We will be traveling to London in October and would like to go to York on October 10 for a couple of days. The Rick Steves' England book mentions horse racing and I see that the October Meeting Finale is October 9-10. Should we avoid going to York during that time? Thanks in advance for advice!
I wouldn't avoid it, no. The races being a generally fun atmosphere, and whilst public transport will be busier, particularly the railway station, it is far from insurmountable.
You would be wise to book accommodation sooner rather than later, it will only get scarcer and more expensive
the October races are not busy. The casual fun time/stag and hen visitors which make up the bulk of the summer crowds are all played out by October.
Thanks for your help! We look forward to visiting York!
We visited York in October of 2017 and it was great, not so crowded.