As much as lots of people love a break aboard there’s also many who want to discover what’s here on our own doorstep.

We are always keen to shout about what is great right here in Yorkshire. So, we’ve put together a list of great beaches to visit in the region.

This has come with a little help from the Good Beach Guide. Those featured were rated ‘excellent’ in 2021. This was ranked on how clean the sea is and how suitable it is for swimming and paddling.

Read more: Three beautiful Yorkshire beaches named on prestigious list

We've round up the 10 for Yorkshire which hopefully might provide a little inspiration when you are next after a seaside jaunt. Of course, we’d love to know any suggestions you might have.

You can do so by commenting on this article.

Withernsea

Complete with lighthouse and promenade, Withernsea offers unspoilt Yorkshire coastline
Complete with lighthouse and promenade, Withernsea offers unspoilt Yorkshire coastline

Withernsea beach, which has Blue Flag status, has a mix of sand and shingle beach stretching in both directions around half an hour east of Hull. The resort's promenade, recently redeveloped, features, cafes, fish and chip shops and pubs and Withernsea is also known for its lighthouse, standing 127ft above the beach. Withernsea is also popular for watersports, including sailing and windsurfing.

Runswick Bay

Runswick Bay, near Whitby
Runswick Bay, near Whitby

If you're looking for a beach that offers stunning views, Runswick Bay is the perfect hideaway, around a 20-minute drive from Whitby. The sweeping, sheltered bay offers a sandy beach dotted with rock pools and is popular with surfers and sailing fans. The beach is sheltered from high winds by Lingrow Knowle, which towers over the bay and offers stunning views of the coast and Kettleness.

Whitby

While most famous for its goth weekends and featuring in Bram Stoker's Dracula, Whitby also boasts top rated beaches, including Tate Hill Beach, which sits within the harbour. The small beach offers a safe spot for families to enjoy a spot of swimming or stroll along the sands. Pro tip: Tate Hill Beach is the perfect viewing spot for the Whitby Regatta fireworks in August!

Robin Hood's Bay

Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, is home to a small fishing village and a beautiful sandy beach
Robin Hood's Bay was included in the 2014 Good Beach Guide

Ten-minute's drive south of Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay is one of the prettiest spots on the Yorkshire coast. The beach offers sandy areas and rock reefs, and is known for the large number of fossils that can be found in the sand. Watch the fishing boats bobbing near the village dock, or try a spot of surfing. To learn more about the bay, visit the Robin Hood's Bay museum - you can also take a tour on horseback.

Scarborough

Scarborough
Scarborough

No list of Yorkshire beaches would be complete without Scarborough. Just under two hours from Huddersfield, the Yorkshire resort has a fond place in the childhood memories of many, offering the donkey rides, fish and chips and fairground rides that days at the seaside are all about. There's also the Scarborough SeaLife sanctuary, featuring sharks, seals, penguins, clownfish and more. When the sun comes out, the beach soon fills with families and tourists.

Cayton Bay

Cayton Bay, south of Scarborough
Cayton Bay, south of Scarborough

If you fancy a quieter spot, Cayton Bay is just a 15-minute drive from Scarborough's hustle and bustle, offering unspoilt beauty backed by towering cliffs. The dog-friendly beach is also popular with surfers, bird watchers and fossil hunters, with rocks formed in the upper Jurassic period, around 150 million years ago. History buffs will also be interested in the remnants of World War Two fortifications - or you can simply enjoy a paddle and a picnic!

Flamborough South Landing

Flamborough South Landing
Flamborough South Landing

Flamborough's South Landing offers a sand and pebble beach backed by dramatic, white chalk cliffs. The dog-friendly beach also has a number of rock pools that form in low tide, attracting various seabirds. The beach is popular with dog walkers, and there is also a Living Seas centre run by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which offers 'snorkelling safaris'. Flamborough South Landing is a two-hour drive from Huddersfield.

Danes Dyke Beach

Dane's Dyke, Flamborough, features a number of nature trails
Dane's Dyke, Flamborough, features a number of nature trails

A fifteen-minute drive from Bridlington, Danes Dyke boasts an unspoilt, picturesque beach backed by the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Headland. The area is protected as a site of special scientific interest and its various seabird colonies are also protected. Danes Dyke runs for over two miles across the Flamborough Headland, made up of woodlands as well as the sand and pebble seafront. Swimming is not advised, but the area is popular for fishing.

Hornsea

Around a one hour and forty minute drive from Huddersfield, Hornsea's sand and shingle beach is popular with families and watersports enthusiasts, with sailing and windsurfing on offer. Hornsea also has a scenic seafront promenade, beach huts for hire and a vibrant carnival every July, with stalls, rides and a firework display.

Tunstall

Tunstall, East Riding of Yorkshire
Tunstall, East Riding of Yorkshire

Tunstall's wide sandy beach is popular with families looking for a day at the seaside, offering a more tranquil setting to busy resorts like Scarborough and Whitby. A one hour forty-five minute drive from Huddersfield, the beach is set among low craggy clay cliffs, and is accessible from Sand Le Mere Carvan Park, which offers lodges and caravans to hire for family breaks. The holiday park also offers a swimming pool, fishing lake and entertainment complex.

You can find the great ideas for things to do in Yorkshire by visiting our What’s On homepage. There you can also find guides for great days out across Yorkshire also.

Read next:

'I visited five Yorkshire towns and cities tourists avoid...and here's what I discovered'

Yorkshire's best boat trips

8 ridiculous complaints about Scarborough debunked

The Yorkshire industrial town with one of the UK's best beaches

The luxury Yorkshire farmhouse offering wine tasting and overnight stays