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As a holiday destination, Scarborough really does have it all, with sandy beaches, harbour and historic castle overlooking the bay. There is an abundance of leisure and family attractions to keep everyone happy.  

Scarborough's close proximity to the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wold's and the dramatic scenery of the Yorkshire Coast makes the seaside town a perfect base from which to explore this diverse region of Britain. North Yorkshire is considered one of the UK's most scenic counties.  

Scarborough was Britain’s first seaside resort and has been welcoming visitors for over 360 years and is still as popular as ever, whether you are looking for a fun family getaway, relaxing break or a romantic weekend away.

SOUTH BAY

The South Bay has a large sandy bay with excellent facilities, child friendly amenities and is very popular with families. There is a working harbour with a small fishing fleet and a new marina for yachts and pleasure boats. There are various boat and fishing trips around the bay and along the coast.    

The South Bay Beach is the busiest of the Scarborough beaches with soft sand and a sheltered bay, which is a favourite with visitors and locals alike.    

The South Bay Foreshore has numerous amusement arcades and leisure activities, including donkey rides and a small fun fair with rides and other entertainment. You can also enjoy fish & chips, Scarborough rock and fudge and an array of seaside stalls selling traditional delights, such as cockles, mussels, crabs and other local shell fish caught off the Scarborough & Whitby coast. There are many cafes and restaurants to eat and relax while on the Yorkshire coast.

HARBOUR

The Harbour area is in the old town and has been at the heart of Scarborough for as long as it's existed.     

The Harbour is made up of three piers with an outer and inner harbour. The outer harbour is used by leisure vessels and the inner harbour by fishing and passenger vessels.      

From the Harbour there are various boat trips, were you can sail out on Pleasure Steamers, take a Speedboat ride, go on the scaled down pirate ship Hispaniola, take a boat out to see the seals or go on a chartered fishing trip.    

Although the fishing industry had declined over recent years, there is still a small working fleet sailing in and out of Scarborough and visiting vessels especially Scottish still use the harbour to land their catch.    

There is also a Lighthouse, which is situated on Vincent Pier. It is operational and flashes a couple of hours each side of the High Tide.

NORTH BAY

The North Bay is a sandy beach with rocky outcrops to the north which become isolated at high tide and provide rock pool areas at low tide. Ideal if you enjoy looking for small crabs and other crustaceans. To the south, there is a flat sandy beach area, ideal for sun bathing and watching the world go by. The beach is used by a wide range of users, from families through to recreational water sports enthusiasts, with there being a number of beach chalets available for hire.   

The North Bay Beach is a Blue Flag beach, meaning it is one of the best in Europe for cleanliness both on the sand and in the water. The beach is away from the road, with a chalet's along a promenade, which leads to the Sea Life Centre.

NORTH BAY RAILWAY

The North Bay Railway has been operating trains since 1931, taking passengers from Scalby Mills (home of the Scarborough Sea Life Centre) to Peasholm Park. The journey offers scenic views of the North Bay.

PEASHOLM PARK

Peasholm Park is a must visit when staying in the Scarborough area. It has a central island with Japanese Pagoda ornately sitting on top and is surrounded by a lake. A waterfall cascades from the top of the island and a stream flows down numerous little waterfalls into lush pools surrounded by some of the biggest variety of trees and foliage found anywhere in Britain with examples from all over the world. The narrow valley creates shelter for these exotic species and the Japanese themed furniture, weeping willow trees, nature trails, picnic benches and ornaments create a true paradise within the town boundary. You can hire Dragon or Swan themed pedalos to Paddle around the Island.    

Every Monday and Thursday you can watch 'Naval Warfare', which is a show which features model ships, manned by people, re-enacting a famous wartime battle, complete with firing planes, explosions and sinking ships.  

SCARBOROUGH CASTLE

The remains of the Castle dominate the town, strategically positioned on a headland cliff overlooking North and South Bay. Scarborough Castle is an impressive sight even if today, only the ruins are visible. The keep and the extensive fortifications were constructed in the 12th century during the reign of Henry II and was subjected to sustained cannon fire during the English Civil War and then heavy shelling by German warships in 1914 which severely damaged the castle leaving just the present day ruins. Today the castle and grounds are managed by English Heritage. Facilities for visitors include a tea room, an exhibition area and shop.

OX PASTURE HALL HOTEL 

If you are looking for a good hotel in Scarborough, they do not get better than Ox Pasture Hall. This luxury country house hotel is located in 17 acres of grounds in the North York Moors National Park, just over 2 miles from Scarborough.  

Ox Pasture Hall Hotel has been transformed into a super-luxurious, yet warm friendly country house hotel, with a choice of luxury accommodation ranging from classic doubles, deluxe bedrooms, four posters and luxury suites. This stunning country house hotel is widely regarded as the best of all the Yorkshire Coast hotels and is consistently rated as one of the top hotels in North Yorkshire.  

Ox Pasture Hall has become the destination of choice for discerning travellers looking to visit Scarborough, the Yorkshire Coast and North Yorkshire Moors area.