All Aboard for an Exciting New Partnership Between The Riverfront York & City Cruises York

New for 2025, popular leisure destination, The Riverfront York, has announced an exciting partnership with City Cruises York which will see its Riverbus service call at the Bishopthorpe venue from April.

The new addition to the Riverbus service will enable locals and visitors to The Riverfront York, both day trippers and guests at its caravan park and unique stays, to travel into York from Bishopthorpe on selected dates from April to September. Similarly, visitors to York will also be able to board the Riverbus to travel out to The Riverfront York to enjoy a host of other water-based activities including kayaking and paddle boarding, as well as dining at its riverside café bar and renowned Bosun’s restaurant.

Running along the River Ouse, the York Riverbus offers visitors one of the only routes to and from York without any traffic and boasts stunning views including Bishopthorpe Palace, the stunning 13th Century riverside residence of the Archbishop of York, as well as the beautiful countryside and landmarks in the city itself. Whilst the Riverbus service is a form of transportation, not a full sightseeing tour, guests will have all the facilities of those boats that operate the sightseeing cruises. These include a heated saloon, toilet facilities, and a selection of local beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks, hot drinks, and snacks available from the on-board bar!

For more information click here: The Riverbus Service at The Riverfront York

Speaking of the new partnership, Kerrie Cook, Owner, The Riverfront York, said: “We are incredibly excited to be opening up a new route to and from York for our visitors this year. We hope that the partnership will enable more people to visit us at The Riverfront, and equally add an extra dimension to stays for those that are holidaying with us during the summer. “We are currently carrying out extensive works to our riverside pontoons to ensure that embarking, and disembarking the Riverbus is accessible for as many people as possible and look forward to welcoming our first guests in April.”

Christopher Pegg, Head of Regional Commercial, Sales & Marketing, City Cruises, said: “We are delighted to be extending our popular Riverbus service this year with stops at The Riverfront York. Travelling by river gives visitors a unique perspective of the city and, by adding Bishopthorpe, our visitors will have even more opportunities to explore, whether they join us from The Riverfront to visit the city, or head out from the city to explore everything The Riverfront has to offer. We can’t wait to welcome people aboard from April!”

Occupying an idyllic location at the side of the River Ouse in Bishopthorpe, The Riverfront York is owned and run by local couple, Phil and Kerrie Cook, who completed a full takeover of the site in December 2023.

The Riverfront York now offers visitors a complete ‘stay, play and dine’ experience with a 25 pitch Caravan Park, six cosy cabins offering unique stays, a recently installed sustainably built children’s play area, Café Bar, Pizza Oven and Beauty Salon, all alongside various river-based activities, which include boat mooring and hire.

At its heart, is the highly regarded Bosun’s restaurant which is fast becoming one of York’s most popular dining destinations. Its team is focused on creating seasonal menus that blend local produce with innovative cooking techniques to deliver fresh, contemporary dishes.

With roots as far back as 1977, City Cruises York has been a prominent presence on the River Ouse for decades. With a fleet comprising 7 passenger boats and 14 Self Drive boats, the business transports 221k people annually with its diverse offerings, including Sightseeing, Dining, Self-Drive Boats and Private Hire services. In 2023, customer satisfaction reached an all-time high, with the company's Net Promoter Score being 8.7 out of 10. Specifically, their Fish & Chips cruise garnered a rating of 9.1, while the Self-Drive Boat Hire experience received an outstanding 9.2.

City Cruises York was acquired alongside sister port London by Hornblower Group’s City Experiences brand in 2019, a worldwide provider of quality visitor experiences.

Parking at The Riverfront York - please note that there is no parking available for day-trippers at The Riverfront York.