What is Whitby like? For grandparents + me + 8(!) Kids

[SnotWipeRepeat]

We are taking all of the kids in the family on holiday for a week this year. We're in Scotland so the plan is to go before the English holidays (ie July). We've seen a nice, large Airbnb house in Whitby that we're considering but I don't know the area much.

Kids are aged 6 months - 9 years at time of holiday.

1. are the beaches nice? We were in Northumberland last year and spent a portion of each day on a beautiful beach.

2. any recommendations of good things in the area? We'll have cars + spending money

The first thing that comes up when you try googling Whitby is a TripAdvisor review saying it's full of 'chavs' racing their cars around

Whitby is a resort, so it can get quite busy. It's not a peaceful hideaway. Lots of gift shops, fish and chips etc. I like it, but more as somewhere to visit on a day trip than to stay. It's got a nice beach, but there are nicer beaches nearby. I prefer Robin Hoods Bay (also gets busy but prettier than Whitby). We went a few years ago for a week with young kids and we all loved it. Great beach, fossil hunting, ice cream and little gift shops to spend holiday money in. It helped that we had amazing weather.

Its lovely. We stayed in a massive good value airbnb. My friends recommend the youth hostel up by the Abbey.

You can walk up the steps to the abbey and on the wooden pier out to sea and all along the prom. Stop at a tea room for massive hot chocolate and cake. There are nice walks along the cliffs. Kids will enjoy running around the beach. I didnt really look at beaches.

Go to the Star on the harbour its a fab place to eat.

If you've got cars you could go to the North York Moors railway or the Keighley and Worth Valley.

I do love Whitby but I have never sat on the beach so can't comment on the quality of it. In fact I go mostly out of season when it's quiet. That part of the coast is well worth a visit though, Robin Hoods Bay is great, Staithes and Flamborough Head are both gorgeous and even Scarborough has its charms. Got lots of happy memories of holidays with family on that coast.

Sandsend nearby is really lovely - quieter, nice beaches good walks. Whitby is good for a day trip - go to The Magpie best fish and chips ever.

The beaches are nice in Whitby but beware taking food to the beach, the seagulls are bold there.

Things we've done in the area when we've been:
day at Flamingo Land
day trip to Scarborough, the new water park is worth a visit
day out to York, did the open top bus tour.

Just make sure that the Airbnb has parking for your cars.

It’s ok but a bit tacky and not half as nice as Northumberland

Whitby is lovely ,there are some lovely shops selling unusual things like one selling exclusively scented soaps, and whitby jet, the steps up to the abbey are very steep, 99 of them i think, also some very nice fish and chip shops ,The Magpie is the most famous and popular one although quite expensive, and queues a mile long , depending on when you go there is the Goth festival too, ,
It is very popular and always lots of people visit,of course well known for Dracula,
I have never heard anything about chavvy boy racers, but i dont live there so maybe it does happen, but i love it and visit several times a year, not too far awt from me
As mentioned Robin Hoods bay ist too far away, and is very quaint,
Also not far away is Heartbeat country, not much there really except to see where Heartbeat was filmed
The new water park [in Scarborough] might not be opened for much longer,its gone into Administration, but i think part of it is being kept open for now, also sealife in Scarborough is good to visit,
Cant say much about the beach in Whitby never been on it but looks nice

Whitby is great fun and there is so much to do around there, within an hour drive is flamingo land, saltburn, Danby Forest, Thirsk and Helmsley, I am sure you will have a fantastic time.

Lots to do.
Walk from Whitby to Robin hoods bay
Walk along beach to Sandsend
Runswick bay
Staithes
Scarborough -less quaint but Sealife there and a retro ice cream bar plus all usual high street shops.
York
Dalby forest
Eden Camp
Castle Howard
Falling foss walk and great tea room
Goathland - heartbeat trip on steam railway or vintage 1950s bus runs in summer.
Try to get the children to read Witches of Whitby before they go then they can spot landmarks.
Pannet Park
Great museum
Rusty shears for lunch cakes and gin
The abbey of course
Open bus tour
Lots of really good eating places not just fish and chips.
I love Whitby and this has made me want to go....

Have enjoyed many day trips to Whitby. The beach is lovely we spent a good couple of hours building sandcastles last summer.
Lots of places to visit nearby as pp have mentioned.
Have a look at treasure trails I’m sure they have one for Whitby, if not for places close by.

Sandsend beach is great for kids. North York moors railway is a good day out too. The Keighley worth valley suggested by a previous poster is nice but a pretty long drive away, not somewhere I would think of as a day trip from whitby.