Guide to camping in Newquay

Newquay is one of Cornwall’s top resorts and it is easy to see why with the diverse choice of beaches, family attractions, restaurants, and more. Newquay’s coastline consists of over 3 miles of golden beaches from quiet to bustling – you will find your beach!

Top beaches:

Porth – a beautiful, quieter beach just outside of town with a great headland ideal for coastal walks, costal café, pub by the beach, toilet facilities, and a safe stream which is great for kids to play in.

Fistral – Newquay’s most famous surfing beach, Fistral, is well-known for a reason. This long stretch of beach is great for people watching, sunbathing and of course surfing. There is a café, bar, good toilets and even a few surf shops near by. The coastline around Fistral is great for walking with stunning views.

Towan – Bang in the town centre, this beach is next door to Newquay’s pretty harbour. This spot is great if you want to combine a trip to the beach with a stroll around the town. It is next to the Blue Reef Aquarium too.

Tolcarne – Tolcarne has everything you need from a beach. It has traditional beach huts, a restaurant, shop, toilets, and sometimes even entertainment.

Lusty Glaze – Lusty Glaze is in a natural horse shoe shape, which makes it the perfect spot for soaking up some sun. There are good facilities including toilets, a shop and food.

Little Fistral – Just around the corner from Fistral lies this little cove, where all is a bit more peaceful compared to it is big brother around the corner. Toilets are nearby and parking’s available

Whipsiderry - Just up from Porth, Whipsiderry is a quiet beach with large cliffs. This beach is great for people who like a bit of peace and quiet.

Watergate  - North of Newquay lies Watergate Bay. This large beach is great for surfing, water sports or just relaxing.

Things to do and explore:

Shopping – in Newquay there is a mix of surf boutiques, some high street staples, and bucket and spade shops.

Cafes and Restaurants – you certainly will not go hungry in Newquay. There are loads of places to satisfy that rumbling tummy. You can have anything from Fish and Chips to Greek, Thai, Indian, Chinese or Italian. There are cafes galore serving up cakes, pastries, and Cornish Cream Teas.

Surfing – you cannot go to Newquay without trying surfing. There are Surf Schools everywhere, including Newquay Activity Centre which is right by Fistral beach. You are sure to find surf board or body board rental at most beaches, so make sure you give this super fun sport a try!

Top Family Attractions:

Lusty Glaze Activity Centre
Lusty Glaze offers a range of outdoor, adrenalin fuelled activities for the whole family including zip wiring, surfing, cliff obstacle courses and abseiling.

Blue Reef Aquarium
A great way to get up close and personal with some sea creatures, here you get to see sting rays, seahorses, loggerhead turtles, black tip reef sharks, an underwater tunnel, and watch the creatures get fed throughout the day.

Newquay Zoo
There is plenty to see at Newquay Zoo, with a range of exciting animals. Expect to see monkeys, a lion, a red panda, zebras, penguins, and a fishing cat. See the animals being fed, play in one of the play parks, and grab something to eat at the café or in one of the picnic areas.

Buccaneer Bay
Learn about Cornwall’s past as you enter the coves and lanes of 18th Century Cornwall. Meet real life pirates and find out their secrets as you wander through Smugglers Quay, Craddock Quay and enter the village Tavern.

Oasis Fun Pools
Enjoy this come rain or shine attraction, with 3 water flumes from the gentle green one, the blue one with a rubber ring and the adrenalin inducing red slide! There is a play area for young children, with geysers, fountains, and river rapids.

Place to stay:
Check out our full list of campsites in Cornwall here... one of our top picks is to stay at Hendra Holiday Park – a family fun park which is located just outside of Newquay.