Car Rental Newquay

Newquay is a compact little town and driving around shouldn’t present too many problems. It’s worth being aware that during school summer holidays in late July and August, and major surfing events, the roads can become congested.

If you want to park up your rental car and hit the town center on foot, you’ll find there are plenty of available spaces in parking lots that are dotted around the town. The main beaches also have their own parking, so you can pull up and enjoy a relaxing day at the beach.

Our pick-up point at the airport is a 15-minute drive from Newquay on the B3276. Getting out and about to see the attractions is easy. The Eden Project is a 35-minute drive away on the A3059, while the Lost Gardens of Heligan are 40 minutes away on the A3058.

Cornwall’s main town, Truro, is the best place for shopping and is about 15 miles south of Newquay. It’s worth noting again that during the summer holidays, the roads will be much busier so you’ll need to allow more time.

Driving in the UK is on the left-hand side of the road and the wearing of seat belts is mandatory. Speed limits are 30mph in built-up areas, 60mph on the main A-roads and 70 mph on divided highways (called dual carriageways) and the main highways (motorways). Keep a close eye on speed limits and note that it’s illegal in the UK to turn right on a red light.

Newquay is one of Britain’s best-loved seaside resorts, boasting some of the most gorgeous beaches in Cornwall, and you don’t need to venture too far from town to enjoy some of the region’s other great attractions.

Surf the waves or just relax in the sun

It’s all about the beaches in sunny Cornwall, and Newquay has around 15 of them to shout about, each one offering a different experience. Many of Newquay’s beaches have bars and restaurants so that you can enjoy a drink with your dinner while watching a stunning sunset.

The town is bookended by two of the best. To the west is the iconic Fistral Beach, one of the best surfing beaches in the UK where you’ll find surf lessons on offer and equipment for rent, along with a great mix of cafés and restaurants. To the east of town is Lusty Glaze, a beautiful horseshoe-shaped cove where you can sit back, relax and soak up the views.

You’ll find it’s around a 15-minute drive between both beaches, so you can always head out for some water sports in the morning and then spend a relaxing afternoon soaking up the sun.

Indulge in Newquay’s gastronomic pleasures

Newquay’s food scene is second-to-none. With its local fishing fleet based at the harbor, fish and seafood feature high on the menu. Look out for local mackerel, sardines and sole, or freshly caught lobster and crab.

Celebrity TV chef Rick Stein has a restaurant overlooking Fistral Bay, where you can taste his legendary fish and chips, as well as many Indian and Far Eastern dishes inspired by his travels.

A few miles north of Newquay you’ll find another stunning beach at Watergate Bay, home to several excellent eateries, including Zacry’s, with its US-influenced menu, and Fifteen, the Italian-inspired restaurant created by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

One of the best times to visit Newquay is during its annual fish festival. This popular event runs over a long weekend in mid-September and includes cookery tuition, special celebrity guests and a multitude of fish-themed stalls on the harbor side. Fish and seafood lovers will be in heaven.

Lose yourself in a lost garden

Just under 20 miles from Newquay, near Pentewan, on Cornwall’s south coast, is one of the county’s most romantic places, the mysterious-sounding Lost Gardens of Heligan.

After some years of neglect, this natural wonderland was unveiled to the public in 1992. Today, it offers more than 200 acres of horticultural paradise, ripe for exploration along winding paths and raised boardwalks that snake their way through ancient woodlands and luxuriant foliage. Spend the day here, taking in the exotic jungle, Italian garden and Alpine-inspired ravine.

Visit the garden of Eden

Also close to Cornwall’s south coast, near the town of St Austell, is the awe-inspiring Eden Project. This huge global garden is housed in a series of giant biomes, each one representing a different climatic zone, and contained within a gigantic crater the size of 30 soccer pitches.

The whole ethos of the Eden Project is one of environmental protection and sustainability, and you can’t fail to be impressed by the sheer scale of the site as you move from the rainforests to the deserts of California, via South Africa and the Mediterranean.