Royal Albert Park

The Royal Albert Park sits just outside Scarborough and serves as a proper breath of fresh air if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby caravan parks like Parkdean Resorts or Scarborough Camping and Caravanning Club. It's a nature reserve rather than the manicured park you might expect - think woodland walks, open grassland, and the kind of spot where you actually see wildlife rather than just read about it.

What makes it worth your time is the mix. There are defined paths through the reserve, so you're not scrambling through undergrowth, but it feels wild enough that you might spot something interesting. Families with primary-aged kids will get a solid hour or two out of it, though teenagers will probably find it a bit tame unless they're into birding or nature photography. The real appeal is for walkers and anyone wanting a quieter alternative to Scarborough's seafront attractions.

Access details are thin on the ground - opening hours and admission prices aren't widely publicised, so ring ahead or check locally when you arrive. It's the sort of place that's free to wander, but best visited when the weather's decent. Spring and early summer are cracking, when the birdsong is loud and the paths aren't muddy.

If you're doing a park holiday in the area, combine this with a visit to the coast proper - you're only a couple of miles from Scarborough, so you could easily do the reserve in the morning and hit the beach by lunchtime. Works well as a quieter companion to the busier seaside spots.