Scarborough Seafront – A Classic Yorkshire Seaside Experience

Exploring Scarborough Seafront

Scarborough's seafront has everything you'd expect from a traditional British seaside resort: amusement arcades, cafés, fish and chips, ice cream, attractions and fantastic views across the bay.

But there's much more to Scarborough than the traditional seaside experience.

As we make our way along the seafront, we also look at some of the area's history and the landmarks that have helped shape Scarborough into the resort we know today.

Above the town sits the unmistakable Scarborough Castle, occupying its dramatic position on the headland between the North and South Bays. Its location gives you an idea of just how strategically important Scarborough has been throughout its long history.

Scarborough Harbour

The harbour is another fascinating part of a visit to the seafront.

Fishing and maritime activity have played an important role in Scarborough's story for centuries, and today the harbour remains one of the most interesting areas to explore while walking around South Bay.

It's also a great place to stop for photographs and enjoy views back towards the seafront and castle.

A Seaside Resort With Plenty of History

Scarborough isn't simply somewhere to visit for the beach.

The town has a fascinating history stretching back centuries and eventually developed into one of Britain's earliest seaside resorts.

The popularity of Scarborough's spa waters helped attract visitors to the town, while the arrival of the railway during the Victorian period made Scarborough accessible to huge numbers of holidaymakers.

That combination of history and traditional seaside entertainment is still very much part of Scarborough today.

Is Scarborough Seafront Worth Visiting?

Yes – definitely.

Whether you're visiting for the history, the beach, the harbour, the traditional seaside attractions or simply a walk beside the sea, there's plenty to see and do.

One of the things we particularly enjoy about Scarborough is the variety. You can spend part of the day exploring historic locations, stop for something to eat, wander around the harbour and then simply enjoy the views across the Yorkshire coast.

It's also somewhere you can return to several times and still find something different to explore.

Watch Our Scarborough Seafront Video

Join PJ and Mrs PJ as we explore Scarborough seafront, discover some of its history and show you what it's really like to visit.

As always with Explore Britain with PJ, we're not simply showing you the tourist attractions – we're taking you along with us so you can decide whether Scarborough deserves a place on your own list of places to visit.

Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England
Best for: Seaside walks, families, history, photography and traditional seaside attractions
Allow: At least half a day – although you could easily spend an entire day exploring Scarborough
Explore Britain verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Well worth a visit