Scarborough South Bay beach

About Scarborough South Bay beach

South bay is one of Scarborough’s main sandy beaches, with North Bay being the other. Both beaches are located just a short walk or bus ride from the town centre.

Scarborough’s South Bay is generally the busier beach, especially in the Summer months when the weather is hot and the days are longer. On the beach you’ll find activities for children such as rides and games and there’s often Donkey rides available for the younger ones.

Across the road, you’ll find a row of amusements, shops and places to eat, so you’re really in the thick of it at South Bay.

Are dogs allowed on Scarborough South Bay beach?

Dogs are not permitted on Scarborough’s South Bay so if you want to exercise your dog, we recommend heading to North Bay instead. This restriction applies to the main area of South Bay beach, so you can head further out towards Scarborough Spa if you wish to walk your dog outside of the peak season.

Getting to Scarborough South Bay beach

Address: Scarborough South Bay Beach, Scarborough, YO11 2QE

South Bay is the closest beach to the town centre, running right down to Scarborough Spa, which is the quieter end of the beach, more suited to those without young children.

On foot

If you’re heading to Scarborough’s South Bay from the town centre, the most pleasant way to get to the beach is via St Nicholas Gardens, which offers spectacular views out to sea. These gardens can be accessed easily from the town centre, railway station and public car parks in the centre of Scarborough.

The walk is quite steep but there is a combination of steps and steeped pathway which is designed for those using wheelchairs, mobility scooters as well as those with pushchairs. At the bottom of the gardens are amusements and snack bars so you don’t need to bring a lot with you.

By car

There is no parking directly on the beach (except for Blue Badge holders), but there are a few car parks within a 5 minute walk. The closest car park to Scarborough South Bay, although it gets full early, is West Pier Car Park (Foreshore Road, Scarborough, YO11 1PB), which is around 30 seconds from the beach and costs £7 for 6 hours of parking.

Eastborough Car Park (Eastborough, Scarborough, YO11 1NH) and South Bay Underground Car Park (Foreshore Road, Scarborough, YO11 2HD) are both around 2 minutes walk from the beach and also cost £7 for 6 hours of parking.

By bus

The Beachcomber hop-on-hop-off bus travels regularly down Foreshore Road, dropping you off right by the beach. This might be the best options for those with limited mobility or those with smaller children. You can jump on the bus at Scarborough railway station and take the 13 minute journey right down to Foreshore Road, directly onto the South Bay beach.