Saltburn’s ‘Sea View’ shops and surf are top of Airbnb list

But ask anyone from the North East and North Yorkshire, and they’ll tell you: Saltburn-by-the-Sea has always had something special.

Now, as more Brits turn their backs on overcrowded southern hotspots in favour of quieter, characterful breaks, this Victorian seaside town on the North Yorkshire coast is enjoying a well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Saltburn cliff lift (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Saltburn lies 12 miles south-east of Hartlepool and just five miles from Redcar, perched along the Cleveland Way long-distance footpath.

What began as a tiny fishing hamlet known as Old Saltburn, once associated with smugglers and 17th-century inns, was reshaped in the 19th century after ironstone was discovered in the Cleveland Hills.

Railway pioneer Henry Pease famously imagined “a town arising on the cliff” during a coastal walk in 1858.

The result was a carefully planned Victorian resort, complete with grid-pattern streets, sea views and the distinctive “Jewel Streets”.

Saltburn (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

One of Saltburn’s biggest draws is its Grade II*-listed pier, the only pleasure pier on the North East and Yorkshire coast.

“It’s like stepping back in time,” wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer.

“The pier is beautifully restored, and the views along the coastline are simply breathtaking.”

Another visitor described it as “peaceful, nostalgic and far less commercial than other seaside towns, exactly what we were looking for.”

Just above the pier sits one of the town’s most charming features: the Saltburn Cliff Lift.

Walkers on Saltburn beach (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Opened in the 19th century, it remains one of the oldest water-powered funiculars in the world. The short ride from town to the seafront is an attraction in itself.

“It might only last a few minutes, but it’s worth every penny,” one online review reads. “The kids loved it and so did we.”

The coastline is known nationally for its surf, with competitions held during the autumn and winter months.

On TripAdvisor, beachgoers frequently praise its scale and cleanliness.

One reviewer called it “one of the best beaches in the North, huge, clean and never feels overcrowded”.

Another added: “We came expecting a quick stop and stayed all day.”

The town’s friendly surf school and independent cafés give it a laid-back, creative feel that appeals particularly to younger travellers and families.

Saltburn’s recent Airbnb recognition forms part of a wider shift in UK travel habits.

Research suggests that while 90 per cent of Brits have holidayed in the South over the past five years, only 39 per cent have ventured North.

That imbalance is beginning to change. More travellers say they are actively seeking destinations they haven’t seen all over social media.

In that sense, Saltburn feels perfectly placed.

It offers the pier, the cliff lift, the jewel-coloured beach huts, without the heavy crowds of more famous resorts.

Saltburn railway station connects the town directly to Middlesbrough and Darlington, with onward links across the region.

Meanwhile, annual events such as the Saltburn Festival of Folk Music, the Custom Classic Car Show, and even the Yorkshire Day Duck Race add to its community feel.