Scarborough - North Bay Attractions for children

During our stay at Ready Camp in Scalby near Scarborough we had plenty of opportunity to explore the area and all that it has to offer. I am a bit of a Scarborough veteran and have visited well over 20 times and really love the town. For those who have never visited though, there are two bays - North Bay (also known as the quiet end) and South Bay (the busy end). You can walk along the sea front between the two or catch an open top bus which is much more fun (£6 for a family day pass). Today I'm going to focus on North Bay which is definitely my favourite.

We stayed at Ready Camp near Scarborough North Bay. Prices start at £25 per night. Click here for details and to book.

You could walk to North Bay from our base at the camping and caravan club (it is just under a few miles) or park in the Peasholm park or Sealife Centre car park.

We've been to the Sealife Centre a fair few times, but having just visited Sealife Centre Blackpool, we didn't visit on this trip. The Sealife Centre sits at the top end of North Bay and is one of the better ones we've been to. Check out this review from Helpful Mum if you're interested.

North Bay beach is lined with gorgeous beach huts (available to hire here)

Stunning views of Scarborough Castle from North Bay

North Bay Beach (there is a shop/cafe and chargeable loo's on the promenade)

Beach Life

You can't visit Scarborough North Bay without a little trip on the miniature railway. It takes you from the Sealife Centre to Peasholm park - you could easily walk this in 20 minutes at a childs pace but the train is much more fun! Tickets currently cost £3.50 return for adults and £2.70 return for children. No need to pre-book. More info here- www.nbr.org.uk 

Toot toot

The North Bay is home to a fantastic water chute which was recently listed in the top ten vintage seaside attractions by the Guardian.  Tickets are only £2.20 for two turns. Click here for opening times and further info. You'll also find boat hire, water walkers and a sky trail in the immediate vicinity so lots going on.

The beach doesn't start until you are just past the Sealife Centre however just below the sealife centre you will find some fantastic rock pools which are the perfect place to hunt for crabs and explore. The Old Scalby Mills pub is a nice and traditional place to stop for a drink, lunch or ice cream too (and they have an outdoor terrace).

A huge attraction in the North Bay is the outdoor amphitheatre. It is the largest outdoor theatre in Europe and hosts top concerts throughout the year with Tom Jones and UB40 playing recently. We timed our trip to Scarborough perfectly as there were free shows available as part of the festival of fun. We watched American Wrestling which was lots of fun for the whole family and the atmosphere was fantastic. I can't believe it was free! For more information about upcoming events visit here:-  www.scarboroughopenairtheatre.com

The jewel on the North Bay's crown has to be Peasholm Park. It always confuses my children that there's no actual play park here but I think it's one of the most beautiful parks in the country. There are often free concerts from the bandstand in the centre of the lake and you can't miss the famous Naval warfare show where boats battle it out on the lake. There's a cafe, boats to hire, mini golf, a wishing well and lots of lovely walks. You will probably spot a few friendly squirrels too.

I hope you can see why I love Scarborough's North Bay so much. It is full of traditional seaside fun and there is always lots to do. Some of the activities are chargeable but there is also plenty to do for free too. It only takes around 2 hours to drive to Scarborough from the North East so if you aren't staying over, a day trip is easily manageable too.