Acaster Malbis

Acaster Malbis has no hotels of its own, but its location just five miles south of York means visitors are never far from somewhere to stay. York itself offers everything from budget and mid-range chain hotels to characterful boutique guesthouses and townhouse hotels, many within the historic city walls and a short drive or cycle from the village. Staying in York gives easy access to the Minster, the Shambles and the city's restaurants, while still allowing a quiet riverside walk or cycle out to Acaster Malbis and along the Ouse towpath during the day. Villages closer to Acaster Malbis, such as Bishopthorpe and Naburn, also have a small number of guesthouses and bed and breakfasts for those who prefer a quieter, more rural base. Wherever you stay, the flat terrain of the Vale of York makes it easy to combine a comfortable overnight stay with cycling or walking along the river the next day. Because the village itself is so small, most visitors treat Acaster Malbis as a day trip or a riverside stop on a longer route rather than a base for a whole stay, so it is worth checking availability and location carefully around York, particularly during busy summer weekends and York race days when the city's accommodation fills up quickly.

Acaster Malbis is a village to slow down in rather than a place packed with sights, but its riverside position makes it a pleasant base for exploring on foot, by bike or by boat.

• River Ouse towpath — the riverside path along the Ouse is popular with walkers and cyclists, following the water north towards York and south towards Naburn and beyond.
• The Ship Inn — a 17th-century riverside pub with moorings alongside, making it a natural stopping point for anyone exploring the Ouse by boat.
• Holy Trinity Church — a Grade I listed medieval church housing the effigy of Sir John de Malebisse, who died in 1316, and a rare survival from the village's Norman past.
• Naburn Lock and Naburn Riverside — just across the river, this former Victorian lock-keeper's complex has been turned into gardens, a café and picnic spot, reachable via the towpath or the passenger ferry that has historically linked the two banks.
• York city centre — with its Minster, city walls and Shambles, York is only around five miles away and an easy cycle or short drive from the village.

The Ship Inn is the village's main food and drink option, a traditional riverside pub with moorings for boaters. Beyond that, options are limited within the village itself, but York's wide choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants is only a short trip away, and nearby Naburn Riverside has a café geared towards walkers and cyclists.

Acaster Malbis sits in the flat, low-lying Vale of York, right on the banks of the River Ouse, and while the village itself has no dedicated campsite, its riverside setting and easy access to York make the surrounding area a popular one for camping and glamping. As with everywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law, so anyone hoping to camp nearby should use a licensed site rather than pitching up on riverside land or footpaths. The flat terrain either side of the Ouse is well suited to camping and caravanning, with pitches typically offering easy access to the river towpath for walking and cycling, and a straightforward run into York for sightseeing. Because the land here is low-lying and the Ouse is prone to flooding after heavy rain, the best time to camp is from late spring through summer into early autumn, when the ground is driest and river paths are least likely to be affected. Riverside pitches can flood or become waterlogged in winter, so many sites in the area operate on a seasonal basis. For those who prefer not to pitch a tent, glamping options in the wider York area range from simple pre-erected canvas to more comfortable shepherd's huts and pods, giving the comforts of a proper bed while still being close to the water and the Vale of York countryside. Given the short distance into York, camping near Acaster Malbis suits visitors who want to explore the city by day but return to a quieter, greener spot by the river in the evening, with the Ship Inn's riverside garden a natural place to end the day.