Cornwall’s top tourist town has more than meets the eye
Newquay is a town I visited throughout my childhood and young adulthood. First, I raced along the beaches and made the most of its family-friendly attractions. As an adrenaline-chasing 18-year-old, I tried out a surfing lesson (not for me) and enjoyed its club scene.
Aged 27, I hiked through the town on the South West Coast Path, wowed once again by its spectacular beaches. And, when I was invited back to the town by Love Newquay recently at age 31, to experience some activities that are perfect for travellers aged 30+, I jumped at the chance.
Newquay’s definitely known for its surf, beaches, clubbing scene and family-friendly activities. But what many don’t appreciate is the town’s wellness opportunities, local businesses and hidden corners of the coast.
This is what I was in Newquay to find out.
All activities, meals and accommodation were organised and funded by Love Newquay and businesses in the town. All opinions remain my own.
Dinner at the Boathouse Street Food on the Beach
We checked into Oceanside Hotel (more on that in a moment), and headed out for dinner at The Boathouse.
“We’ve been going since 2021” Amy, the manager, informed us. “And this year, we’re testing staying open at weekends all the way up to the end of January! We’ve even got a mobile sauna for cold days”.
It wasn’t my first time at Street Food on the Beach – we’d actually popped in on a sunny summer’s evening when hiking the South West Coast Path during their first year.
Hosting an array of street food stalls, each specialising in a different dish or cuisine, The Boathouse is a collection of tables around Newquay Harbour, with beach-themed decor.
To order, all you need to do is take a seat, scan a QR code and select from the array of menus. Drinks are available at the bar (pale rose for me, Cornish Korev for my partner) and the views are a delight!
Coasteering
I’d tried surfing at the age of 18 in Newquay, and again aged 24 and 25 in Australia. While the Cornish town has waves that could rival most destinations and the town’s spirit is anchored in the sport, surfing schools across the town offer up a range of other watersports too.
Coasteering took my eye. This activity is all about getting up close and personal with the rocks and waves, climbing, cliff jumping and swimming around the coastline.
We arranged a session with Newquay Surf School who, despite the name, offer coasteering sessions as well as surf coaching and board rentals.
Located on Great Western Beach (very close to Newquay station), we pulled on our wetsuits and made for the water. We swam and clambered over rocks to reach a few fascinating caves, our guide Dale pointing out landmarks, telling us about the coastline and even finding a seal, before reaching the terminus of the adventure – the cliff jumping spot.
Back in my reckless youth (the same one that saw me testing out Newquay’s bar scene!), I had a bit of a mishap when doing an unregulated cliff jump. I jumped off a very high cliff, landed on my back and, for a few scary seconds, thought I paralyzed myself. Ever since, I’ve avoided cliff jumping on my travels, even when it was heavily regulated.
“There’s no pressure to do any cliff jumping if you don’t want to” Dale told me. “But I can assure you that this is a very safe spot, it’s very deep, and you’ll be absolutely fine”.
We began with a baby jump; which didn’t look high from the water but was knee-quaking enough looking down from the top. With gentle encouragement from Dale and my partner, I lept – and landed, my feet breaking the water perfectly.
It didn’t take much encouragement for me to do a slightly higher jump, again, knowing that it was very safe and regulated. And I finished with not only a buzz of doing a fantastic outdoor activity, but also a sense of achievement at doing something that I’d previously written off out of fear.
Saunassa
Despite the sense of achievement, it was definitely time for a bit of relaxing! Luckily, Love Newquay had organised just the place – Saunassa.
This sauna and hot tub complex opened in February 2025, and has quickly become a prime place to chill out (quite literally – there are freezing dunk tanks) near the town centre.
Work up a sweat in the sauna, plunge into the dunk tank, then catch some zen in the hot tubs. There’s free herbal tea aplenty, along with relaxation areas.
Dinner at HERD burger
“Our menu is daringly simple so there really isn’t anywhere to hide.” HERD informed us on their website prior to our final dinner.
The small eatery, offering takeaway and dine-in options, sits just above Newquay harbour. The menu offers just hamburgers (with or without cheese), veggie burgers or chicken burgers, with fries, milkshakes and soft-serve ice cream.
They aim to provide a simple yet world-class burger with only the best ingredients. After trying out their vegan cheeseburger, I can say that they’re definitely succeeding!
Staying by Fistral Beach
At Fistral Beach (often thought to be the best surfing beach in the UK), everything revolves around the sand and surf.
The glorious beach is wild, yet kept well, with cafes and surf shops lining the sand.
And an array of hotels line the sands – close enough to Newquay town centre but in their own blissful beachside retreat.
We stayed at the Oceanside Hotel. This renovated guesthouse incorporates boutique elements into its own lifestyle brand, with modern rooms, a spacious restaurant with decking (perfect for sunset) and the most spectacular views of Fistral Beach.
Take a look at my other Newquay posts!
- Things to do in Newquay
- How to spend a weekend in Newquay
- Best beaches in Newquay
- Days out from Newquay
On this trip, Newquay proved to me that there was more to it than I previously thought.
Surfing, nightlife, beaches… you’ll find them all in Cornwall’s top tourist town, but its the wellness, gastronomy and outdoor adventure aspects that carry on catering to travellers of all ages.
