Newquay

I know a few ppl on here have posted about their times down the Cornish coast so I’m after a bit of advice.

Myself and the family (wife and 2x daughters aged 5 and 7) are off down there at the beginning of June for a week.

I’ve never actually been to Newquay or Cornwall so I’m after a bit of advice from the lovely ppl on here who maybe able to help. Restaurants kid friendly would be ideal plus I’m wanting to take the kids bodyboarding and wondered which is the best family beach that’s not over crowded. Wetsuits.....hire or buy down there or buy before we go?

Also some ideas on other activities for the kids to keep them entertained. I know there is plenty, but some ideas on what people have done themselves and a few pointers would be very helpful.

Thanks again u lovely lot.

 

It's a few year's since I've been down there but a good day for the kids is the cider farm. If the weather is good take a trip to Crantock Beach of the beaten track but beautiful

 

Cider farm at age 7 and 5 . Only in Barnsley. Had me in stitches

 

long time since i was down that way ( working) but seal sanctuary in gweek and a tank museum in burnt mabehouse, maybe shut now for all i know

 

Years since I’ve been and I worked a year down there too many years ago . Crantock bay near Newquay, quiet beach and a great pub at top . Was my second home the pub when I worked there

 

Stayed in Newquay (just above Fistral Beach) and at Holywell Bay in last few years. Latter has a beautiful beach, quieter than Fistral and was ideal for getting to Perranporth and other attractions, Crantock is the next village/beach heading North. A Barnsley family run The Treguth Inn at Holywell as I recall.

Healey Cyder Farm is good, Eden Project. Too. We also found a decent footgolf place near St Austell. Ate out of the area on a few nights, loads of little villages with decent pubs and restaurants.

Worth booking restaurants in advance if you can.

 

LOL it had a decent kiddies area n a trip around the farm on a trailer pulled by a tractor was quite exciting for 5 year old

 

Newquay has become very crowded and also more commercialised.
Perranporth just down the coast is much nicer quieter and much more family friendly these days.

 

We loved Porth beach, walking distance from Newquay, ideal for kids. Also Lusty Gaze has organized beach sports, surf lessons and zip wire.
We always had a couple of days on the south coast at Mevagissey or Fowey, good boat trips and pasty's every where you look.
Been a few years since we went but still missing it.

 

We were down there two years ago and we loved it. You can take your pick from 4 or 5 different beaches in Newquay all really nice with cafes and wetsuit hire shacks. Fistral beech is the main beech where the surfers go and we used to chill out with a beer watching them from the bar that overlooks the beach.

 

Set off during the night to get there before midday.

 

Holywell bay is a nice short drive.
If you want to explore a little further. And the weather is crap for water sports. Clovelly is a lovely picturesque small fishing village. You may go through a visitor centre and pay. But it's not legally enforceable and there is an adjacent rd to avoid the centre . About 50/60miles north of Newquay.
South 30 miles is St Michaels mount. Another fine area to visit.

 

My wife and myself had a ten day break in the fishing village of Polperro. We stayed at a very nice B&B
and travelled out to places of interest on a daily basis. We enjoyed our day in Looe which is particularly
very family friendly. Padstow is also well worth a visit as it's home to celebrity chef Rick Stein and there's plenty
to do to keep the kids occupied. I would also make time to either visit the lost gardens of Heligan or Lands End.

Whatever you do RT please make a special effort to visit Fowey. It's a really lovely place and literally has
something for " everyone". Remember seeing a store where kids were selecting a drinking mug and being
helped by a local artist to decorate it with a design of their choice. Also saw Dawn French wandering through
the streets as she has her house there. You have to get the ferry across the river to get to the town, so the
kids should enjoy that. One of the best holidays I've ever had. Let us know how you get on.

 

We have a static between St Austell and Mevagissey .If you go to Mevagissey spend a couple of hours there then take a run to Charlestown which is only about 20mins away,they filmed Poldark there.Fowey is beautiful but very busy.If you go there try and park in the top car park as you go in.Looe and Polperro are worth a visit.St Ives is nice too.It seems like the weather should be nice too as it’s done nothing but piss it down the last few weeks.

 

The best thing for me in Cornwall is hopping around the coast line and finding places less people go. Though some of the roads are a bit stressful, especially in peak season.

St Michaels Mount in Marazion is probably my favourite place in the UK. In March 2020, we spent a night in the hotel overlooking it and its just a beautiful place as the sun goes down. Have to keep an eye on tide times to walk across the causeway, but there are boats if the tide is in.

I'd suggest getting a cornwall rough guide and search out the smaller coves. Mullion Cove is teeming with sea birds, Polperro is lovely too. And Sennen is an amazing sweep of beach with rock pools galore if you time it right.

We've stayed in Fowey and Mevagissey before, Fowey has really come along and is quite busy now. And Falmouth has improved considerably. Even has a verdant tap room now too!

Tintagel and Boscastle on the north coast are quite good for a wander too, Tintagel coastlne is owned by National Trust and there are plenty of places down there so you can easily get your annual fee back in one holiday!

And depending on how far you want to drive in a day, the Lizard peninsula has some amazing coastline. And Kynance Cove is one of the most stunning places you can look out on... weather permitting!!!

Enjoy!

 

If you can catch it relatively quiet, kynance cove is a decent beginners spot for body boarding

 

Loved Newquay when we first went, now not so much.
Hadn’t been for a long time so maybe it was the commercialisation that shocked me, just thought it had lost way more than it had gained by doing it.
Prefer the quieter bits of Cornwall which we still love