3 Great Ways to Experience the Real Heart of Scarborough

Scarborough has had a permanent harbour since the middle ages. The town’s past is tied to the sea, and while many Scarborians may lead land-based lives, they are nevertheless sea centred. That’s right, the people of Scarborough are called Scarborians.

We thought we’d take a look at just a couple of the activities you can get up to in Scarborough, and bearing in mind the aquatic nature of the town, water and the sea loom large.

Half A Mile Of Entertainment

The Spa has had a rich history linked to the growth of the town as a seaside resort. It was established when the town was predominately a spa town, and was rebuilt as a magnificent attraction in the 19th century. Today it’s an entertainment complex that’s almost half a mile in length. It has a 2,000 seater Grand Hall, an Ocean Room, a Promenade Lounge, a Sun Court for open air concerts, and there’s even a Cliff Tramway that links the venue to South Cliff 200ft above.

The Scarborough Sealife Sanctuary is a great day out for all the family. It’s a combined sea life attraction and animal sanctuary, and brings thousands to the town every year. With aquarium zones that feature the Bay of Rays, Otter River, Great Barrier Reef, a Seal Pool and an Octopus Hideout it will fascinate and entertain. If the children need to work off some of the excess excitement there’s also an outdoor play zone, which is a good way to use the gaps between animal feeding times. As well as all the animal attractions, the centre is also home to Yorkshire’s only seal hospital where each year 50 Common and Grey Seals are treated before being released back into the sea. So you can rest assured that all the animals are being cared for at the park.

Jump In And Chill Out

Finally, to finish our list of water-based recommendations for a great day out in Scarborough, we have Alpamare Water Park. The first thing to remember about it is that it’s free entry on your birthday. So plan accordingly. Every 30 minutes in the wave pool, meter-high waves crash around you, plus there’s a huge main pool and splash and play pools to while away the time between these events. There’s also the Garden Pool which is kept at 35° C and has whirlpools and bubble recliners. Nice. Finally, there’s the similarly temperate Infinity Pool, which is a great place to lie back and take in the surroundings with views across Scarborough bay and the sea that shaped this town.