York's main attraction is the town itself. Avon Terrace is one of the best-preserved Victorian streetscapes in Australia — a single street where nearly every building dates from the 1870s to early 1900s, and almost nothing has been knocked down or smothered in later additions. Walk the length of it at a slow pace and you get a genuine sense of what a prosperous colonial market town looked like.
Beyond the streetscape, the York Motor Museum stands out as a genuine collection rather than a regional curiosity — the vintage cars here are well-presented and span a century of Australian motoring. The Residency Museum gives the social history, and Balladong Farm puts the agricultural past into physical form. The old Courthouse complex, the fire station, and the Town Hall are all worth a look as you pass.
Spring is the best time to visit if you want to combine the town with wildflowers. The Avon Valley turns spectacular from August through October, and the annual Avon Descent white-water race in August draws serious crowds.