UK Travel Guide - Newquay Holidays For Grown Ups

11th November 2008 - by Sandy Lee

Newquay Holidays For Grown Ups - A Brief Guide

Newquay on Cornwall's wild and beautiful north coast is a wonderfully romantic holiday destination and you certainly don't need to be a surf bunny or sandcastle builder to enjoy the many wonderful attractions this area has to offer.

However, if you do have a hankering for riding the Atlantic rollers, then what better place to learn the art of surfing the waves? Newquay is the home of the National Surfing Centre, one of Britain's top surfing schools. They have surf schools on North Fistral Beach and at Lusty Glaze beach a little further around the bay. They offer a wide range of courses including half-day taster sessions, perfect for seeing whether there's a 'surf dude' within you. Who knows - you may well get hooked!

Fistral beach is also home to Newquay's latest chill-out zone - the Fistral Spa, located within The Bay Hotel. With nine individual treatment rooms, a spacious relaxation room, indoor heated swimming pool, fitness suite, the spa bath, steam room and sauna, you can ensure you'll be leaving this part of Fistral beach in a totally blissed-out state.

The warming kiss of the Gulf Stream that brushes the coastline here means that Cornish gardens are home to a wealth of rare and beautiful plants, many collected by the great Victorian plant hunters on their worldwide expeditions. Tresslick Gardens has a superb collection of tender exotics, including the national collection of Photinias and Azaras. Other exotica can be found within the two giant dome shaped biomes at the Eden Project at St Austell, a glorious global garden that will inspire every horticulturalist. Closer to Newquay is the Japanese Garden and Bonsai Nursery, an authentic Japanese garden with many traditional features.

A Newquay holiday is ideal for walkers, as Newquay provides easy access to the South West Coast Path, which snakes around the coastline. At the nearby Carnewas and Bedruthan Steps you can descend the cliff staircase to the beach below, and there's a spectacular coastal walk with breathtaking views between Carnewas and Park Head. There are also a number of fine links golf courses in the area including Newquay Golf Course, Holywell Bay Golf Course and Treloy Golf Course.

History fans will enjoy a hidden gem tucked away in the Cornish countryside, just three miles from Newquay. Trerice is an Elizabethan manor house, famous for its 'barrel-roofed' Great Chamber, pretty flower gardens, old Cornish apple orchard and unique lawnmower collection. Other attractions worth visiting on a Newquay holiday include the Blue Reef Aquarium with its wide range of residents from the Cornish Coast to the Caribbean, and Newquay Zoo, set in 10 acres of exotic lakeside gardens.

After a packed day what better way to relax than with a glass of wine and a plate of delicious locally sourced food at one of Newquay's many fabulous restaurants? The New Harbour Restaurant serves sizzling fresh seafood landed that day, whilst those after some truly pukka grub will enjoy Jamie Oliver's 'Fifteen Cornwall' on Watergate Bay. The nearby Beach Hut, a simple bistro on the beach, enjoys glorious sunsets and according to the surfing crowd serves the best hot chocolate in the bay. For something special, Lewinnick Lodge on the Pentire headland with its stunning views across the Atlantic and a Mediterranean inspired menu, is the ideal venue for a memorable Newquay holiday dinner.