How the New "Time Travelling Adventure" on CitySightseeing York Tour Buses Makes History Fun for the Whole Family

Anyone who’s ever tried to show a child around a historic city knows the score. There’s a fine line between a fun family day out and a full-scale mutiny over just one more old building. York, with its incredible 2,000 years of history packed into winding streets, is amazing for grown-ups. For kids? It can be a bit much. But what if there was a way to see all the epic sights, like the Roman walls and Viking spots, without the familiar chorus of "Are we done yet?". Well, it looks like CitySightseeing York has cracked it. They've just launched something that might just be a game-changer for family trips to the city.

A bus tour with a twist

This week the famous bright-red, open-top buses that trundle through York’s streets added a brand-new feature, and it’s one aimed squarely at its youngest passengers. It’s called the ‘Time Travelling Adventure’, a special kids’ audio tour designed to make history cool. The idea is simple but brilliant: while the adults get the standard tour, kids can plug into their own commentary channel. This isn't just a simplified version of the grown-up's guide. It's a completely separate audio experience, created specifically to grab their attention with tales of Romans, Vikings, and medieval mischief. The new tour is now playing on all CitySightseeing York buses, which are operated by Transdev Blazefield.

This special audio tour was created in collaboration with someone who knows a thing or two about keeping kids entertained. Suzie Vaughan, a children's entertainer based in North Yorkshire and the founder of Enchantica’s, worked with the tour company to bring the city’s past to life. She doesn’t just narrate it; she becomes the character of ‘Time Travelling Suzie’, a digital guide for the journey. Best of all, this fantastic addition doesn’t cost a penny extra. Access to the ‘Time Travelling Adventure’ is completely free with any standard tour ticket, making it an easy choice for families wanting to explore the city without the fuss.

What’s the story?

So, what can young historians expect to hear on this ‘Time Travelling Adventure’? Instead of just dates and facts about architecture, the audio tour tells the stories of the people who walked these same streets centuries ago. As the bus rolls past ancient Roman walls, kids will hear about the soldiers who built them. When it gets near the old Viking areas, they’ll be treated to stories about the fearsome warriors who once called this place home. The entire 2000-year history of York is covered, from its Roman roots and Viking conquests to its medieval glory.

The commentary is designed to be a bit like listening to a really good storybook. Imagine cruising along, the wind in your hair on the top deck, while listening to tales of knights and archers as you pass by Clifford’s Tower. Or hearing about the sweet history of the city’s chocolate-making past as the bus heads towards York’s Chocolate Story. The tour turns the whole city into a massive, real-life stage where history isn't just a lesson in a book; it’s something happening right outside the window. It connects the sights to the stories, making everything far more memorable than a simple list of facts ever could.

The voice behind the adventure

The person responsible for making this audio tour so engaging is Suzie Vaughan. Her whole job is about finding what makes kids tick, and she’s brought all that expertise to this project. For her, it was about more than just reading a script. It was about creating a performance that makes history feel alive and exciting for a younger audience. The ‘Time Travelling Adventure’ is her way of translating a traditional city tour into a language kids understand: the language of play, stories, and imagination. She had this to say about her experience creating the tour:

“Being commissioned to create this time-travelling audio adventure for CitySightseeing York has been a real honour. What we’ve created isn’t just time travel – it’s an invitation into the past. By translating the traditional city tour into the language of children, the experience becomes more playful, more vivid, and more accessible for all. It’s storytelling theatre, with York as the stage. It’s been a joy bringing these stories to life, and I hope they capture the hearts of all who listen.”

Planning your trip through time

The practical side of things is refreshingly simple. The CitySightseeing York buses run frequently, arriving every 15-20 minutes, seven days a week. The full tour takes about an hour if you stay on for the whole loop, which is a perfect amount of time to keep little ones engaged. But the real beauty of it is the flexibility. With 21 stops dotted around the city, families can hop off whenever something catches their eye. Want to explore the Shambles or grab a famous bun from Betty’s? No problem. Just get off the bus, and another one will be along shortly to pick the tour back up again.

Tickets can be bought online in advance or directly on the bus, and they are valid for either 24 or 48 hours from the first scan. This means a family can spread their sightseeing over a couple of days if they want to. There’s even a new-look app where people can track the buses in real-time, taking the guesswork out of waiting at a stop. It’s all designed to make a day out in York as stress-free as possible.

Get more than just a bus ride

A ticket for the CitySightseeing York tour bus offers more than just a ride and a history lesson. It also unlocks a whole range of discounts at some of the city's best attractions. This is a huge plus for families looking to make their budget stretch a little further. After hopping off the bus, a tour ticket can get you money off entry at loads of brilliant places. Here are just a few of the attractions included:

• Clifford’s Tower

• York’s Chocolate Story

• Mansion House

• York Army Museum

• The York Dungeon

This turns the bus ticket into a proper city pass, making it a really smart way to plan a family day out. It means you can combine the fun of the open-top ‘Time Travelling Adventure’ with a hands-on visit to one of the places you’ve just heard all about. It’s a complete package for anyone wanting to see the best of what this historic city has to offer, keeping everyone in the family happy from start to finish.