Scarborough's own two beaches lie either side of the castle headland, and what sits behind the sand is the real difference.
South Bay has the harbour, the arcades of Foreshore Road and the council's beach chalets. North Bay is longer and plainer, with a walled esplanade, beach huts and crazy golf, and Peasholm Park and the miniature railway close by. Both have RNLI lifeguards in summer, and both ban dogs from part of the sand between 1 May and 30 September.
Water quality splits them more sharply than the scenery does. The Environment Agency classed South Bay Poor in 2025, as it has every year since 2022, while North Bay was Sufficient. Anyone who wants to swim does better a short way south: Cayton Bay was rated Excellent and Filey Good, and Cayton has no summer dog ban at all, though its lifeguards cover fewer days than the town beaches.
Robin Hood's Bay, up the coast towards Whitby, is a different outing: a small rocky beach under a steep old village, good for rock pools at low water, with no lifeguards, and a beach walk to Boggle Hole that is only passable on the lower half of the tide.
Lifeguards: the 2026 season. Water: the latest official bathing-water classification. Every fact links to the page it came from, checked 27 October 2026.
Summer dog ban Lifeguards in summer Poor water (2025)
The original resort beach, a curve of sand running from the harbour's West Pier towards the Spa, with Foreshore Road's cafés, amusements and deckchair hire directly behind it. It is the bay for a traditional seaside day with the harbour on hand, but its bathing water was classed Poor in each annual assessment from 2022 to 2025, so anyone planning a swim should weigh that first.
Surface
sand
Dogs
Banned 1 May–30 September on the main sands, from the West Pier to the steps at the roundabout by the underground car park; allowed on the whole beach from October to April. Dogs must be on a lead all year on the promenade by the Spa. Source
Lifeguards
RNLI lifeguards 10am–6pm in the 2026 season: weekends and bank holidays 2–17 May, then daily 23 May–6 September. Source
Facilities
Cafés, toilets with disabled facilities, a first aid point, lost child centre, shops, a pub nearby, deckchair hire and a slipway. Source
Access
Straight off the Foreshore Road promenade, which backs the whole beach; the sand shelves gently. Source
Parking
South Bay underground car park on Foreshore Road (council, 138 spaces), open 8am–7pm daily and later during Spa events; charges apply 9am–6pm. Source
Tides
At low tide a wide stretch of sand is uncovered and the sea can be a long walk out from the promenade. Source
Water quality
Poor in 2025, the Environment Agency's classification for Scarborough South Bay. Source
Summer dog ban Lifeguards in summer Sufficient water (2025)
The longer of the town's two beaches, behind a broad sea-walled esplanade with beach huts, cafés and crazy golf rather than arcades, and the bay the council points surfers towards. Peasholm Park, the North Bay Railway and the Open Air Theatre are all on this side, so it works for a day that mixes the beach with the park. Rock outcrops appear as the tide drops.
Surface
sand
Dogs
Banned 1 May–30 September on the stretch between the slipway at the Sands (former Corner Café) and the northernmost slipway at the end of the chalets, which the council describes as the north half of the beach; allowed elsewhere on the sand, and everywhere October–April. On a lead all year on the promenade from Scalby Mills Road to the Sands. Source
Lifeguards
RNLI lifeguards 10am–6pm in the 2026 season: weekends and bank holidays 2–17 May, then daily 23 May–6 September. Source
Facilities
Cafés, toilets, a first aid point, lost child centre, beach hut hire and a slipway. Source
Access
From the wide esplanade along Royal Albert Drive, which has concrete walls against storm flooding; the council lists a slipway down to the sand. Source
Parking
Northstead upper car park on Ryndle Crescent (council, open 24 hours, with a grass overflow); charges 9am–6pm from 1 March to 31 October only. Source
Tides
Rock outcrops are uncovered at low tide and the water's edge can be well out from the esplanade. Source
Water quality
Sufficient in 2025, the Environment Agency's classification for Scarborough North Bay. Source
Dogs allowed Lifeguards in summer Excellent water (2025)
A sweep of sand and rock below wooded cliffs between Scarborough and Filey, with the Scarborough Surf School at the top giving lessons and hiring boards. It has the best water-quality record of the beaches here, Excellent in every year from 2022 to 2025, and no seasonal dog ban, but it is quieter on facilities than the town bays and its lifeguards are on duty on fewer days.
Surface
rock and sand
Dogs
Dogs allowed. Cayton Bay is not among the beaches in the council's 1 May–30 September dog ban, so there is no summer restriction. Source
Lifeguards
RNLI lifeguards 10am–6pm in the 2026 season: weekends and bank holidays 2–17 May, May half term 23–31 May, weekends only 6 June–5 July, then daily 11 July–6 September. Source
Facilities
A café, toilets and a shop, according to the council. Source
Parking
The surf school, based at Killerby Cliff above the beach, points visitors to car parking at Cayton Bay; no official source publishes the car park's operator or charges. Source
Tides
Rock outcrops and wide areas of sand are uncovered at low tide, when the sea can be a long way out. Source
Water quality
Excellent in 2025, the Environment Agency's classification for Cayton Bay. Source
Summer dog ban Lifeguards in summer Good water (2025)
A long, gently sloping run of sand in front of Filey's historic promenade, which carries a sculpture trail and the council's beach chalets, with the rock pools of Filey Brigg close by to the north. The summer dog ban covers only the town-centre stretch, and the water was classed Good in each year from 2022 to 2025.
Surface
sand
Dogs
Banned 1 May–30 September on the town-centre stretch, from the southern end of the sea wall at Royal Parade to the slipway at the Coble Landing; the rest of the beach is outside the ban, and the whole beach is open to dogs October–April. On a lead all year on the promenade between the two. Source
Lifeguards
RNLI lifeguards 10am–6pm in the 2026 season: weekends and bank holidays 2–17 May, then daily 23 May–6 September. Source
Facilities
Cafés, toilets with disabled facilities, a first aid point, lost child centre, shops, deckchair hire and beach chalets to hire. Source
Access
From the historic promenade that lines the town end of the beach, with its sculpture trail and chalets. Source
Parking
Country Park car park on Church Cliff Drive (council, open 24 hours); charges 9am–6pm from 1 March to 31 October only. Source
Tides
At low tide a large area of sand is uncovered and the water's edge can be some distance out. Source
Water quality
Good in 2025, the Environment Agency's classification for Filey. Source
Dogs allowed No lifeguards Sufficient water (2025)
The furthest of these beaches from Scarborough and the only one without lifeguards: a short stretch of sand and rock below the cottages of Baytown, reached on foot down the steep bank to the Dock. The draw is the falling tide, which lays bare curving bands of rock and pools, so a visit works best planned around the tide table rather than for a swim.
Surface
rock and sand
Dogs
The council lists dogs as allowed here, and Robin Hood's Bay is not one of the five beaches named in its 1 May–30 September ban. Source
Lifeguards
Not lifeguarded: Robin Hood's Bay is not among the North Yorkshire beaches the RNLI patrolled in 2026. Source
Facilities
Public toilets at the Old Boathouse in the Dock (40p, card or cash), plus toilets in the upper village at Station Road car park (free) and Bank Top (40p, cash only). Source
Access
Walk down the steep bank through the old village; the slipway at the Dock, below the Bay Hotel, leads onto the sand. Cars cannot be parked in the lower village. Source
Parking
Two pay-and-display car parks at the top of the village, Station Road and Bank Top, then the walk down; there is no public parking beyond the small roundabout by the Victoria Hotel. Source
Tides
Time a walk to Boggle Hole for the lower half of the tide: from three hours before high water until three hours after, the beach way is shut and only the clifftop Cleveland Way gets there. Source
Water quality
Sufficient in 2025, the Environment Agency's classification for Robin Hoods Bay. Source