by Fiona Thompson

Created on: November 06, 2011   Last Updated: November 07, 2011

The much loved east coast town of Scarborough is one of England’s most enduring holiday resorts. Popular for over three hundred years and widely regarded as England's first holiday resort, the town has maintained its traditional atmosphere whereas other resorts have changed. Blackpool now caters extensively for young groups of ‘stags and hens’ and Brighton has evolved into one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities but Scarborough continues to attract families and older holiday makers who are looking for daytime activities rather than night time entertainment.

The town itself has two clean, safe, sandy beaches, the North and South Bays, but the wider North Yorkshire coastline has some of the best beaches in the United Kingdom. Scarborough is an ideal bucket and spade destination for families with young children as most accommodation is within easy walking distance of the beach and there is plenty to do nearby should the weather let you down.

The much loved cliff railways are just one example of Scarborough’s traditional seaside heritage. There were originally five cliff railways in the town but only two remain in operation. The funiculars link the esplanades with the beaches and kids will love using them to reach the golden sands.

Away from the beach Peasholm Park is popular with all generations. The beautifully landscaped gardens offer not just wonderful scenery but a wealth of activities for all the family. Since the 1930s visitors have been flocking to Peasholm Park to see what the local tourist board describe as the world’s ‘smallest manned navy’. ‘Naval Warfare’ takes place three times a week during the summer months as models of battleships and destroyers take to the park’s lake amid a flurry of explosions and torpedo fire. In the past the show enacted battles from the world wars but these days the opposing sides are not named. The smaller boats are now radio controlled but the largest ones are still operated by employees of the local council who climb inside the boats and steer them unseen.

Elsewhere in the park activities are rather more sedate: a tree trail on the island in the middle of the lake offers opportunities to see not only species of tree from around the world but a variety of birdlife and, if you’re lucky and know where to look, squirrels. A traditional bandstand is the focus for concerts in the summer months and several cafes are provided to keep you refreshed, offering

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