Mystery Picnic in York

The York Mystery Picnic is designed to be explored on foot, so there’s no need for a car once you arrive. The route takes you between clue and food stops at a walking pace while you explore the city.

Come with a fully charged phone, plus a pen and paper in case they’re useful for solving the clues. You’ll also want a bottle of water, a cooler or carry bag with an ice pack, and your own picnic essentials such as a knife, plates, cups and a blanket.

Your clues will lead you to a handful of local food stops, where you collect the different parts of your picnic as you go. The focus is on gourmet food from local artisan producers, with traditional picnic fare such as cheeses, cured meats, fresh fruit and crackers among the kinds of things you might collect. Because the producers and stops vary from one Mystery Picnic destination to another, the exact contents are part of the surprise.

Think of it as a picnic assembled piece by piece as you explore York rather than a large restaurant meal. By the time you reach your final picnic spot, you should have a selection of locally sourced treats ready to unpack and enjoy together.

Mystery Picnics are designed to go ahead whatever the weather. If the forecast is looking distinctly un-picnic-like and you would rather rearrange, you’ll need to give at least three business days’ notice, so it is worth checking the forecast in the days beforehand. Or, if a bit of York weather doesn’t bother you, just bring your brollie!

A York Mystery Picnic isn’t a couples-only day out. The Classic Mystery Picnic can be booked for two or four adults, while the Family Mystery Picnic has options for two adults with two or three children, so you can choose the version that best fits the people you are bringing.

Some York food stops and/or the final picnic location restrict pets, so this Mystery Picnic is not a dog-friendly route unfortunately.

Your exact start time will be confirmed in your booking information, but Mystery Picnics generally begin between 11am and 1pm. You’ll need to make sure you are in York in time to begin the route, then allow around 3-4 hours for the full experience, including time to sit down and enjoy your picnic.

York Mystery Picnics are available Wednesday to Saturday. They are not available on selected public holidays, including New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, the Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Your voucher is valid for 12 months from the date it is issued. You will need to make your booking and take the experience before the voucher expires, so it is worth keeping that date in mind when you are planning your picnic.

Once you have paid for the experience, the voucher and booking information can be sent either to you or directly to the recipient. Check the details when it arrives, then follow the booking instructions to arrange the experience.

The voucher provider offers all sorts of other experiences too, so if a Mystery Picnic turns out not to be what you (or they) want to do after all, you can exchange the voucher and use its value towards another experience instead.