hello tim, we have been to both, we only live about 90 mins away from whitby, but about 8 hours away from tintagel, and i would choose tintagel for a main holidAy. we love cornwall and dont seem to get there enough. tintagel is magical, and the surrounding area is without doubt wonderful. whitby is a lovely town, but , tintagel gets our vote...enjoy it whichever you decide.