Showing 1–6 of 6 free attractions in Newquay
BeachesFistral Beach
BeachesCrantock Beach
BeachesHolywell Bay Beach
Activity CentresLusty Glaze Beach
BeachesMawgan Porth Beach
Indoor PlayBody Bounce Bouncy Castle Fun Park
Free Family Days Out in Newquay
Newquay's free list is a beach list with one exception. Fistral Beach, Crantock Beach, Holywell Bay Beach and Mawgan Porth Beach are among the best known stretches of sand in Cornwall, and Lusty Glaze Beach sits below a cliff with its own access. Six entries, six of them outdoor, and the odd one out is Body Bounce Bouncy Castle Fun Park. Sand, tide and parking are the three things that will shape your day here far more than the choice of beach.
The beaches here are genuinely good and the parking is genuinely the difficulty. Arrive early in summer or accept a long walk with everything you are carrying.
Free days out in Newquay: FAQs
Which beach is easiest with young children?
Crantock Beach and Mawgan Porth Beach are generally gentler propositions than the big surf beaches, though conditions on this coast change day to day and no listing can promise otherwise. Fistral Beach is a surfing beach first, which means bigger water and more of it. Whichever you choose, the walk from the car park with a toddler, a bag and a windbreak is the part people underestimate.
Does free entry mean free parking?
Almost never on this coastline, and it is the single most common surprise for families using a list like this. The sand costs nothing and the car park is a commercial operation, often with summer rates that make a beach day comparable to a ticketed attraction. Budget for it in advance and the day stays cheap. Assume it is included and the day does not.
What about swimming safety?
This is a coast with strong currents and it deserves respect rather than assumption. Lifeguard cover is seasonal and varies between beaches, so check what is in place on the day and swim between the flags where they are set. If a beach has no cover at all, treat that as information rather than an invitation. Rip currents are not visible to an inexperienced eye, and children should be within reach rather than within sight.