Things to do in Scarborough with kids

Scarborough town

• SEA LIFE Scarborough, North Bay: seals, otters, sharks and seahorses. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed 11am to 3pm daily, last entry 1.50pm, to 23 December. One ticket description gave later hours. Pre-booking is essential, and advance child tickets (2 to 14) started at £14. Under 2s go free but must be booked. Children aged 15 and under must be with an adult aged 18 or over.
• Scarborough Castle: an English Heritage ruin and museum on a clifftop headland. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed it open weekends only, 10am to 4pm, up to 20 December. Under 5s go free. The access page warns of unfenced ditches, moat and ramparts, so keep small children close.
• Rotunda Museum: an indoor museum of fossils and coastal geology, with a lift to every floor. Under 18s go free, and adults buy a £5 Annual Pass. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. On 13 November 2026 its page said the West Wing was closed after water leaks.
• Stephen Joseph Theatre, opposite the railway station: Puss in Boots plays on selected dates from 5 to 31 December 2026, from £10. Age guidance is 6+, with younger children welcome. Under 18 months go free but still need a ticket.
• Scarborough North Bay Railway: a miniature railway from Peasholm Station to Scalby Mills, beside SEA LIFE. On 13 November 2026 its calendar showed no regular trains from 23 November to 26 December, apart from its Christmas events. The FAQ says there are no toilets or baby changing.
• Peasholm Park: a pagoda, a lake, waterfalls and the wooded Glen. The boat deck is closed from 2 November 2026 until Easter 2027, and the council’s page lists no play area. Keep young children close at the water’s edge.
• South Cliff Gardens: Victorian cliffside gardens with a timber play area and a giant star map. A step-free path runs from the Holbeck Clock Tower to the Spa Bridge, but many other paths have steps. The council closed the Spa Cliff Lift on 21 August 2026, and we found no reopening date on 13 November 2026.

Whitby and the moors edge

• Whitby Abbey, Whitby: a clifftop English Heritage ruin with a museum. On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, up to 22 December. Under 5s go free. The access page lists signed drops and an open pond.
• Whitby Museum, Pannett Park, Whitby: fossils, model ships, old toys and jet. Under 18s in full-time education go free, and adults pay £9. It is closed on Mondays. It closes in December, but no date was published on 13 November 2026.
• Sneaton Forest (Falling Foss), about five miles south of Whitby: woodland walks to a waterfall. Forestry England lists no entry charge, but parking costs £3.50 up to 2 hours, with no cash. There is no easy access route and no toilets at either car park. A walk guide warns of a steep drop beside the path past the waterfall.

Filey

• Filey Country Park, Filey: a play area with accessible equipment, room for kites and the way to Filey Brigg. The council lists no entry charge. It says to treat all cliffs as dangerous, supervise children at all times and beware of being trapped by incoming tides.

Bridlington and the Flamborough headland

• Sewerby Hall and Gardens, Sewerby, Bridlington: the gardens are free from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027. The zoo costs £3.75 for children aged 3 to 15, and under 3s go free. Pushchairs must be left outside the house.
• Bridlington Splash Zone, on the Promenade: two water slides, a Supersplash bucket and waterplay. On 13 November 2026 online child tickets (3 to 15) were £3.90, plus a booking fee for non-members. Under 8s need an adult in the water, at most 2 per adult. It is not open at every pool session, so check the timetable.
• Bridlington Spa, South Marine Drive: Cinderella plays on selected dates from Saturday 12 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Every child aged 2 or over needs a seat ticket. The terms say some performances use strobe lighting, smoke effects and loud noises.
• Danes Dyke, on the Flamborough headland: a free nature reserve with a wooded ravine and a beach, and pay and display parking. The Tree Trail has flights of up to 100 steep steps, and the beach path is very steep. The council’s Coast Code says to treat all cliffs as dangerous.
• RSPB Bempton Cliffs, Bempton: chalk cliffs and a visitor centre with a café. From November to February, non-members pay £2 per child aged 5 to 15, and the first child in each party is free. Two trails run along the cliff tops, so keep hold of small children.

Guides for the Scarborough coast

• Free things to do in Scarborough with kids
• Rainy day things to do in Scarborough with kids
• Things to do in Scarborough with toddlers
• Parks and playgrounds in Scarborough
• SEN and autism-friendly days out in Scarborough
• Christmas days out in Scarborough with kids

Additional needs friendly days out

Christmas on the coast

• Trains: the North Bay Railway’s Christmas Light Trains run at 6pm on 4, 5 and 11 December. Santa Specials run on 12, 13, 19, 20, 23 and 24 December, and advance booking is essential.
• Sewerby: Fairytales at Christmas runs on selected dates from 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
• Closures: on 13 November 2026 the calendars showed Scarborough Castle closed from 21 to 26 December. Whitby Abbey showed closed on 21 and 22 December and from 24 to 26 December. Sewerby closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 January.

Every place on the map

Our Scarborough search lists every venue, including those in Whitby, Filey, Bridlington and Bempton.

Getting around with children

• On foot: the Stephen Joseph Theatre is directly opposite Scarborough station. The Rotunda Museum is a 15-minute walk from it.
• Bus to Whitby: bus 93 runs hourly every day from Scarborough via Robin Hood’s Bay, taking about an hour.

Frequently asked questions

What is free for kids in Scarborough and on the Yorkshire coast?

In Scarborough, the council lists no entry charge for Peasholm Park or South Cliff Gardens, and under 18s go free at the Rotunda Museum. In Filey, it lists no entry charge for Filey Country Park.

What can we do on the Yorkshire coast with kids on a rainy day?

In Scarborough, try the Rotunda Museum. Further along the coast are Whitby Museum in Whitby and the Splash Zone in Bridlington. In December, the Christmas shows at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and Bridlington Spa are indoors.

Is Scarborough Castle open in winter?

On 13 November 2026 the calendar showed weekends only up to 20 December. It showed it closed 21 to 26 December, then open daily from 28 December to 3 January.

Can you see puffins at Bempton Cliffs in winter?

Do not plan on it. The RSPB says to plan a Puffin visit between April and mid-July.

Is Whitby near Scarborough?

Whitby Abbey, Whitby Museum and Sneaton Forest are in or near Whitby, and our Scarborough search includes them.

Last updated: 13 November 2026.

Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official websites, through our Scarborough venue pages. Prices and opening times change, so check before you travel.

Photo: Ian S, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).