The English coast doesn’t get the same number of visitors that it did decades ago. Mainly due to the variable English weather. People want the sunshine that is more often found further south in Europe.
But on a good day, Scarborough can be as nice as Spain, France or Portugal and it’s a lot easier to get to from the UK and cheaper.
Getting to Scarborough is easy by train from York. You can also drive, but work out where you are going to park unless you want to be faffing around moving your car around when you get there.
The town is split into North Scarborough, the castle promontary and South Scarborough.
The North is a sweeping bay that ends at the Scalby Mills pub. Further north are the cliffs that stretch to Robin Hoods Bay. Along the top of the cliff near town are many Bed and Breakfasts. Some are nicer than others but if you pick well they can be great to stay in.
The South Bay is a typical British seaside resort with all the fun expected from one. Amusement arcades, fair ground, harbour and boat trips, many food stalls, cafes and restaurants. The sandy beach tends to be busier than North Bay’s and is more family orientated, with deck chairs and wind breaks for hire and donkey rides for the young ones.
North Bay is often used by stand-up paddle boarders surfing the waves. Also some surfers, though you do get some in South Bay at times.
At the south end of South Bay is the Spa and Italian gardens. If you are at the top of the cliffs you can walk across the historic Cliff Bridge to reach them.
The south part of the town also has many hotels to stay in. If you prefer to be closer to the town centre these may be better for you; for example if you have come for a night out.
For our night out we visited some real ale pubs : The Angel and Scholar’s Bar and some of the more ‘towny’ pubs. We also had some great Thai food at Thai Orchid. The staff were very friendly and nothing was too much trouble. We watched some boxing at the Dickens pub and saw a band at the Cask pub. We had a good night with varied entertainment.
For things to do during the day, you can visit the Castle. It was £11 when we went and included a free tour if you want to learn about the history of the Castle. It dates back to the 12th Century. On a fine day, it is a great place to be, and the views across both the north and south part of the town are amazing.
We also went on a speed boat ride around the bay which was scary but fun.
There are events at Scarbourgh Open Air Theatre which attracts some surprisingly big acts. The venue is good, but I wasn’t too impressed with the drinks choice.
There are plenty of shops and the Market Hall stood out for me, with shops on three levels, including down below in the vaults. A great old building. Boyes department store has all sorts of stuff in there if you want a mooch around.
As the town is built on a cliff there are three funiculars you can take to get up and down the cliff. The one near the Grand Hotel is very useful, especially if you have dodgy knees. It’s only £1.40 single and you pay at the top with card or cash. It’s very easy.
You can have a great weekend in Scarborough, just check the weather forecast before you head there to make sure you’re getting some sunshine.