Newquay is a great place to visit if you’re planning a holiday to Cornwall any time soon, because there’s literally tons of things to see and do. Whether you’re coming down with the family for a long break, or having a cheeky weekend away with the other half, you’ll never run out of ideas on how to spend your time. But with so much on offer, we thought we’d pinpoint some of the best reasons why you’d want to book a break in Newquay. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and read on:
Reason Number 1: Fistral Beach
One of the worlds top surf destinations, Fistral Beach in Newquay is visited by hundreds of surfers every year who all come to get some big wave action. Fistral is also home to some top UK surfing competitions, such as Boardmasters and the UK Pro Surf Tour. So whether you’re a pro surfer or someone who wants to learn how to surf, then Fistral Beach alone should be a good enough reason to book a break in Newquay.
Reason Number 2: Watergate Bay
Another one of Cornwall’s famous beaches, Watergate Bay is renown for its massive expanse of sand, as well as being the location of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant. Not only that, but Watergate Bay is one of the few all year round dog friendly beaches in Cornwall. There’s also plenty of rock pools and caves that the kids will love to explore, and adults can enjoy some extreme sports such as kite surfing. This beach has lifeguard patrol all throughout the summer until September, which is an added bonus too.
Reason Number 3: Lappa Valley Steam Railway
Lappa Valley is a great day out for young and old alike, and you’ll find plenty to do here. There’s over three miles of railway track which provide 3 different railway experiences. Theres a mile long piece of track starting from Benny Halt station on a miniature steam locomotive which travels through a very picturesque wooded valley straight into East Wheel Rose. From here you will find more railways along with a boating lake, crazy golf, gift shops, cafe and a play area for the kids. Definitely worth a visit if you’re children are mad on trains!
Reason Number 4: Newquay Zoo
Another great day out and certainly worth a visit is Newquay Zoo, where you can see lions, snakes, meerkats, penguins and many more species of animals. There’s lots of activities all year round as well. Kids can do face painting and listen to keeper talks, and the zoo also offers ‘up close and personal’ experiences where for a small fee you can learn all about some of the Zoo’s most popular animals and get to feed them. Newquay Zoo is open all year round, (except Christmas day) from 9.30 am till 5pm, and admission costs around £40 for a family of four. There’s plenty of cafe’s and restaurants dotted around the zoo if you fancy eating there as well.
Reason Number 5: Pirates Quest
If you’ve ever wanted to get up close and personal with pirates, buccaneers and mermaids, then a trip to Pirates Quest in Newquay is a must! It’s an hour long tour for up to 12 people which is led by a “live” pirate crew, where you get to experience what 18th century Cornwall would have been like. Any children in your group also get a treasure map to help them find hidden letters which reveal a secret code for them to claim some pirate booty after the tour has ended.
Reason Number 6: Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre
Just ten minutes outside of Newquay, right next to RAF Mawgan, lies Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre which is home to a stunning collection of classic aircraft. Visitors can sit in the cockpits of iconic fighter jets such as the Hawker Hunter F4, Harrier Jumper Jet, BAC 1-11, Vickers VC-10K3 and Vickers Varsity WJ945. The centre offers flight experiences as well, where you can take control of the plane yourself, after a full flight briefing. These lessons are available in a two seat (Cessna 152), three seat (Robin DR400) or four seat (Piper PA28) aircraft and can last for 20, 30, 40 or 50 minutes. Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre also offers indoor and outdoor exhibits, a 1950s style café, a gift shop and a picnic area.
Reason Number 7: Trerice Manor House
An absolute Cornish gem, Trerice is an Elizabethan manor house owned and operated by The National Trust. Visitors can explore the house and gardens and throughout the year Trerice provides seasonal activities to keep you entertained. The tour of the house itself is full of fascinating things to see, and there are room guides to help you find out more as you go along. Outside, you can walk around the gardens, which are layed out in typical Elizabethan fashion, consisting of a maze, vegetable garden and an Elizabethan knot garden which consists of over 800 young yew trees planted to mimic the geometric design of the decorative plasterwork on the ceiling of the Great Chamber in the Manor House.
Reason Number 8: Oasis Fun Pools
Situated at Hendra Holiday Park, which is just outside Newquay, is Oasis Fun Pools. It’s a great attraction to visit no matter what the weather is like, which means it’s great for something to do with the family if it’s raining! Only open during the summer months, there’s a choice of two swimming pools and a river rapid ride, not to mention water cannons, waterfalls, geyser, taps and fountains. You also get to have a go on any of their 3 water flumes, consisting of a high speed aqua whiz flume, the wet & wild 265ft super flume, and the gentle fun slide for smaller children.
Reason Number 9: Bluereef Aquarium
Situated on Towan Beach, Bluereef Aquarium lets you come face to face with sharks, octopus, turtles, seahorses and puffer fish along with starfish and stingrays. At the heart of the aquarium is a giant tropical tank, from where visitors can walk through a large tunnel that allows them to see underwater. All species are housed in naturally recreated displays, and the aquarium is a fun and entertaining experience for all ages.
Reason Number 10: Dairyland Farm World
Dairyland Farm World in Newquay has been a popular family attraction for years. It’s a working dairy farm, that has plenty to do indoors and outdoors. Adults can enjoy walking around the Cornish Heritage Centre and go back in time to see what life and work used to be like in the old days, and children can be entertained with an unlimited amount of attractions, such as “The Bull Pen”, mini rides on tractors, trampolines, ball pools and nature trails. There are daily milking sessions available as well, where you can view cows being milked and also feed baby calves by hand.
So there we have it! Ten great reasons why you should book a break in Newquay. There are still tons more things you can do that we haven’t covered in this article and plenty more places to see. All that’s left for you to do is decide when you plan on visiting and which of our rooms you’d like. We are within easy reach of all the most popular attractions.