My partner and I have really felt the pressure recently, so we decided that a visit to York was a good idea.
I work full-time as a writer and he works funny shifts in the retail industry. We have six children between us ranging from four to 20, plus a son-in-law. This is both stressful and time-consuming.
Our house is a one-hundred-year-old four bedroomed house on the coast that has more holes in it than windows and we seem to spend our life repairing things.
Also, both my cousin and my dad died suddenly shortly after Christmas. It was definitely time to let our hair down and have a break from the stresses and strains of life.
Booking a Visit to York
At Christmas, I gave him an envelope containing a booking confirmation sheet for a night at Marmaduke’s Townhouse Hotel in York, which is one of the best hotels in York. He has often said to me he wanted to take me to York as it is a city he loves. My mum gave us money to have a nice meal while we were away.
Neither of us could wait as it is not often that we spend time on our own together, except when we are asleep. A night away together seemed like a real luxury and something that we were both looking forward to immensely.
The Drive to York
The drive to York was lovely. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of driving through Lancashire and Yorkshire will know what lovely views you can enjoy, even from the motorway.
Exploring the City
As soon as we arrived, we were keen to check out our room and then to explore York. Neither of us had eaten all day so we were starving and finding a good restaurant in York was our number one priority.
We enjoyed perusing through the streets and reading the menus outside the restaurant while we found somewhere we fancied eating. Some of the shops were still open, including two shops selling Harry Potter memorabilia. I took great delight in trying out some of the wands.
We finally stopped for something to eat at Cafe Rouge, of which I have written a review. I had a camembert starter while my partner had an unusual egg dish that included a red wine sauce. We both opted for steak as the main. Usually, I do not have a dessert. I love them, but I only have a small appetite. However, I had nothing to eat earlier in the day and was starving, so chocolate torte for two it was!
A Visit to York- A Night Out Drinking
Both me and my partner like a drink (or three!) but we rarely go out drinking. We decided to make the most of a night without any children and head off on a pub crawl. The first pub we visited in York was huge but had just an elderly couple sitting in the corner. Although we are middle-aged, I am 38 and he is 44, there is still life in us yet and we had hoped for something a little more lively.
Instead, we took the advice of the bar staff and headed off to a grungy student bar called ‘Rolling Stones’. The fact that we were the oldest people in there didn’t put us off and we were soon drinking and playing pool against the students- and we won!
When we decided to make a move to the next bar, the students decided they wanted to tag along. Even though it was a Sunday night in January and the streets were very quiet, my other half and I still managed to make a mini party for ourselves!
The next York venue was a trendy cocktail bar called ‘The Drawing Board’. Again, this had a young vibe, but we soon had everyone in the bar talking to us- my partner likes being the centre of attention.
Staying at the Marmaduke’s Townhouse Hotel During a Visit to York
We spent the night at Marmaduke’s Townhouse Hotel close to the city centre. This was a small hotel spread over two historic townhouse properties. The room was beautiful and spotlessly clean.
We had also booked breakfast at the Marmaduke’s Townhouse Hotel. The dining room was stunning with decor appropriate to the period of the property. The staff were attentive without fussing over us. The breakfast included good quality ingredients, it was well cooked, and presented in an attractive manner.
Although we had a fantastic time at Marmaduke’s Town House Hotel, there are many other fantastic hotels in York.
A Visit to York Castle Museum
Despite the hangovers the next day, we had a fantastic time at the ‘York Castle Museum’ and I loved dressing up in all the outfits and getting involved with the interactive activities- as you can see from the pics!
Although we went on a visit to York on a Sunday in the middle of January, I would definitely recommend an evening out in York eating and drinking. There is a great selection of restaurants and a diverse range of drinking venues to try.
If you are visiting York, you might like to read our reviews of the best Chinese takeaways in York, best Indian takeaways in York, the best restaurants in York, the best Italian restaurants in York, and the best vegetarian restaurants in York.