Treasure Hunt York
Have fun with the right hen activity
A unique hen party activity
You're organising the hen in York and you want it to be special. You need a fun activity that all the hens will enjoy.
You're organising the hen in York and you want it to be special. You need a unique activity that all the hens will enjoy.
The bride doesn’t want something cliché that could have been anyone’s hen do. Those places where as soon as one hen party leaves, another one arrives. They're a total rip-off and there's no point going all the way to York for that.
You need to get all the hens on board. Otherwise there'll be breakaway groups just hitting the pub and splitting up the group. So it's got to be fun for everyone, aunties, the uni mates and the siblings too.
It's going to be like herding cats - getting everyone in the right place at a certain time is never going to happen. So best avoid activities with a rigid time slot and no flexibility. Especially where you have to confirm numbers months ahead - there are bound to be drop-outs.
You know York's a fab place for a hen do with cool bars, restaurants and quirky things to see. It's just a question of making the most of the city while all having fun together.
Fun activity for all the hens.
Super flexible and easy to organise.
Enjoy York together with a fun, chilled out treasure hunt game. See the best bits of the city with our carefully designed walking route. We'll show you the main sights and the lesser known spots too, so you'll feel like you actually got to see York.
Get all the hens excited… Who doesn't remember the thrill of a childhood treasure hunt? This one's made for adults, with proper puzzles, interesting facts, decent pub stops and a bit of banter too.
It's super easy to organise. We don't need a deposit and drop-outs aren't a problem: we do free cancellation because plans change. On the day, start when you like. Go at your own pace and enjoy the recommended pubs. No rush.
We're here to help you plan the perfect hen weekend. Pop us an email if there's anything we can do.
Don't take our word for it: we're rated ★★★★★ on Tripadvisor with 184 reviews.
Treasure Hunt York is a fun, interesting way to see the city and all have a laugh together.
Great way to see the city and find little sneaky hideaways you wouldn't know was there. We did it for part of my friends hen doo and it was great fun. Highly recommend gets your brain working some are not easy to find but it's part of the fun.
I booked this for my sisters hen do for 10 of us. We was put into 2 teams of 5 to make it a competition. I was really pleased and the whole group throughly enjoyed it from start to finish! Great prices for an all day adventure!! Amazing! Thanks guys!
It works like a WhatsApp
group chat
You don’t need to download or print anything and it doesn’t need any permissions.
Plus, you get to start when you want.
1. Follow maps 🧭
Bess sends you a series of treasure maps, leading you around York.
The clues and maps are a lot of fun.
This is a great way to see the city!”
Captain Bess
2. Search for answers 🔎
Bess sends you a series of clues and you have to search the city for answers.
Good banter from Captain Bess who sends you the clues!”
Captain Bess
Black Beard Beth
Captain Bess
Long Joe Silver
Captain Bess
3. Learn some facts 🎓
Along the way, Bess will tell you a few interesting facts and stories about the things you're spotting in York!”
We learnt new things and actually appreciated the beautiful scenery as we went around the city.
Captain Bess
4. Play together 👨👩👦
Captain Bess will invite you all to join the hunt!
We had such a laugh and a great day out!
Captain Bess
Buccaneer Beth
Captain Bess
Lianne Pinkbeard joined the game.
Parrot Pete 🦜 joined the game.
Parrot Pete
Lianne Pinkbeard
... no deposit required
It's the perfect way to see York 🧭
You'll make the most of being in York. You wouldn't want to come all this way and not actually see anything.
No spoilers... You'll see the main sights like York Minster but the real fun is solving the clues and spotting interesting details right there in the street.
Learn something new
You're going to learn some interesting facts and stories, like how "mad Alice" got her name.
Nothing too heavy going, just enough to give you a taste of some of the people and stories that make York what it is.
All have fun together
With Treasure Hunt York, you'll all have fun together. No-one's going to feel uncomfortable getting involved. No breakaway groups disappearing to the pub.
You're going to have a laugh solving cryptic clues and following treasure maps. They're tricky but solvable and they'll get you bonding together.
The clues and tour was very well pitched - not too easy, not too hard! Thanks for a great activity, will definitely be recommending it to people in the future!
Take your time, go at your own pace
You can start when you like, so no problem if you're struggling to get the girls out the door.
You could even finish the next day if the girls do get stuck in a nice pub!
It was our main hen do activity, and we had a brilliant time. We loved that we could start the treasure hunt whenever we wanted on the day and stop to have a bite to eat and relax.
Make it a competition
We recommend splitting into teams of 6, or 8 at a push. Who can get the highest score?
Points are awarded based on how many clues you got right first time. So think carefully if you want to win.
Don't worry, even though you'll split up, you'll see plenty of each other. Each team follows the same route. Why not arrange to meet up at the half-way pub stop? That way the hens will get to know their teams, then you'll all come back together later.
There was a large group of us and we split into teams which made it all the more fun as it added a competitive edge.
Free cancellation, no stress
Things change. You're going to have drop-outs, or maybe you'll all have such banging headaches you can't face a treasure hunt. That's fine, we understand.
We’re flexible. If you change your mind, or if you can't make it to York, play another day or cancel for free.
... confirm numbers later
Fun or your money back
We're so confident you and the hens are going to love Treasure Hunt York, if you don't have fun, we promise to give your money back. Just tell us what went wrong and we'll make it right.
By the end, you'll have explored York, learnt something interesting and made memories you'll laugh about at the wedding.
What if it rains?
If it's patchy rain, you can pop into a pub along the route: the treasure hunt is flexible.
If it's really bad and you'd like to switch days, that's fine. Or you can split it over two days if you like.
If it's really pouring or the Ouse has burst its banks, we’ll give your money back, even if you've started the game.
Will it be too difficult?
Don't worry! The treasure hunt has some tricky clues, but if you get stuck you can ask for a hint.
We make sure you don't get completely stuck, lost in a labyrinth of medieval snickelways...
Do we all have it on our phones?
That's right: everyone can open the game link on their own phone if they want to. That way you're not all squinting at one phone, and if you anyone gets lost they can see what's going on.
When you're playing in 2 or 3 teams, each team has a separate game link. Each team will be playing the exactly same game, but their own version.
Will I have fun if I'm from York?
Yes! You already know the city, but we bet you'll notice things you've walked past a hundred times before.
We've worked hard to find the less-obvious stuff - beyond the typical blue plaques - and some interesting stories and anecdotes. You're going to have a great time!
Will it be too physical?
It's 2 miles walking but there are nice cafes and pubs you can rest along the route.
Can you recommend..?
We'll certainly try!
We've spoken to dozens of hens and we love hearing from you. We'll gladly share what we've learned to make your weekend as special as possible.
Great communication from Ian/Paul throughout as I emailed to ask a few questions before we did it and they came back with useful suggestions.
Ready to book the perfect York hen activity?
- Lovely way to explore York.
- Fun activity everyone will enjoy.
- Start when you like, take breaks.
- 1½–2½ hours plus pub stops.
- Just £9.99 per person.
Getting organised?
Plan your day 📋
Have questions?
Email Paul & Ian 💌
or text us
07380 309380
Have questions?
Email Paul & Ian 💌
or text us
07380 309380
“We thought the clues were pitched at the correct level, not too easy and made you look very closely at your surroundings, without being impossible to solve.
We had a fun day exploring York with a few pit stops for refreshement between clues.”
—Grendel46, Tripadvisor
Telephone: 01904 500 868
Text us: 07380 309380
Gardens and Guildhalls
starts from:
York Observatory, Museum Gardens, York, YO30 7BH
Play our second game in York: Walk the Walls