Newquay, Cornwall, England
Known by many as the UK capital of surfing, Newquay has an abundance of picturesque beaches, rolling waves and breathtaking views, making it one of England’s finest holiday destinations.
Every year thousands of tourists flock to Newquay to enjoy the wide range of attractions and activities the town has to offer, whether its surfing, walking, sunbathing or events. Newquay is the ideal destination for people of all ages including couples, groups and families.
Beaches are at the heart of everything great in Newquay: the adventure playgrounds for children to enjoy the golden sands; the long stretches for couples to walk hand in hand; and the rolling waves for surfers to ride.
Crantock Beach
Voted Best British Beach by BBC Coast in 2013, Crantock Beach offers a huge stretch of soft golden sands backed by fantastic dunes between the Pentire Headlands. Crantock beach is a firm favourite among surfers and is also popular for snorkeling and wind-surfing. Dolphins are also occasional visitors to Crantock Beach!
Fistral Beach
Divided into two beaches (Fistral South and Fistral North) and situated in a west facing bay, Fistral Beach has become world famous for the numerous international surfing championships it hosts. Backing on to dramatic cliffs, Fistral Beach is very popular amongst families, surfers and day-trippers, and offers a wide range of seafront and beach facilities.
Tolcarne Beach
Set against a dramatic background of cliffs in a beautiful crescent-shaped bay, Tolcarne offers lovely white sands, a safe place to swim, surfing for families, and a selection of rock pools to explore at low tide. There is also a surf school on the beach that offers surf lessons for both new and moderate surfers. This beach is easily accessible from Newquay town centre, and facilities include a cafe, shop, parking and beach huts.
Lusty Glaze Beach
Privately owned and located just outside Newquay town centre, Lusty Glaze Beach has a reputation for its unrivalled beach entertainment that includes live music and various other events. As well as fantastic scenery, there is a beach-side restaurant, beach huts, and an array of adventure activities to enjoy such as surfing and climbing. Lusty Glaze is a particularly good place for newbies to learn surfing under the expert eyes of qualified instructors.
The attractions
There is quite literally something for everyone in Newquay. For families there is the Blue Reef Aquarium, which is home to some fascinating sea life such as tropical sharks, seahorses and giant crabs. Newquay is also home to an award-winning zoo with other 130 amazing species to see. They breed a variety of rare species at the zoo, so if you’re lucky, you may even get to meet a few babies on your visit.
For history lovers there is the Huer’s Hut, a terrific grade II listed building that overlooks Newquay’s coastline. The historic hut is thought to date back to the 14th century and was formerly used as a look out spot by the ‘Huer’, a key figure in the town’s once-important pilchard fishing industry.
Where to eat and where to stay
In recent years, Cornwall has become home to some of the country’s finest new restaurants. Celebrity chefs such as Rick Stein and Nathan Outlaw are often featured on TV programmes promoting some of the best local produce that Newquay and Cornwall has to offer. Located in and around the Newquay area you will find great restaurants such as Fifteen Cornwall, Jamie Oliver’s, and The Beach Hut Bistro.
With a wide variety of hotels, surf lodges and B&Bs there is no shortage of places to stay in Newquay. If you’re a surfer then you can’t go far wrong with one of Newquays surf lodges. Most of these have their own bars, entertainment and chill-out areas. So, whether you’re a family, couple or group, there is enough accommodation in Newquay to meet the needs of everyone.
Written by David Frederick from Mor Lodge; Photo credit: Ali Taylor
Go to the official Visit Newquay site for more ideas of how to occupy yourself during your stay.
