Why camp close to Scarborough?
Britain’s original seaside resort
If you’re planning a holiday in Scarborough, we salute your taste – it's the seaside capital of North Yorkshire and was Britain’s first ever seaside resort. For many travellers, donkey rides on the beach, genteel Victorian architecture and sticks of rock sum up what Scarborough is, has been and always will be about.
That said, while the town is rightly proud of its traditional image as a classic coastal resort, modern Scarborough has very much moved on from the 19th century – surf schools, fine food and contemporary art can all be found in the town nowadays if you’re after something more modern.
Scarborough’s also a famously family-friendly place, and whichever Scarborough holiday park or campsite you stay at, there’ll be enough to do to keep the kids busy at the adventure centres, theme parks and zoos nearby.
Two sandy bays, one great seafront
You won’t be short on space on the sand in Scarborough – the town has two long golden beaches with excellent scope for swimming, rockpooling or dozing off to the sound of the waves. Both have excellent views over Scarborough Castle, which juts out into the sea on a headland that separates the two bays.
The North Bay is backed by hills and cliffs, with a range of rocky outcrops where shimmering sea creatures lurk. Rainbow-coloured beach huts, parks and relatively peaceful surroundings (the bay is further from the town centre) give the place a calm, low-key vibe.
The South Bay, in contrast, is closer to most of Scarborough’s traditional attractions, within easy walking distance of the town’s shops, amusement arcades and restaurants. It’s generally seen as the more kid-friendly of the town's two beaches (though that may be down more to how far little legs are willing to walk that to the bays themselves…).
Minutes from the North York Moors
Scarborough is also just a few minutes’ drive from the edge of the North York Moors National Park, an expansive upland area with forests, hills and rolling heather-covered moorlands. As it’s in the east of North Yorkshire, it’s also slightly drier than the equally scenic Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Pitch up in the North York Moors if you’re starry-eyed about the night sky – the national park has very low levels of light pollution, particularly in areas like Dalby Forest and Sutton Bank. Want to know more? Browse wild-style camping spots near Scarborough and the North York Moors or check out our article on getting the most out of dark sky camping.
Top Scarborough attractions
The best things to do in Scarborough
There’s a fine selection of attractions in Scarborough itself. There are far too many to list them all here, but we’ve included some of our favourites below:
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Check out what’s swimming at the Sea Life Scarborough aquarium
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Take a ride with a view on the North Bay Railway
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Take stock of Scarborough’s ancient geology at the Rotunda Museum
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Watch motorbikes tearing up the track at Oliver’s Mount Racing
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Make a splash at the Alpamare Water Park
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Learn the basics of boarding at Scarborough Surf School
The best attractions within an hour’s drive of Scarborough
Staying at a campsite, glampsite or holiday park in Scarborough also opens up a whole host of must-do day trips. Popular choices include:
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Flamborough Headland Heritage Coast (30 minutes)
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Whitby Abbey (30 minutes)
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Dalby Forest, Pickering – home to treetop adventures at Go Ape and woodland cycle trails (30 minutes)
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Sewerby Hall and Gardens (35 minutes)
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Flamingo Land Theme Park and Resort, Malton (40 minutes)
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Castle Howard, Coneysthorpe (50 minutes)
Delve deeper
Parks and gardens
If you wander a few minutes inland from North Bay beach, you’ll come across Peasholm Park, an Asian-inspired landscaped garden with streams, waterfalls and bridges. Peasholm Park also hosts the annual miniature naval battles that have taken place on its lake every summer since 1937. At other times of year, there are opportunities for unwinding at Peasholm Park’s putting green and pedalo hire centre.
On the other side of town, take in stunning views over Scarborough or get up to a spot of angling at Oliver's Mount, a large wooded hill 500 metres above sea level with a well-stocked fishing lake and fantastic far-reaching vistas.
Railway relics
Calling at Scarborough station? Then you’ll most likely have time to inspect what’s widely believed to be the world’s longest bench, a bright blue Grade II-listed seat that runs for 139 metres along the station wall.
For more train-related trivia, drive to Goathland station (40 minutes) or catch a North Yorkshire Moors Railway heritage service there from Pickering or Whitby. Goathland is best-known for its starring role as Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter films and has a top-rated tea room housed in a converted goods shed.
Walk or bike to Whitby
The Cinder Track is a traffic-free trail that follows an old railway line for roughly 20 miles between Scarborough and Whitby along the gorgeous Yorkshire coast.
Ambitious visitors can tackle the whole thing and take the bus back to base in Scarborough, but there are plenty of pit-stops along the trail that are worthy destinations in their own right.
Scenic highlights along the way include Robin Hood’s Bay, the stunning Larpool Viaduct and Hayburn Wyke waterfall.
Here’s how
All set to discover Scarborough’s best holiday parks? There are lots of top-quality options available in and around the town, so if you’ve yet to settle on exactly what you want you could start by simply scrolling through the options listed on this page.
That à la carte approach might not work quite so well when you’ve got something more specific in mind. Already know what you’re looking for? Use our tick-box filters to tailor your search to your needs, wants and whims.
Wondering which Scarborough campsites are dog-friendly? Or how to find a pitch with access to electricity? We’ve got you covered. Other popular options include:
Still on the hunt for your perfect spot? Try other North Yorkshire holiday hubs like Whitby, Skipton and York, or broaden your search to the wider North East region for a longer list of options.
