Browsing the gift shops in Scarborough offers a fun and interesting day out. Let’s take a walk around some of the best gift shops where you will find something for everyone, including traditional seaside souvenirs, locally handmade gifts, and delicious confectionary. There’s lots to see, so make sure you start early and come prepared with a suitable backpack to carry all your purchases!
Shell Shack
The Shell Shack on the East Pier along the seafront is a great place to start. Overlooking South Bay’s harbour and beneath the famous Scarborough Castle, this colourful shop offers all the shells you could wish for. From baskets of shells to boats decorated with them, you’ll find unique mobiles for your home or garden, animals crafted from shells, as well as dreamcatchers and windchimes.
These beach-themed gifts make fabulous souvenirs that will remind you of your trip to Scarborough. Enjoy the view over the harbour before crossing the road to visit the Harbourside Gift Shop.
Harbourside Gift Shop
The Harbourside Gift Shop on Sandside is popular with tourists. It sells a wide range of items, from model ships and yachts to Hairy Bob’s sweatshirts and other clothing, named after a legendary Scarborough character. You’ll also find Scarborough-themed tea towels, mugs, postcards, Scarborough rock, and Squawk the Seagull gifts for your home, along with other traditional souvenirs you’d expect to find in a seaside town. You can even buy a pirate treasure chest!
You might want to treat yourself to a soft scoop ice cream here before visiting the next shop.
Walk along the seafront towards South Bay beach, round the corner and past the colourful Seabay shop.
J&J Christian
Next door to The Welcome Inne is J&J Christian Gift Shop. This seafront shop sells large models of lighthouses, seagulls, and boats, as well as puffins, crabs, and the obligatory souvenir mugs. You’ll also find snow globes, fridge magnets, placemats with Scarborough scenes, tea trays, tea towels, and various other ornaments as well as jewellery. Don’t miss the prints of local views.
Once you’ve finished browsing, continue your walk and you’ll pass the Penny Arcade. You might want to pop in and try your luck on the coin pushers along the way!
Wander past The Newcastle Packet, an iconic Scarborough pub, and just past Winking Willy’s Fish & Chip shop, you’ll find our next gift shop.
John Bull Fudge & Nougat
John Bull offers sweet treats made in their Bridlington factory, where they produce rock, chocolate, and nougat. This is probably the best gift shop for confectionary as they have a great range for young and old.
The seafront shop on Foreshore Road has unique items like chocolate fish and chips, sweets formed into plates of bacon and eggs, boxes of fudge, jars of sweets, Scarborough rock, and gift boxes of Yorkshire biscuits. They even have special gift boxes of biscuits that say “Thank You For Looking After My Dog,” the perfect gift for your dog sitter!
On another day, you might want to take a trip to Bridlington for a factory tour, where you can see how everything is made and participate in creating something yourself.
Once you’ve chosen something tasty for yourself or someone else, you can walk a bit further along the seafront and visit the other John Bull shop or continue our walk as we head into Old Town.
Handmade at 36
When you reach the donut shop by the traffic lights, turn right into Old Town and walk up the hill. Pass the joke shop on the left corner (you may get dragged in if you have kids with you!), and continue up the hill until you see Handmade at 36 on the right-hand side.
This small gift shop on Eastborough sells sterling silver earrings and pendants featuring seahorses, boats, and shells. They also have beautiful opalite and turquoise jewellery, along with a small selection of beach-themed wooden ornaments.
You might be getting a bit hungry by now and you can choose from many great cafes and restaurants in the town! Continue walking up the hill past Nava Sushi on the right (a fantastic Japanese restaurant!). A bit further on you’ll see a cobbled road on your right. Turn on to that road and you’ll find our next stop where you can also sit down and have a bite to eat.
Scarborough Market Hall & Vaults
A big stone building in St Helen’s Square houses the Scarborough Market Hall and Vaults, famously visited by the Hairy Bikers on their trip along the Yorkshire Coast! As well as gift shops, there are cafes where you can relax before continuing your gift shop tour.
When you enter the indoor market, take the stairs up to the balcony area where numerous gift shops sell locally made beach-themed gifts, small framed prints of Scarborough landmarks and scenes, and artisan crafts such as metalwork lobsters and crabs. The Honeycomb Shop offers local honey, beeswax candles, and other bee health products.
After exploring the balcony, take the stairs back down, exit through the front, and turn left. Turn left again down the side alleyway to find the entrance to The Vaults. This super-quirky area has a mixed vibe of hippie culture and nostalgia. Rummage through second-hand records, DVDs, and books, and browse the unique handmade jewellery at Violet Haze Jewellery, where everything is crafted on the premises. You’ll also find various antiques shops to explore.
Once you’ve finished browsing The Vaults, make your way back to the front of the market. On the opposite side of the road, you’ll find our next gift shop.
Homebird House
Homebird House, also in St Helen’s Square, sells Scarborough-themed art, cards, tea towels, and other seaside gifts. You’ll find hand-drawn maps and illustrations of Scarborough landmarks, which can also be framed locally. The shop also offers well-known branded gifts such as Jellycat toys and fragrant gifts.
We have just two more gift shops left, and they are further into town. Turn right outside Homebird House, then take another right onto the main street heading into town. When you reach the traffic lights, turn left onto St Nicholas Street and keep walking until you see our next shop on the right-hand side.
Lilly’s Treasures
Lilly’s Treasures is arguably the best gift shop in town, offering a fabulous selection of good-quality, handmade gifts. You’ll find beautifully crafted seagulls and other soft toys, including knitted and felted creations.
This shop on St Nicholas Street also sells unique beach-themed cushions and quirky seaside-inspired wall art made with shells, pebbles, sea glass, and other seaside finds. As you can tell from the wonderful aroma when you enter, they also offer deliciously scented gifts. Every item in Lilly’s Treasures is beautifully made, so don’t miss out on this shop!
Once you’ve finished browsing Lilly’s Treasures turn left out of the shop and left again to walk up the main street. Take the next right on North Street to find the next gift shop.
Ten North Street
Situated opposite TK Maxx, Ten North Street is our final gift shop on this tour. This family-run shop offers a wide variety of fragrance-based gifts, including candles and incense. The shop sells quirky and unique wooden beach hut coasters, calendars, and keyrings. You’ll also find photo frames, plaques, and candle holders decorated with pebble people.
Now your gift shop tour is complete, you are probably thinking of where to eat out this evening. Check out our guide on the Best Restaurants in Scarborough which covers a wide range of cuisines and tastes. If it’s a bit early for that, maybe an afternoon tea would be in order! In that case, see which places we recommend for the Best Afternoon Teas in Scarborough.