What to do in Newquay

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Discussion

dazwalsh

Original Poster:

6,095 posts

140 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Covid can get knotted now, instead of spazzing out on a sun lounger in a luxury villa in Portugal, I am stuck in a Park Dean st hole with the already naff amaneties all over subscribed due to covid restrictions. The only saving grace is that the hugely overpriced caravan we are staying in is rather nice.

So any recommendations of decent grub, and activities during the day in and around the Newquay area? preferably indoors as I have 2 kids, 8 and 6 climbing the walls with boredom after day 1.

The weather is on and off frequent heavy showers for the forthcoming week we are here so any plans of finding some decent walking routes are out of the question.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.


The Leaper

4,937 posts

205 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Newquay is a dump. Best to turn round and go somewhere else. Any town in Cornwall has to be better than Newquay!

We enjoyed our honeymoon there.....many many years ago...before it degenerated into its latest state, very sad, really.

R

Chainsaw Rebuild

1,997 posts

101 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Learn to surf. I understand now is a good time because the sea is still relatively warm from the summer sun, there are reduced number of people in the water and the waves should be a bit bigger/consistent than in the summer.

I went for a long weekend a few years ago in the autumn and it was excellent fun and honestly not as cold as you might think.

Athlon

4,998 posts

205 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Big seas in the next couple of days should spice it up! Portreath is a good place to watch.
Eden Centre? expensive but interesting in the biomes.
If you go wave watching, please be careful near the cliffs/harbour walls

languagetimothy

1,075 posts

161 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Eden project?

Indoors

https://www.edenproject.com

Athlon

4,998 posts

205 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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languagetimothy said:
Eden project?

Indoors

https://www.edenproject.com
The biomes are indoors and to be fair they are what most people go to see!


RizzoTheRat

25,085 posts

191 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Lost gardens of helligan are better than Eden IMO, but all outdoors if the weathers crap

maxdb

1,533 posts

156 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Perranporth has a nice beach and it's only down the road from Newquay

aponting389

741 posts

177 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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In Newquay try Lewinnick Lodge for food and views

essayer

9,011 posts

193 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Aquarium is decent if you can get in
Healeys Cider Farm
Screech Owl Sanctuary

fttm

3,666 posts

134 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Food wise try The Ring of Bells at St Columb Major .

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Go to Padstow. Lovsly little fishing town judt down the road.

dazwalsh

Original Poster:

6,095 posts

140 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Thanks very much for your ideas, I will make a shortlist of those and form a plan. Eden and the aquarium look good options, and thanks for the restaurant ideas, will be sure to check them out. Is there any decent fish and chip shops nearby?

Mouse Rat

1,798 posts

91 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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We've just come back from a week staying in holywell bay. 11 and 9 year old.

Hire wet suites and body boards. Sea is still warm. Fistral beach is great for surf.
Holywell bay is gorgeous with dunes and a rivers for padling. Also good pitch and putt at holywell.
Chapel porth beach is great for surf and rock pools. go when tide is out!

St Ives will kill a day and is very pretty, plenty to do also.

Cornwall is great and IMO world class beaches. But newquay is an odd place so go traveling.

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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dazwalsh said:
The weather is on and off frequent heavy showers for the forthcoming week we are here so any plans of finding some decent walking routes are out of the question.
Get some waterproofs! Nothing beats a good wet and windy walk followed by hot chocolate (beer for you...)

geeman237

1,228 posts

184 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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I spent my teenage years growing up in the mid 80's near Newquay, so I know how grim it can be if the weather is bad.....

Flambards could be an option, down towards Helston, a good 30 min drive perhaps. Its really for kids with some indoor and outdoor stuff.

Tin mine visit? https://www.cornwalllife.co.uk/out-about/places/co...

Goonhilly Earth Station has a visitor centre, but I think its closed due to COVID or updates at the moment.

Falmouth has something of a castle close to the harbor

Above Redruth and Camborne is a big hill called Carn Brea. On the top is a tiny tiny 'castle' built into the granite rock outcrops with great views across Portreath and out to sea. Its a bit of a windy backroad up there. Depending on your kids age, they might enjoy clambering all over the granite rocks up there and seeing the 'castle'. Its really exposed up there so if the weather is just a little bit iffy near sea level, it'll be pretty rough up there. It's typical rough and rugged Cornish landscape and the fresh air might tire them out for you. You could go up there, then down to Portreath to the Portreath Bakery for a pasty for lunch or vice versa, take a walk on Portreath Beach. Tehidy Woods is sort of between the two for a woodland walk in 'Poldark' country. The North Cliffs drive down to Gwithian Beach has some fabulous clifftop views/laybys. Its a bit outdoors, but a bit of driving with a bit of jumping out the car for the scenery might work.

A couple of years ago I had dinner at The New Inn in Goonhavern and it was a very nice meal indeed. Not cheap, but I thought well worth it.




Athlon

4,998 posts

205 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Maritime museum at Falmouth is very good on a wet day.

Jabba1977

132 posts

68 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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We are down here at the moment. I’d also forgotten what a sh*thole Newquay is! Leave the aquarium well alone if you value your social distancing - ignorant parents simply not controlling their screaming kids when I was there today. I would also recommend the Lost Gardens - yes, you will get wet but it is beautiful. I would also recommend Cardinham Woods for a nice easy walk with plenty of trees to shelter under with the inevitable rain this week.

Charlestown is pretty with some nice food places (the Longstore heartily recommended) and Fowey and Polrean are nice to walk around, with a ferry trip between them.

...or just sit and scoff pasties all day. Pegenna bakery in Tintagel is my favourite.

stuartmmcfc

8,653 posts

191 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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Things to do in Newquay?
Fighting and fking seem to be popular.
Be careful though, the woman are good at one but poor at the other.
Find out which way at your peril.

billzeebub

3,862 posts

198 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
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In my experience the best thing you can do is drive out of it, probably my least favourite of the Cornish coastal towns. Its natural state is as a vomit receptacle. Though it may be slightly more appealing currently due to the general lack of teenagers experiencing their first taste of freedom & alcohol.
Going north from Newquay, Port Isaac and Padstow are lovely, whilst along the coast in the other direction you have Perranporth. St Ives is also a pretty town to visit, but a bit further south from Newquay.

Edited by billzeebub on Wednesday 28th October 19:35