Three reasons to visit the East Yorkshire Coast this summer

During the summer months, events season is in full swing and East Yorkshire beaches, towns and attractions are filled with music, fantastic floral displays, thrilling shows and mouth-watering food.  

Soak up some of the UK’s hottest jazz and blues acts in the stunning surroundings of Burton Agnes Hall at the ever popular Jazz and Blues Festival which is now in its 16th year. If afternoons of fine music and vintage afternoon teas are more up your street then a concert in the orangery at Sewerby Hall would be perfect for you. Car fanatics will love Bridlington’s classic car show which culminates in two days of retro vehicles roaring across the resort’s south beach. Or why not take your visit to East Yorkshire’s coast to new heights with a trip to Bridlington’s annual kite festival? Soaring above the dramatic cliff tops, watch as some of the world’s largest inflatable kites take to the skies. 

Bridlington, where the Yorkshire Wolds meet the sea, is a gem among seaside towns. Relax on award-winning beaches, explore ancient streets lined with traditional shops, and enjoy the buzz around the 900-year-old working harbour.  

Sewerby Hall is a Grade I listed mansion which enjoys spectacular views over Bridlington and offers 50 acres of magnificent grounds to enjoy. Lunch in the Clock Tower Café followed by a stroll through walled gardens is an ideal way to while away an afternoon. 

Back down on the harbour, hop aboard the Yorkshire Belle for a sightseeing cruise to discover nearby bays, iconic landmarks, towering chalk cliffs and magnificent wildlife. The views of our heritage coast when seen from this perspective are truly breath-taking.  

A short drive from Bridlington, you’ll find Burton Agnes Hall. This imposing Elizabethan stately home has stayed within the same family for more than 400 years. As well as many grand rooms to uncover, the award-winning walled gardens and woodland walk contain thousands of plant species which are in full bloom during the summer.  

For a relaxing coastal hideaway, the small seaside town of Hornsea beckons. It is home to Yorkshire's largest freshwater lake with plenty of opportunities for sailing and fishing or if you’d rather relax and enjoy the peaceful views there’s an on-site café too.  

To witness the East Yorkshire coast at its most wild and untamed, a visit to Flamborough Head is called for. There are plenty of coastal paths to wander, it’s a great spot for bird watching and if you’re confident in the water you might even want to try sea canoeing. With two imposing lighthouses close by and Danes Dyke, a scenic nature reserve on your doorstep, there are endless opportunities for exploration.

Get lost in nature 

Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington, is one of the UK’s top wildlife spectacles - almost half-a-million seabirds soaring above and towering chalk cliffs. 

See guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, herring gulls, fulmars and shags nesting here as well as the largest seabird in the UK, the majestic gannet. And of course we can’t forget everyone's favourite, the puffin! The brightly coloured birds start to arrive from late March and can be seen until around the end of July. 

Another must see for bird lovers is Spurn Point. This unique coastal national nature reserve features a long sandy spit stretching three and a half miles into the Humber Estuary from the Holderness Coast.  

The iconic black and white Spurn Lighthouse looks proudly over the reserve which can also be explored aboard a Spurn Safari! A giant ex-military Unimog vehicle acts as a mobile wildlife hide offering a different vantage point to visitors wishing to observe the many rare birds that inhabit the area.