Newquay is a beautiful location in England located in the popular area of Cornwall. Arguably an English hidden secret this small town will make you feel like you have travelled far away to a tropical destination. I have never visited a place in Europe that feels more like a sleepy Australian surfer town! Even though it can be a bit of a trek to get there if you don’t live close by I would highly recommend a visit!

Newquay is located in the southwestern part of England in a region called Cornwall. You can get there either by car, train or plane!

Train: You can catch a train from London, Exeter, Plymouth or Bristol to Par where you will find connecting trains to take you down to Newquay. The train from London to Newquay took about six hours. However, there are plenty of beautiful sights along the way.

Plane: The local airport called Cornwall Airport Newquay is located just 15 minutes outside of Newquay by car.

We travelled to Newquay from Norway which took us just under 12 hours.

There are a number of places to stay in Newquay, from luxury hotels to apartments to budget surf hostels. I travelled with my mother and brother for my graduation so we opted for an apartment just on the outskirts of the town centre. The town is the perfect size to navigate and you’ll find beaches and shops close to most locations.

As the trek to Newquay will take the better part of a day for most of us the first day will probably be spent just getting settled in or enjoying a nice meal. The first thing I did after leaving my bags in the apartment was to head across the street to watch the sunset over the ocean!

Wake up fresh on the first day in Newquay ready to explore the town. Check out some of the local stores, my favourite was Fat Willy’s Surf Shack! Close by you will also find the Blue Reef Aquarium and the harbour. Stop by around the time the tide and the boats come in and you might be lucky to meet to local seals swimming around the boats hoping for a treat from the fishermen.

There are also a number of beaches close to the town centre, the most famous one being Fistral Beach. Enjoy some sun at the beach or even try your luck on the surfboard.

In the late afternoon join a tour boat to enjoy the view of the coastline from a different perspective! You might even be lucky enough to see some whales or dolphins.

Enjoy a walk along the beaches and shorelines. Stop by the historic Huer’s Hut, a small building located on the cliffs used as a lookout point and enjoy the view of the beautiful Headland Hotel. You might recognize the Headland Hotel from the adaptation of Roald Dahls The Witches.

Include a visit to Newquay Zoo just outside of the town centre. This zoo is home to over a thousand animals and more than 130 species including lions, red pandas and lemurs.

The old manor house Trerice is also worth a visit for anyone interested in history. The property has stunning gardens and historical decor that will transport you back to the 16th century.