxe, the city’s last Viking King, guiding you by phone. Solve simple riddles tied to objects along the route, spot major sights and lesser-known corners, and finish back at Exhibition Square. The private, self-guided game lasts about 90 minutes.

“Nice idea but a bit too easy for adults and older kids. The answers were all linked and easy to guess. My 12 year old had them in seconds without barely looking at the prompts, just from reading the clues. Wish we'd paid a bit more and gone for something trickier. The interface was nice though but I'd say best for under 10's.”

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4.Immersive Treasure Hunt Adventure in York – Outdoor Escape Room

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Follow cryptic phone clues from Constantine the Great in Minster Yard through York’s famous buildings, statues, taverns, and lesser-known corners. You’ll solve 19 riddles over about 5 kilometers, with optional pub or cafe stops, hints when needed, and a timed private game for your own group.

“Sadly, having done similar outdoor city escape rooms before, this one was a bit of a let down. The "plot" (trying to avoid the flooding of the city of York by the Kraken) was a little convoluted and introduced part way through the process. It therefore didn't have much impact. There were some texts that explained locations and their history but these needed to be formatted differently to the clue/instruction type texts. A couple of clues were really annoying. One coukld have been better worded so as to avoid going down a wrong path only to find an totally plausible (but totally wrong answer). Also, following "white walls" lead to…”

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