Known for its wide-open lush green landscape and the literary talents of the Bronte sisters, Yorkshire is to many people paradise on earth. In Yorkshire, you will discover a land steeped in history full of ancient cathedrals, abbeys, and castles. A land where the Romans marched and the Vikings conquered. A land that grew rich during the industrial revolution creating the great cities of Leeds and Sheffield.

The Yorkshire Coast

Stretching from the River Tees to the River Humber on the east coast of England, the Yorkshire coast features family-friendly seaside resorts. Built on the back of the industrial revolution and the fishing industry, Yorkshire seaside towns are ideal for spending some time during the summer. With this in mind, we thought we would look at the Yorkshire seaside towns in more detail and point out what they had to offer anyone wanting to visit them. 

Blue Flag Beaches in yorkshire

To begin our in-depth look, we will start with the four seaside places in Yorkshire where the beaches have all been awarded Blue Flag status by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). To become a Blue Flag beach, they must meet the organization’s criteria for water quality, safety, and public environmental education. According to the FEE, the best Yorkshire coastal towns beaches are Whitby West Cliff, Scarborough North Bay, Bridlington North Beach, and Hornsea.

Whitby

Built in a ravine where the River Esk meets the North Sea, Whitby’s narrow streets are overlooked by ruins of a 13th-century abbey that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. During the mid-18th century, Whitby grew rich from Whaling, as is evident in some of the fine houses on West Cliff. Today Whitby relies on tourism for its wealth, as do the other nearby seaside towns like Robin Hoods Bay.

Whitby West Cliff Beach

Easily one of the most beautiful beaches in Northern England, Whitby West Cliff Beach is a large sandy beach located close to the centre of town. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months, and there is a paddling pool for young children who don’t want to go into the sea. Deckchairs are available for rent, and there is a variety of vendors offering drinks and snacks nearby.

Scarborough

As England’s first true coastal resort, Scarborough has the reputation of being a traditional British seaside retreat where children build sandcastles while mom and dad soak up the sun. In a move designed to attract big-spending millennials, Scarborough promotes the resort as a place where you can surf, do yoga on the beach, watch dolphins at sunset, and go on Instagram-friendly coastal hikes. 

Set on a rocky headland, Scarborough is divided between South Bay and North Bay and is connected by an extensive Victorian promenade. Much of the older part of the town lies around the harbour on South Bay which is the main tourist area.

Scarborough North Bay Beach

Located in a more peaceful part of the seafront is the Blue Flag Scarborough North Bay Beach, a  

20-minute walk from the more commercialized South Bay. Scarborough North Bay Beach is an extensive sandy beach ideal for families and surfers and has lifeguards on duty during the summer. Adjacent to the beach is the famous Peasholm Park boating lake and miniature railway.

Bridlington

Bridlington is often described as the hidden gem of the East Yorkshire seaside towns and has everything you would expect to find, plus more! Nearby is Flamborough Head, a chalk headland with sheer white cliffs home to thousands of migrating birds, making it one of the most scenic places in Yorkshire. While in the centre of town you will find a variety of shops and restaurants to suit all tastes. Bridlington also happens to be one of the closest Yorkshire seaside towns to Leeds at 67 miles away.

Bridlington North Beach

Bridlington North Beach is a sand and shingle beach backed by an attractive promenade. Rockpool’s and a land train plus impressive views of Flamborough Head make this beach very popular with families looking for a seaside escape.

While talking about Bridlington, we should also mention the nearby Filey seafront ten miles to the south. Not as busy as other Yorkshire coastal towns, Filey and its three-mile-long sandy beach are the perfect place to escape from the pace of the modern world.

Hornsea

Once famous for its elegant tableware pottery, Hornsea today remains the quintessential Yorkshire seaside resort with a quaint promenade and massive Victorian folly. It was built between 1829 and 1853 by Hull brewer William Bettison in what was then his garden. Hornsea is also home to Yorkshire’s largest freshwater lake, where you find plenty of opportunities to fish, birdwatch, or laze about on the water.

Hornsea Beach

Hornsea Beach is situated at both ends of the Trans Pennine Trail, a 207-mile walking route between the North and Irish Seas. Not as busy as some of the other Yorkshire seaside resorts, Hornsea Beach is a great place to visit for a family day out. At Hornsea beach, you will find plenty of public parking and all the amenities you would expect to have at an English seaside resort. The beach offers miles of relatively spacious shingled beach, and there are some fantastic beach facilities including, Kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, swimming, jet skiing and sailing.

From May to the end of September, dogs are not allowed on this beach. On the positive, for months outside of these, there’s a separate area for walkers and their dogs. There’s a pleasant cafe serving great coffee and a paddling pool on the prom. You’ll find seats and quaint gardens to watch the world go by and while away the afternoon.

The water quality is five stars, and there is a lifeguard on duty during the peak soon. Hornsea beach is a place you won’t want to miss in the excellent weather. To get here by car, it’s easily accessible from the M62, M1, and A1. Set the GPS to Hornsea beach postcode, which is HU18 1PZ.

If you want to stay in Whitby, the Royal Hotel Whitby is located just 350 metres from Whitby Pavillion. The hotel is just a 5-minute walk from the famous Whalebone Arch. This is the renowned replica of a real whale’s jaw bone caught and erected into a walk through archway in  

1853. No one knows who harpooned the whale, but it is awe-inspiring to see, and many folklore tales surround it.

The Royal Hotel Whitby is great for touring Whitby because it’s just 10 minutes from Whitby train station on foot. The beach is an impressive stone throw-away and can be seen from a good vantage point. Conveniently, there’s also Whitby bus stop just 600 metres away.