Two Yorkshire Coast towns have been named among the most popular destinations in the United Kingdom for a festive staycation this year.
Festive holidaymakers will flock to the Yorkshire Coast this December, with two local towns securing spots in the top ten United Kingdom Christmas staycation destinations.
Whitby has taken the second spot in the national rankings for 2026, while Scarborough has secured eighth place.
New booking data released by Sykes Holiday Cottages reveals the most popular destinations for Christmas breaks, with coastal favourites proving highly sought after by winter tourists.
Winter travel is continuing to grow in popularity across the country. The latest Staycation Index shows that bookings for the winter season in 2025 were up by five per cent compared to the previous year.
The findings have been published as the one-hundred-day countdown to Christmas begins on the sixteenth of September.
Industry experts reviewed holiday booking data for twenty-five thousand properties in 2026 to provide a snapshot of the staycation market for the upcoming festive season.
Analysts used comparisons with equivalent year-to-date and full-year figures from 2023 to 2025 to identify wider market trends, confirming that winter is strengthening as a key travel season.
The national rankings place Ambleside in Cumbria in the top spot, making Whitby the most popular coastal destination in the entire country for a festive break.
Whitby placed higher than Keswick, Windermere, Bowness-on-Windermere, and Grasmere, which took the third through sixth spots respectively.
A spokesperson for Sykes Holiday Cottages said:
"Whitby brings a coastal alternative to the Christmas top three, combining dramatic scenery with historic streets and a bustling harbour. Visitors can climb the famous 199 steps towards Whitby Abbey, explore the old town or wrap up for a walk along the Yorkshire coast."
Accommodation options in the seaside town are already drawing significant attention from prospective visitors.
The holiday letting agency highlighted the Sir Nigel Gresley at Engine Shed development as a prime example. The two-bedroom apartment sleeps four and sits within the town’s distinctive Engine Shed development, putting guests close to Whitby’s waterfront and town centre.
Further down the coast, Scarborough is also proving to be a major draw for winter tourists.
Scarborough secured its eighth-place position by beating out Beadnell in Northumberland and Southwold in Suffolk, which rounded out the top ten.
The agency spokesperson added:
"Scarborough brings together all the ingredients of a traditional seaside break, even in the winter months. Holidaymakers can wander around the town’s bays and seafront, take in views of the Yorkshire coastline and explore its long-standing seaside attractions."
Properties in the town are proving ideal for small groups wishing to spend Christmas together on the Yorkshire Coast.
The Salthouse Apartment 1, a two-bedroom apartment located close to Scarborough’s South Bay, was highlighted as a popular choice for visitors seeking an open-plan living space beside the sea.
The data focuses on holiday bookings with arrival dates beginning on or after the nineteenth of December and on or before Christmas Day 2026.
The top ten list includes locations across the country, but the strong showing for the Yorkshire Coast stands out for those swapping the countryside for the coast this Christmas.
Whitby and Scarborough were the only two Yorkshire locations to make the national top ten, joining destinations in Cumbria, Dorset, Northumberland, and Suffolk.
World-Class Cyclists to Race Through The East Riding For Tour Of Britain
Coastal Businesses Face Potential Impact As Preparations Begin For Tourism Tax
North Yorkshire Council Set to Spend £2.43m on New Winter Gritters
Historic Pullman Dining Coach Returns To Service After Decade-Long Restoration
Rescued Seal Pup Treated With Chilled Yorkshire Tea At Scarborough Sea Life Centre
Multimillion-Pound Cost Of New Scarborough Council Offices Revealed
Renewable Geothermal Heat to Warm Pickering and Kirby Misperton
Borehole Drilling to Begin Across Scarborough For Wastewater Upgrades
Green Light For Conversion Of Former Scarborough Army Centre Into Business Park
MP Calls for Better National Support Following RAF Fylingdales Wildfire Threat
Jail for Scarborough Drug Dealer
Historic Whitby Whale Bone Arch Removed For Ethical Bronze Replacement
