The Little Vikings Awards 2025 shortlists announced! Voting is now open
Drumroll, please… We’re thrilled to unveil the Little Vikings Awards 2025 shortlists, proudly presented by The Mount School! A huge shoutout to our other amazing sponsors, En Pointe Dance School, York’s Chocolate Story, and Middletons Hotel, for their support.
Celebrating its 10th year, the Little Vikings Awards remains York’s only award dedicated to rewarding the very best in family-friendly experiences across the city and North Yorkshire. From top attractions and exciting days out to unforgettable tours, birthday party venues, classes, and family-friendly places to eat and stay, our awards spotlight the places that make York fantastic for families.
This year, as always, we handed the decision-making over to the experts—you! Thanks to everyone who took the time to nominate your favourites; we’ve received more nominations this year than ever before, which is incredible. Those with the most nominations have made it to the finals, so read on to see who’s in the running.
Now, it’s back to you to choose the winners. Voting closes at midnight on New Year’s Eve, and we’ll reveal York’s family favourites in January. Let the voting begin!
THE 2025 FINALISTS
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD – Sponsored by Middletons Hotel
These are the people and places that have been nominated by you for going the extra mile this year.
- Cain North with the OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity has worked tirelessly to support the children and families impacted by brain tumours despite having a brain tumour himself
- Kayleigh Mason from Puddle Ducks York for helping a child with a tracheostomy learn to swim
- 1st Holgate Scouts – A wonderful organisation that puts on so much and provides amazing opportunities for children and teenagers
BEST ATTRACTIONS – Sponsored by York’s Chocolate Story
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION IN YORK
Piglets Adventure Farm
National Railway Museum
JORVIK Viking Centre
York Castle Museum
The Web Adventure Park
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (YORKSHIRE COAST)
Sea Life Scarborough
Sewerby Hall
Whitby Abbey
Alpamare
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (YORKSHIRE DALES)
The Forbidden Corner
Stump Cross Caverns
Mother Shipton’s
Bolton Abbey
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (NORTH YORK MOORS)
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Dalby Forest
Castle Howard
Flamingo Land
Whitby Abbey
BEST EXPERIENCES
BEST RAINY DAY EXPERIENCE
National Railway Museum
The Web Adventure Park
York Castle Museum
Stockeld Park
Rainbows Ceramics
BEST CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE
York’s Chocolate Story
York Cocoa Works workshops
Hot chocolate at Wild Things Forest School
Cocoa Joe’s
BEST SPOOKY EXPERIENCE
The Bloody Tour of York
Ghosts After Dark
York Dungeon
Hallowtween at York Maze
BEST FAMILY FESTIVAL
JORVIK Viking Festival
Baby Band Festival
Deer Shed
Totfest
York Pride
BEST CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE
Piglets Magical Sleigh Ride
Castle Howard
North Yorkshire Moors Railway – Santa Special
York Minster Christmas Tree Festival
Christmas at Mother Shipton’s
Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park
BEST MAGICAL EXPERIENCE
The Potions Academy
The Wizard Walk of York
The Hole in Wand
Mother Shipton’s Cave
Dreamery Gardens
BEST TOUR OF YORK
The Wizard Walk of York
City Cruises
Deathly Dark Tours
The Bloody Tour of York
City Sightseeing bus tour
BEST CLASSES FOR KIDS IN YORK – Sponsored by En Pointe Dance School
BEST BABY/TODDLER SWIMMING CLASS
Water Babies
Puddle Ducks
York Swimming Academy
Pure Swim Yorkshire
BEST SWIMMING CLASS (4+)
Brightwater Swim School
York Sport
York Swimming Academy
Swimming at York Leisure Centre
BEST ACTIVE CLASS
Gymnastics at The Little Gym
Flying Ducks Gymnastics and Trampolining Club
PQA York
Yorkshire Muddings
BEST DRAMA CLASS
Stage Coach
York Stage School
York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre
PQA York
BEST DANCE CLASS
En Pointe Dance School
Yorkshire Rose Academy of Dance
Lisa Marie Performing Arts
Katie Ventress School of Dance
BEST PREGNANCY CLASS
For Modern Mothers – Pregnancy yoga
For Modern Mothers – Hypnobirthing
Lucy Corbally Yoga at The Stables
Puddle Ducks aquanatal
BEST MUSIC CLASS
My Baby Can Dance York
Baby Band
York Stage – Yorkie Puds
Rhythm Time
BEST CREATIVE CLASS
PQA York
Wild Things Forest School
Flying Ducks Youth Theatre
Story Craft Theatre
BEST HOLIDAY CLUB OR CAMP
York Sport multi-sport camps
PQA York Show in a Week
Yorkshire Rose Academy of Dance
York City Football Club Foundation
Camp QE
BEST ACTIVITY FOR 10-13 YEAR OLDS
CrossFit Teens at Dominus CrossFit
FreeKlime York – Bouldering and Climbing Centre
Red Goat Climbing
Lisa Marie Performing Arts
York Golf Range
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY PROVIDER
The Web Adventure Park
The Little Gym
Agility
Rainbows Ceramics
BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY ENTERTAINER
The Wizard Walk of York
Janet & Cassie, Story Craft Theatre
Josh Benson
Dress Up and Dream
ENTERTAINMENT
BEST CINEMA
Vue
Everyman
City Screen
Cineworld
BEST THEATRE
York Theatre Royal
Grand Opera House York
Joseph Rowntree Theatre
Friargate Theatre
BEST SHOP
The Blue House Bookshop
The Potions Cauldron
The Shop That Must Not Be Named
York Ghost Merchants
Cots to Tots
PLACES TO STAY
BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION
Novotel York
Middletons
Delta Hotels by Marriott
101 House at the End
The Grand, York
BEST CAMPING/GLAMPING
Baxby Manor
Flamingo Land
Jollydays
Allerthorpe Lakeland Park
Camp Katur
EATING OUT
BEST BREAKFAST
The Balloon Tree
Yolk Farm
Robinsons
The Pig & Pastry
BEST LUNCH
The Balloon Tree
The Dark Horse
Mama Doreen’s
Spark:York
BEST SUNDAY ROAST
Forest
Bosun’s
The Balloon Tree
Kennedy’s
BEST ICE CREAM
LICC
Trinacria
Roberto Authentic Italian Gelato
Loopy Scoops
Curlew Fields Dairies
BEST DATE NIGHT DESTINATION
Spark:York
Ambiente
Pairings
York Minster Refectory
Ate O’Clock
BEST STREET FOOD
Crumbles
Yuzu Street Food
Shambles Kitchen
Krep
BEST CAFE
Rowntree Park Reading Cafe
Bluebird Bakery, Acomb
Brew & Brownie
Dark Horse
Heppni
CHILDCARE
BEST NURSERY
Little Green Rascals
York Childcare nurseries
Dinky Groves Day Nursery
York Campus Nursery
Queens Kindergarten and Chapter House Nursery
BEST CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
Blossom Family Dental Care
Orthokind
Rae and Rae Opticians
Dr Mafalda, The York Dental Suite
