The Little Vikings Awards 2023 shortlists announced! Voting is now open

Drumroll, please……We’re delighted to reveal the shortlists of the Little Vikings Awards 2023, sponsored by Bootham School. Now in its eighth year, the Little Vikings Awards is the only awards scheme to reward the very best of family-friendly York, from the best family-friendly attractions in York to the best days out, tours, birthday parties, classes and places to eat.

As always, we’ve handed over the hard part – nominating and voting – to the people who count: you, the families. Thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to nominate your favourites: we had twice as many nominations this year, which is amazing. Those with the most nominations have made it through to the finals – read on to find out who’s made it to the shortlists.

Now it’s back over to you to vote for the winners. The voting ends at midnight on New Year’s Eve, and we’ll announce the businesses that have been crowned York’s best for families in January. Huge thanks to this year’s sponsor, Bootham School, and to each of our category sponsors: Middletons Hotel, Eden Camp, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, En Pointe, York Leisure Centre, The Mount School, Queen Ethelburga’s and Yorkshire Air Museum

THE 2023 FINALISTS

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

These are the people and places that have been nominated by you for going the extra mile this year. 

• – Susan Bradley, For Modern Mothers ‘for all her support to expectant mothers and new mothers’
• – Thunk-it Theatre ‘has done so much for my daughters (and me!) they are fab for doing what they do’
• – Louise Mouncey from Shine21 – ‘Louise has set up a ‘well needed’ charity to support parents and children who have Down Syndrome. She has worked tirelessly to help others’
• – Donya Keys from En Pointe ‘her dance school helps so many children achieve their dreams’

BEST ATTRACTIONS – Sponsored by Middletons Hotel

BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION IN YORK

Piglets Adventure Farm

National Railway Museum

JORVIK Dig

York Castle Museum

The Web Adventure Park

BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (YORKSHIRE COAST)

Sea Life Scarborough

Sewerby Hall

Whitby Abbey

The Deep

BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (YORKSHIRE DALES)

The Forbidden Corner

Fountains Abbey

Mother Shipton’s

Bolton Abbey

BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (NORTH YORK MOORS)

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Dalby Forest

Castle Howard

Woldies Lavender & Nature Farm

BEST EXPERIENCES – Sponsored by York Leisure Centre

BEST RAINY DAY EXPERIENCE

National Railway Museum

The Web Adventure Park

York Leisure Centre

Agility 

Rainbows Ceramics

BEST CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE

York’s Chocolate Story

York Cocoa Works workshops

Hot chocolate at Cocoa Joe’s

BEST SPOOKY EXPERIENCE

York Dungeon trick or treat walking tours

The Bloody Tour of York

Dorian Deathly’s Deathly Dark Tour of York

Hallowtween at York Maze

BEST FAMILY FESTIVAL

Baby Band Festival

Deer Shed

Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta

JORVIK Viking Festival

BEST CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE

Piglets Santa’s Sleigh Ride

Castle Howard

North Yorkshire Moors Railway – Santa Specials

Lotherton’s Christmas Experience

Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park

BEST MAGICAL EXPERIENCE

The Wizard Walk of York

Potions experience at The Potions Cauldron 

The Hole in Wand

Foss Fairy Trail

Northwood Trail

BEST TOUR OF YORK

The Wizard Walk of York

City Cruises river cruise

Deathly Dark Tours

The Bloody Tour of York

BEST CLASSES FOR KIDS IN YORK – Sponsored by Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate

BEST BABY/TODDLER SWIMMING CLASS

Water Babies

Puddle Ducks

Swimming with Linzi

Pure Swim Yorkshire

BEST SWIMMING CLASS (4+)

Brightwater Swim School

York Sport

Coral Magson Swim School

Bootham Swim School

BEST ACTIVE CLASS

Gymnastics at The Little Gym

Junior triathlon at York Sport

Clip’n’climb at York Leisure Centre

Rugbytots

BEST DRAMA CLASS

Story Craft Theatre

York Stage School

York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre

PQA York

BEST DANCE CLASS

En Pointe

Yorkshire Rose Academy of Dance

The Little Yorkshire Dance Academy

Katie Ventress School of Dance

BEST PREGNANCY CLASS

For Modern Mothers – Pregnancy yoga

For Modern Mothers – Hypnobirthing

Jess Evans Yoga

Puddle Ducks aquanatal

BEST MUSIC CLASS

My Baby Can Dance York

Sing and Sign York

Baby Band

Tiny Toes Music

Moo Music

BEST CREATIVE CLASS

Phonics with Robot Reg

Wild Things Forest School

Thunk-it Theatre

Story Craft Theatre

BEST HOLIDAY CLUB OR CAMP

The Little Gym

United Adventures

Yorkshire Rose Academy of Dance

York City Football Club Foundation

BIRTHDAY PARTIES – Sponsored by Eden Camp

BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY PROVIDER

The Web Adventure Park

Agility

York Leisure Centre clip’n’climb

Rainbows Ceramics

BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY ENTERTAINER

The Wizard Walk of York

Janet & Cassie, Story Craft Theatre

Popolo Ceramico York

Adam from The Woodland Adventure Company

ENTERTAINMENT – Sponsored by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

BEST CINEMA

Vue

Everyman

City Screen

Cineworld

BEST THEATRE

York Theatre Royal

Grand Opera House York

Joseph Rowntree Theatre

PLACES TO STAY – Sponsored by Yorkshire Air Museum

BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION

Novotel York

Middletons

York Marriott

No1 by Guesthouse

The Grand, York

BEST CAMPING/GLAMPING

Baxby Manor

Humblebee Farm

Jollydays

Allerthorpe Lakeland Park

EATING OUT – Sponsored by The Mount School

BEST BREAKFAST

The Balloon Tree

Rise

Robinsons

The Pig & Pastry

BEST LUNCH

The Balloon Tree

Plush Cafe

Laughing Llama

Spark:York

BEST SUNDAY ROAST

Guy Fawkes Inn

No1 York by Guesthouse

The Balloon Tree

Durham Ox, Crayke

BEST ICE CREAM

LICC

Trinacria

Roberto Authentic Italian Gelato

Two Hoots Ice Cream Boat

BEST DATE NIGHT DESTINATION

Spark:York

Ambiente

Sora, Malmaison

Brew York Tap Room

BEST STREET FOOD

Sasa Greek Food (Spark:York)

Yuzu Street Food

Shambles Kitchen

Krep (Shambles Market)

BEST CAFE

Brew & Brownie

Bluebird Bakery, Acomb

Laughing Llama, Acomb

Forty Five Vinyl Cafe

CHILDCARE

BEST NURSERY

York Childcare Nurseries

Muddy Boots

Little Green Rascals

Little Bugs – The Web Adventure Park