Holidays in Newquay

More around Newquay

Using Newquay as a base

Newquay makes a sensible base for a Cornish trip because so much of the county is within a day's drive. There are 263 places to stay in and around Newquay on BritStays, from small flats to family houses, which means you can pick a base and then treat the rest of Cornwall as a series of day trips rather than packing and unpacking every other morning. The one thing worth accepting early: Cornwall is long and thin, and the drive west or east will always take longer than the map suggests. Plan one main destination a day, with a second nearby option in reserve.

Days out with children

For a straightforward day where nobody has to be quiet, Kernow Adventure Park over at Falmouth is the obvious water park choice — bring towels, spare clothes and more snacks than you think you need. Spingfields Fun Park and Pony Centre is the gentler option, mixing rides with pony contact, and it tends to suit younger children better than teenagers.

Animals do a lot of heavy lifting on a family holiday. The Screech Owl Sanctuary is a good middle-of-the-day stop, Greeb Farm over near Penzance works well alongside other things in that direction, and The Monkey Sanctuary at Looe is worth the longer drive if you make a full day of the east of the county rather than trying to squeeze it in around something else.

When it rains

Cornwall has an unusually good supply of small, specific museums, which is exactly what you want when the weather turns. Around Penzance you could fill several wet days on your own: Air Sea Rescue, The End to End Story, Coast The Exhibition, Marizion Museum, St Ives Museum and Tate St Ives for something more contemplative. Tate St Ives is the one to allow proper time for; the others are more digestible and easier to string together.

Further round, the Shipwreck Treasure Museum and Mevagissey Museum both sit in the St Austell direction and pair well with each other. Up towards Bude, the Cornwall at War Museum is a solid half-day for anyone with an interest in military history, and it tends to hold children's attention longer than you'd expect.

Heritage, mining and the coast path

Cornwall's industrial past is genuinely interesting even if you arrive with no particular interest in engines. Levant Mine and Beam Engine is the headline one out west near Penzance, with King Edward Mine and Michell's Engine House both in the Falmouth direction. Predannick Anti-Aircraft Battery is a different kind of heritage again — wartime rather than industrial — and sits naturally alongside the Falmouth mining sites if you want a day with plenty of fresh air and not much queuing.

Grouping it into sensible days

A west day: Levant Mine and Beam Engine in the morning, lunch, then Tate St Ives or St Ives Museum. Swap in Air Sea Rescue or Coast The Exhibition if it's wet.
A Falmouth-direction day: King Edward Mine and Michell's Engine House together, with Predannick Anti-Aircraft Battery if the weather holds, or Kernow Adventure Park instead if you have children who'd rather swim than read information boards.
An easy family day: Screech Owl Sanctuary and Spingfields Fun Park and Pony Centre, both fairly relaxed, both forgiving if you arrive late.
An eastern day: The Monkey Sanctuary at Looe, or the Shipwreck Treasure Museum and Mevagissey Museum towards St Austell.

Where to eat

For picking up lunch before a long drive, Malcolm Barnecutt is a reliable bakery stop — pasties and something sweet, eaten on a wall somewhere. Bread & Butter is the tea room choice for a slower morning or an afternoon that's gone sideways in the rain. For evening meals, the Victoria Inn and Try Dowr are both pubs, so they work for families earlier on and for a quieter drink later. Kellaway's Fish and Chips covers the night when nobody wants to cook, which on a self-catering holiday is usually at least two nights out of seven. All five hold five-star hygiene ratings.

Making it a short break

Three nights is enough for two full days out plus arrival and departure. Five nights is better, because it lets you take one slow day near your base and still fit in a west day, an east day and a rainy-day reserve. Book your accommodation first, then plan days around the driving rather than the other way round.

Practical points: check opening days before you set off, as some smaller museums don't open every day of the week; carry cash for small sites and car parks; take waterproofs even in July; and if you're heading to Looe or Bude, leave earlier than feels necessary.

Frequently asked questions

How many places to stay are there in Newquay on BritStays?

There are 263 places to stay in the Newquay region listed on BritStays, ranging from smaller flats to houses that suit families. Booking your base first and then planning days around it is usually the easier way round.

What are the best rainy-day attractions to reach from Newquay?

Museums are your best bet. Around Penzance there's Air Sea Rescue, The End to End Story, Coast The Exhibition, Marizion Museum, St Ives Museum and Tate St Ives. Towards St Austell there's the Shipwreck Treasure Museum and Mevagissey Museum, and up near Bude you'll find the Cornwall at War Museum.

Which attractions work best for young children?

Spingfields Fun Park and Pony Centre combines rides with pony contact and suits younger children well. Kernow Adventure Park near Falmouth is the water park option for a day of swimming, and the Screech Owl Sanctuary and Greeb Farm are gentler animal visits. The Monkey Sanctuary at Looe is worth a full day rather than a quick stop.

Where can I see Cornwall's mining heritage?

Levant Mine and Beam Engine sits out towards Penzance, while King Edward Mine and Michell's Engine House are both in the Falmouth direction and pair together well in a single day. Predannick Anti-Aircraft Battery, also near Falmouth, covers wartime rather than industrial history if you want some variety.

Where should I eat around Newquay?

Malcolm Barnecutt is a bakery, handy for picking up lunch before a drive. Bread & Butter is a tea room for slower mornings and wet afternoons. The Victoria Inn and Try Dowr are pubs suited to family meals earlier in the evening, and Kellaway's Fish and Chips covers the nights when nobody wants to cook. All five hold five-star hygiene ratings.

How long should a short break in Newquay be?

Three nights gives you two full days out plus arrival and departure days. Five nights is more comfortable, allowing a slow day near your base alongside a trip west towards Penzance, a trip east towards Looe or St Austell, and a spare day held back for bad weather.

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