Newquay is a town on the north coast of Cornwall, in southwest England and is one of the most popular beach towns in the UK.
With incredible stretches of sand and rolling waves, Newquay is known as being a surfers paradise. Home to the famous Fistral Beach, surfers flock here from all over the world to compete in regular surfing competitions.
Along with various water activities, there are also plenty of scenic clifftop walks with some awesome coastal views. As well as the normal English seaside past-times such as penny arcades and mini golf!
As a busy tourist destination, Newquay is home to inviting touristy shops and quirky boutiques, many featuring trendy surf-wear. Not forgetting some great little cafes and eateries with a variety of cuisines including, of course, the famous Cornish Pasty!
So, here’s our top things to do in Newquay list.
1. Hop The Beaches
By far the most popular of the things to do in Newquay is to hop the Newquay beaches.
You can’t help but impressed by the stretches of golden sands, with their dramatic cliff backdrops, along the coast of Newquay.
With some of the best beaches in the UK, and of course being an extremely popular area for surfing, there are plenty of family friendly beaches to choose from.
Additionally, if you’re not up for surfing, there is still plenty of room to relax with a picnic or enjoy watching all the action on the water.
Watergate Bay, on the outskirts of the town, has a fabulous two mile stretch of soft sand and is very popular with visitors. This dog friendly beach has cafes and restaurants close by, making it perfect for a beach day.
However, a few of our favourites are Lusty Glaze, Towan, Perranporth and of course not forgetting the famous Fistral Beach!
2. Walk The Cliff Tops
With so many epic views and cliffs to climb, walking any part of the coast is definitely worth your time.
The South West Coast Path is England’s longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail.
Stretching for a massive 630 miles, from Minehead in Somerset to Poole Harbour in Dorset, it takes in the coasts of Devon and Cornwall.
So, pretty much any walkway along the coast within the Newquay area will take you along part of this footpath.
We walked from Newquay to Watergate Bay and got some pretty wild views along the way!
A photographers dream, walking the cliff tops has to be on your things to do in Newquay bucket list!
If you’re looking for a day trip out of Newquay, don’t forget to head down to Lands End.
3. Eat Cornish Pasties
A Cornish pasty is a baked pastry, traditionally associated with Cornwall and Devon.
It’s said that there is a difference between pasties from each area, with the Devon Pasty being oval in shape and having a crimped top. Whereas the Cornish pasty is semi-circular in shape and crimped along its curve.
Beef skirt is the cut usually used for a real ‘Cornish’ pasty. However, nowadays this popular snack has developed into literally ANYTHING you can fit inside a pastry. And you’ll find all sorts of varieties around town!
Few meals in this area have roots as deep as the Cornish pasty though. This hand-held meat-and-vegetable pie was developed as a lunch for workers in the ancient English tin mining region of Cornwall.
The workers would eat their pasty with their dirty coal-covered hands and then throw away the crimped edge. Please don’t do that though, you will be wasting valuable, heavenly pastry!
A MUST on your things to do in Newquay list! Enjoy!
4. Learn To Surf
Newquay is the UK’s most popular surfing destination. With Fistral Beach being THE iconic spot, and also one of Cornwall’s pride and joys.
It’s known as one of the most consistent and best surfing beaches in the UK and Europe.
Therefore, all of the big UK surf competitions take place at Fistral Beach, including the Famous Night Surf, Boardmasters Surf Championships, National Surf Championships and many more.
If you get chance, head down early to ANY of the Newquay beaches and grab yourself a lesson! Most begin at around £30 for 2 hours and it’s definitely one of the top things to do in Newquay!
If you’re a complete a beginner Introduction to Surfing Lesson is a great place to start.
5. Enjoy A Cream Tea
Another typical tradition when on the south west coast!
A cream tea is a form of afternoon tea/light meal, consisting of tea taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream, and jam.
Traditionally a speciality of Devon and Cornwall, cream teas are offered for sale in tea rooms in those two counties, as well as in other parts of England.
You will often hear people debating which goes on the scone first – jam or cream! Apparently in Devon they say cream first and in Cornwall they say jam first. Whichever way you do it though, this is definitely an exceptionally tasty treat!
We stopped by the famous Headland Hotel and Spa for an afternoon cream tea, which is probably one of the fanciest in the area, and it couldn’t be faulted!
6. Shop The High Street
Shopping in Newquay is a must when visiting Cornwall.
There are plenty of really cool shops, beautifully decorated, that will entice you in just to see what treasures are on offer.
This hipster hub of the UK is a dream for surfers and you’ll find everything to do with surfing you’ve ever dreamed of whilst walking the high street.
With all your worldwide brands such as Billabong and Rip Curl stocked in most stores, there’s also plenty of local brands popping up all over town.
A couple of our favourite being Watershed and Married To The Sea. Make sure to support local and maybe grab a souvenir to take away from Newquay with you!
7. Play The Arcades
The most British of all the fun things to do in Newquay, is to visit the amusements.
The old, retro style penny machines are a guaranteed afternoon of fun. With many different games and prizes available, there’s something for everyone.
Great for a rainy day in Newquay, these mesmerising machines will keep you occupied for hours, hopefully without breaking the bank!
Save up your 2ps and grab a keyring to take home. It’s a real seaside tradition!
8. Wet Dog Pizza Challenge
A quirky little pizzeria tucked away on the way to Fistral Beach!
Not only do they love people, dogs, pizza, booze, beaches and more dogs! But they serve up really delicious pizzas and offer a 20 inch pizza challenge for anyone that dares!
If you can finish the 20 inch pizza of your choice in 20 minutes, you not only get the pizza for free but you get a unique Wet Dog T-shirt to take home and wear with pride!
Our friend Olly tried and missed out on beating the challenge by seconds! A good reason to head back to Newquay and try again, we guess!
9. Gilmore’s Mini Golf & Mexican
Combining two of our favourite things – Mexican food and mini golf!
Gilmore’s is located in the main town of Newquay and is a great afternoon or evening activity.
With an outdoor mini golf course and indoor or outdoor seating available for food and drinks, it’s an easy way to have some fun and kill an hour or two.
From tacos to vegetarian burritos and churros, there are some tasty food options. Along with a variety of beers, gins, Mojitos, coffees and milkshakes.
So, if you’re looking for something a little different to add to your things to do in Newquay itinerary, how about stopping at this little eatery.
Perfectly positioned for a walk afterwards across to Fistral Beach for sunset.
Where To Stay In Newquay
Luxury
Overlooking Fistral Beach, this stylish Victorian hotel features a , surf school, golf course and a sea-view terrace.
The spacious 4-star bedrooms have free Wi-Fi and satellite TV. All rooms feature a cosy seating area, work desk and a modern bathroom.
The include indoor and outdoor swimming pools. While the spa includes a steam room, sauna, and hot tub.
Guests can also work out in the fully equipped gym. There are two restaurants on site, where guests can choose between a candlelit restaurant or a beach view terrace.
Afternoon teas are available, and the hotel is a 10-minute walk from Newquay centre.
Mid-Budget
The Carnmarth Hotel boasts .
The hotel is within a 10-minute walk from Newquay town centre.
Some bedrooms offer views of the sea, and each room has an en-suite shower and a flat-screen TV.
The C-view bar and terrace serves coffees and cocktails, where guests are able to watch sunset over the Atlantic sea.
Newquay coach station is just 0.6 miles from Carnmarth Hotel, while Newquay railway station is 1 miles away.
Budget
Boasting a majestic on the cliffs of Newquay looking out over the , this hotel has both English and and an with .
The of Newquay’s centre are less than 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel.
All rooms feature satellite TV, and guests can enjoy free tea and coffee in the room. There’s a private bathroom, and many rooms boast lovely sea views.
There’s a sauna, heated pool and a spa bath for guests to relax in. Guests can also exercise in the small gym.
For more places to stay in Newquay, you can check the latest prices on Booking.com.