tranquil haven or a clubbers paradise? (Newquay in General)

Member Name: ~*pink-pilgrim*~

Product:	Newquay in General
Date:	29/11/08 (221 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A gorgeous places with lots to see and do.

Disadvantages: Can be a bit noisy for some - hen and stag parties

Newquay can be a tranquil haven away from the stresses and strains of the fast moving urban life; it can also be a clubbers paradise. The easy going life and popular comment "I will do it dreckly" makes Newquay a popular tourist attraction.


NEWQUAY
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Newquay used to be a fishing village called 'Towan Blystra' (Cornish). Newquay is now known as the 'UK's Surf Capital' and is a very lively place for tourists. Newquay's climate is warm and is one of the places in the region where you may see palm trees growing.
There are 7 miles of coastline with beaches to suit many people with different interests. The beaches are highly popular with surfers.


ACCOMODATION
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We stayed in the Sandy Lodge Hotel for a weekend. Like most people in Newquay the laid back attitude and cheerful personality of staff was a great part of the holiday. The way the Cornish do it dreckly was just what we needed. Don't expect your hotel to be fast action and all go like you would in London.

We chose the Sandy Lodge Hotel as it looked cosy but affordable and the breakfast sounded lush. If you do plabn to go during Christmas, Easter, bank holidays or the summer holidays then book up a few months in advance. Luckily we loved our hotel and I would certainly recommend it. The rooms were spacious although our room was under the stair case and it was rather squeaky at night. The rooms were en-suite with a colour TV and tea/coffee tray.

If you are looking for that basic, cheap place to stay The Newquay Reef Surf Lodge (www.newquayreefsurflodge.co.uk) is probably the best place for you. On first impressions we thought the hotel looked quite ramshackled however they don't claim to be the Ritz and do say that their facilities are for surfers. This little hotel would be ideal if you plan to go away to Newquay on a hen/stag party and don't plan to do a lot of sleeping. They hotel have great group deals and a 24 hour bar for people staying in the hotel. At about £10-£15 per night you can't really go wrong.

If you are looking for a posh holiday I thought the Headland Hotel (www.headlandhotel.co.uk) was a nice place, however it is very expensive (a budget room would cost about £170 and a luxury room would cost £340 per night) and for that price you wouldn't want to leave your room. The hotel is situated on a peninsula giving excellent views across the sea. I loved the hotel and if I won the lottery may be able to afford a week there in a luxury room...well we can all dream cant we.


PLACES TO GO
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There is so much to see and do in Newquay. On past trips to Newquay I have enjoyed exploring the coast line and local attractions.

*DairyLand Farm World*
I enjoy Dairyland, there is something for everyone theer although its better suited for families.

There is a play area for kids that looked fantastic and if I ever have kids this will be one place I take them on holiday. It was possible to feed the animals, which was amazing. I was allowed to hold a ferret and bottle feed a piglet. We saw how milk was made and learned about the history of the farm. The day out was great fun and was worth the price. We paid £6 each but there are discounts for children, students OAPs and

*Tunnels Through Time*
y fiance and I love learning about history and this was one place we had to visit. Tunnels Through Time was a great day out at a great price of £3.10 (with student card, although now I think it would cost a bit more). The tunnels feature famous stories of people such as Merlin, mermaids, pirates, smugglers and cavemen. Go prepared with a coat though as it can get a bit chilly in the tunnels. I particularly enjoyed the Tunnels Through Time in light of the Merlin series on TV.

*Cornish Cider Farm*
OK so you do have to travel a little to get to this attraction but with Truro (the capital of Cornwall nearby you have a good opportunity to spend the rest of the day shopping). The farm is free to enter and we managed to spend a very boozy day at the farm. We soon realised that with free tasting and cheap alcohol this was a great day out. You can tour the farm to see how cider is produced and packaged and take a tractor ride around the farm, just make sure you do this before the tasting -). The tour cost £6 and the tractor ride cost £3.50. It would also seem the horses are fond of a tipple or two because they had quite bad flatulence - which was obviously the highlight of my day!

*Flambards Theme Park*
Again you need to travel to this attraction but it is a great day out for adults and kids. The Victorian Village and Blitz simulation scenes are excellent. Ok so it's not really the place to go if you want big rides, it may be called a theme park but the only rollercoaster goes at a disappointing speed. The park would probably suit families with tiny children as most of the rides are small and quite 'boring'. Flambards is situated in Helston.

If you don't mind travelling far from Newquay you will also find popular places such as Lands End, the shopping town abd capital of Cornwal - TRuro. The Eden Project is also a lovely day out. Cornwall has a lot to offer and if you are keen to travel out of Newquay for excursions you will be able to see a lot of this lovely place.

SURFING
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*surfing*
In case you didn't already know newquay is world famous venue for surfers and has claimed the title of 'UK Surf Capital'. I can't say I have ever been into surfing but I do like to watch the fit men surf. The Rip Curl Boardmasters competition was held in Newquay last week (31st July- 6th August). Living locally it pretty much dominated the local news and radio.

*Surf School*
This is something I have always wanted to try but been too scared. It is quite expensive to have surfing lessons but if it's something you really want to try it's probably worth the money. You can have lessons at the above mentioned Reef Surf Lodge for about £200 with accommodation.


SHOPS TO VISIT
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*Surf shops*
Newquay are full of surf shops. I enjoy looking through these shops even though I can't afford much of the stuff. My favourite shop is the Boardwalk Surf Shop as it has a Boardwalk Babe Boutique next door selling girly surf stuff.

Last time I went I bought a lovely beaded shell necklace but it cost £15. You can expect to pay on average £25 for a t-shirt £40 for a jacket £ 30 for a pair of trousers and £60 for a pair of trainers in most surf shops.

Most surf shops sell clothes from newborn up to size 16 (although some do go a little bigger). The Newborn clothes are very expensive compared to your average shop.

*Popular shops*
Newquay is full of 'popular' shops such as ShoeZone, New Look, Clintons Cards, Boots, Superdrug, Claries Accessories, Woolworths, River Island, Comet and Currys I am sure there are many more but cannot remember them. Newquay is a great place to go shopping and with the big companies such as Woolworths and Boots you know that almost anything you need is sold.

*Supermarkets*
The two main supermarkets in Newquay are Somerfields and Morrisons both stores sell a wide selection of food and drink. I seem to remember that you have to pay for the car park in the Somerfields store. If you have a car large Tesco and Asda stores are nearby.

*Bakeries*
Cornwall is famous for its pasties and pastries. You could really treat yourself at the chain bakery Warrens or visit a more traditional bakery. You can organise for a Saffron cake to be delivered to your family and friends back home - I suppose it gives another meaning to a postcard. The Pasty Parlour is a nice place to get a hot traditional pasty and a cream bun I must admit as a local it was one of the best pasties I have had.

*Confectionary shops*
What holiday would not be complete without a few packets of fudge and sticks of rock? I love to walk into a fudge shop and choose from the many piles of fudge. Cornish Goodies is probably my favourite as they stock many souvenirs as well. My favourite fudge is the banoffee fudge from Cornish Goodies.


BEACHES TO EXPLORE
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Newquay has nine beaches, all are different in their own way some offer excellent surfing conditions, others are sun traps for that beautiful tan whereas some are just fun for the kids.

*Fistral Beach*
Fistral Beach is one of the most popular with surfers. The beach can be dived into three sections, South Fistral and Little Fistral. The beach has many facilities such as a surf school, shop, toilets and café. I don't really like Little Fistral as the sand is quite rocky and unpleasant to walk on, but you can pick up some peculiar washed up items. Fistral beach is a good place for families, couples and surfers. It is protected by a lifeguard so is very safe.

*The Great Western Beach*
I think this is probably my favourite beach. Our hotel was close to this beach, it was quite nice to walk along the beach at sun rise. A few surfers come here but not as many as at Fistral. I enjoy this beach during really hot weather as there are plenty of areas of shade, so this would obviously be a great feature for families with young children. There is a lifeguard on this beach so is quite safe.

*The Harbour Beach*
Um what can I say about this one...its kind of set in a harbour ;-) and is great for topping up that tan. Why go abroad when you can sit here and end up looking like a lobster at the end of the day. If you decide to go to this beach take plenty of sun cream as you sometimes don't realise how much sun you are catching.

*Tolcarne Beach*
I have only spent half a day on this beach during the winter. It was fairly quiet with a few surfers shivering in wetsuits. The beach has a lot of colourful beach huts, so I would guess this is a popular place for families in the summer.

*Porth Beach*
Again I can't say a lot about this little beach as I have only been during the winter. The beach has a mucky looking river flowing through, I am sure it looks nicer during the summer. The waves on the beach can get a bit choppy but again I am sure this is better during the summer months when the weather is better. There was a nice little pub near the beach called The Mermaid Inn. The food was lovely and I can imagine during the summer month you would get a good view from this pub.


PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK
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*Skinners Ale House*
There are no shortages of places to drink in Newquay the place is full of them. My partner is a fan of Skinners Real Ale and as a result dragged me into this pub. We spent an afternoon in Skinners Ale House, but the time seemed to fly by. In the evening they had a live band which wasn't as good as I expected, but then again I have never been into jazz music..

*Barracuda*
I can't say that this place has ever really interested me as I like to get away for a relaxing break. When we have walked past the bar it has looked very active with many drunk youngsters outside (usually being sick or picked up by the police). I know that famous DJ's from radio one play regular gigs alongside up and coming DJ's. I have heard that drinks can be quite expensive in the club. You can visit www.barracudanewquay.com for more information.

*Brunels Bar*
Brunels is a nice bar on the sea front with really nice staff. It took us nearly 25 minutes to get served though. The food in this bar was very nice, and quite reasonably priced. The drinks were a little overpriced but I am sure you will find that most places you go in Newquay

*Mexican Cantina*
This restaurant has a lovely Mexican feel with statues and decorations all over the walls. The food was lovely and the selection of meals both mild, medium and hot meant that children and wimpy adults like me could have a Mexican meal without tears. The drinks were well priced also with a cocktail and shooter menu.

*Burger King*
OK so not everyone's taste but if you are a little short on the cash or fancy a treat on the beach this little fast food restaurant is perfect.

Ye Old Dolphin Restaurant
We had a lovely portion of traditional fish and chips in here, I was most impressed that the served the fish with a wedge of lemon. The food was lovely and the seats were very comfortable. I can't wait to go back. They had a large range of meals on the menu the steak looked rather amazing.

*Truscott's Fish and Chip shop*
This is a lovely little fish and chip takeaway/restaurant. I had a lovely portion of fish and chips with curry sauce and was very pleased. Its hard to please me with curry sauce, I hate lumpy gloop and hate the runny stuff the curry sauce here was just the right consistency. We sat in the restaurant and it was quite comfortable but very cramped.

*The Mararaja*
We ordered a takeaway from this Indian restaurant. The meal as lovely but we had to wait a very long time to be served. The prawn Korma was lovely at £6.50 I was very impressed. Delivery is free with orders over £12 but we ordered at the restaurant anyway.


ACCESS TO NEWQUAY
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*By car*
The newly built A30 makes newquay an easy resort to reach by car. You have to leave the M5 at Plymouth and head towards Saltash (you will go over a toll bridge costing £1). From here you will need to get onto the A38 following signs to the A30. Follow signs to Newquay. It is fairly easy to get there but at busy periods such as the summer, bank holidays, Christmas and Easter you can expect to be queuing along the A30 for quite a while (not very pleasant in a hot car).

*by air*
If however you want to start your holiday from the moment you step out of your door the local Airport is highly reliable with flights from Ireland (Cork, Dublin and Belfast), England (Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, London Stansted and London Gatwick) and Scotland (Edinburgh).

*by rail*
The train station is in the centre of Newquay and is close to the major hotels. Train services are regular to south west and a change will connect you to Newquay therefore the town is very easy to reach by rail. I live in Plymouth and trains are minimal suring quiet periods, at peak time showever it is easy to get to and from Newquay.

*by coach*
National Express also provide a regular coach service from major cities over the UK, you may need to change coaches near Plymouth or Exeter but several services enter Newquay daily.


OTHER FEATURES
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I was rather surprised one evening to see lots of silver toilet cubicles that seemed to appear out of nowhere. When we entered Skinners it wasn't there when we left it had appeared from nowhere. Apparently they come out of the ground at night to stop drunks from peeing against shop windows. During the day they are lowered into the ground.

Arcades are dotted all over Newquay like with most tourist spots. I have spent many hours trying to grab teddies or playing on the 2p machines in order to get a keyring. These are quite fun and can pass an hour here or there especially if you get a rain shower and want to stay dry.


RUN TO THE SUN
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This is a 3 day event with live music and entertainment. The event is held in the Trevelgue Holiday Park. The event is popular with surfers and celebrates the VW Beetle (Surfer Van). Many car enthusiasts from all over the UK enter Newquay to celebrate the beach and cars. Although the Run to the Sun organisers are very open to new ideas.

SUMMARY
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Newquay is a great place to go whether there is huge group of you wanting to celebrate a hen or stag do, if you have small children and fancy a short break, if you have just got married an want a cheap honeymoon or if you just want a break away from urban life. Newquay is a lovely place, with fairly good weather, just make sure you go prepared for all sorts of weather. As a tourist place Newquay can be quite expensive so make sure you go prepared with plenty of money for a great time. I visit Newquay every other month for a day visit but after our weekend we have decided to go more often. We had a great time and it would seem that time goes so fast but the time spent there is valuable. Trust me for a relaxing break Newquay is perfect.

Summary: You either love it or hate it, but Newquay has something for everyone.