3 Seaside Towns in North Yorkshire That You Must Visit

Published July 21, 2023

Photography by Kate Robertson

Envision this; Coastal views of craggy cliffs, emerald green grasslands and rugged blue ocean. Add in lovely, quaint seaside towns, with architecture ranging from medieval to brightly-coloured modern beach houses, and you have the perfect recipe for an amazing vacation destination, the North Yorkshire Coast. 

Running for close to 160 kilometres along the shores of the stunning North Sea in the northeast section of England, here are three of my favourite North Yorkshire seaside towns that will give you a good taste of what the region has to offer.

Filey 

With only 6,000 inhabitants, this charming Edwardian town (think asymmetrical terracotta-tiled  rooflines adorned with gables and motifs), is the least crowded of the three and is considered a hidden gem by locals. 

The taxi driver who brought me here from the York train station, an hour away, told me that Filey is his favourite seaside village. Despite being named one of Britain’s best beaches, it’s less crowded and touristy than some of the other towns up the coast, and where he likes to take his family for beach time, mini golf and boutique shopping. And, of course, for the fish and chips–there’s a shop on every corner.

Noteworthy attractions are the historic beachside promenade where you’ll find everything from pony rides to beach sailing lessons. There’s a Bird Garden & Animal Park, and you will want to visit St. Oswald’s, a 12th century local parish church that Charlotte Bronte regularly attended. 

From the beach when you gaze to the south, you can see the chalky cliffs of the Bempton Nature Reserve, where half a million seabirds gather to nest on the chalky cliffs between March and October each year.  

Filey is also the south end of the Cleveland Way, a 175-kilometre national trail which follows the North Yorkshire coastline from Saltburn-by the Sea.

Stay at White Lodge Hotel, an 1856 Victorian villa located at the end of Filey’s famous Victorian Crescent. This private chateau has been renovated so that most of the rooms have a view of the sea. 

For fish & chips go to Inghams Fish Restaurant. I ordered the cod and chips for 12 pounds, and I couldn’t eat it all. For an authentic British experience add on a side order of mushy peas.

Scarborough

Yes, “that” Scarborough, which inspired the famous Scarborough Fair song. Scarborough is the largest seaside resort on the Yorkshire coast, and it’s also the oldest seaside resort in Britain.

This has been a popular holiday spot since the 1600s, when the Scarborough Spa was developed. You can’t miss this imposing Victorian-era structure on the South Bay beach, still a renowned live music and events space, and home to the last remaining seaside orchestra in the UK. 

Old town is sheltered by the craggy headland which separates north bay from south bay, and is worth a stroll to check out Luna Park, the seaside “fair”, souvenir shops and the abundant traditional sweet shops, where local confections are still displayed in large jars on shelves. 

Up the hill, atop the headland, is the 12 century Scarborough Castle (or what’s left of it) built by Henry II on top of a Roman signal station site. Just down the road is St. Mary’s Church, where Anne Bronte is buried.  

Stay at the Bike and Boot Inn, a hip, vibrant hotel especially suited to the active traveller, located close to the beach and train station, with perks like a free bike storage and dog grooming area. Enjoy an upscale meal at Embers Kitchen, where Chef Dan Hargreaves serves up a seasonal menu of British dishes with a twist. (Some of England's finest food is grown in North Yorkshire making the region a foodie's dream. Make sure you try some famous local Yorkshire puddings, Wensleydale cheese and Yorkshire curd tart. Another must-try is a pint of  the Theakston Yorkshire Bitters, a full-bodied hoppy beer, and the region’s best-seller. 

Whitby

It may seem unusual that “seaside village” and “Goth capital of the UK” would be used in the same sentence, but Whitby was where Bram Stoker was staying in 1890, and found inspiration for settings and characters when he was researching Dracula.  Now all sorts of Dracula and vampire-themed events are held here each year. If you’re a Dracula lover, be sure to go to the Dracula Experience Whitby, which brings scenes from the book to life with actors, animated scenes and special effects.

The ruins of the Whitby Abbey, a 7th-century Christain monastery which later became a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey, are perched on the cliffs, overlooking the Whitby Bay and village. Next door is St. Mary’s Church, an Anglican parish church still used by the townspeople, and accessed by a 199-step climb up the hill. (The church graveyard was used as a setting in Dracula).

Another local attraction are several shops selling Whitby Jet, a semi-precious gemstone naturally formed from fossilized wood, mined locally and polished to a unique deep blackness (keep your eyes open, it can wash up on the beach after a storm). 

Just outside of town is North York Moors National Park which contains one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the UK. You can walk the paths any time of year, but the best time in the moors is mid-August to mid-September, when the heather is blooming. If walking isn’t your thing, you can also take a steam train from Whitby to Pickering, a perfect way to take in the amazing views of sheep and smokey-rose heather, just like a page out of a Bronte novel.

Overnight at the no-frills, affordable Arundel House, where they serve up a tasty and filling traditional English breakfast. Eat your dinner at Albert’s Eatery, whilst surrounded by Whitby Jet displays. Fish and chips are easily found in any of these seaside villages, and Whitby has several take-out shops right on the edge of the promenade. Whitby also hosts an annual Fish & Chip Fest every May to celebrate this famous British staple.

For more info on the UK go to Visit Britain or Discover Yorkshire Coast