It’s described as the ‘surf capital of Europe’. But Newquay’s appeal goes far beyond the waves.

This small town on the north Cornwall coastline is a popular tourist destination for the young and old alike, who come to unwind on some of the county’s prettiest beaches.

There are several to choose from: Fistral Beach is the best-known, partly for its great surfing and nearly 1km of sand, but it’s also a super family beach with a car park, shops, showers and surfboard hire. The Great Western Beach in the town centre is also very popular with families and surfers alike.

If you fancy learning to surf, there are several surf schools in Newquay. One of them is Surfing Is Therapy, based at Fistral Beach. They run private and group lessons, each lasting two-and-a- half hours, with up to eight students per tutor.

Before being let into the water, you’re taught the basics about beach safety and how to handle the board in the surf. Then the fun begins.

“The hardest part is the timing, and learning to paddle and catch waves by yourself,” says tutor Ben Ridding.

“After this has been mastered, it’s good to keep practicing, and catching as many waves as possible.”

He says that just two to three lessons will leave most people confident enough to take to the water on their own. During my visit, conditions are perfect for beginners – gentle waves, minimal wind, and sunshine as well. It is April, and the best surf-day the school has had so far this year.

Kitted out in thick wetsuits, boots and with foam boards (which are easier for beginners to stand up on), we are shown the basics on the beach. It all seems quite easy on the firm sand. After pretending to paddle on my belly, I hop up on to the beach in my best surfer stance. In my mind, I am cutting up a Hawaiian barrel. In reality though, having been a surfer for several years, I know it’s not that easy. So when the group gets into the water, the surf pushes us around like wine corks as we grapple with the boards.

The beginners stay in waist-deep water, while I venture out a little further. After catching my first wave in a year, I am reminded why such a challenging sport is so alluring – the thrill of riding the board is addictive. I want it again and again.

And I’m not alone. An estimated 1.5 million tourists come here each year, many of whom are surfers.

Several major surfing events are held here, such as the Boardmasters surf and skate festival from August 7-11, and numerous amateur and professional surfing contests throughout the year.

But for visitors who aren’t so wave-obsessed, there are numerous alternatives in and around the town.

These include Newquay zoo, based on the Trenance Leisure Park about a mile from the town centre. The kids like the animal farm with goats and rabbits, as well as the playground. There are also talks and demonstrations involving the weird and wonderful creatures they have – one we attended involved stroking an exotic cockroach from the far East.

Next door to the zoo is Waterworld. It has a 25m swimming pool, and a fun pool with flumes, slides, water cannon and floats. Excellent for families.

Also worth a visit is the Blue Reef Aquarium, which has more than 40 themed habitats ranging from local waters to exotic oceans.

A half-hour drive outside Newquay is another big drawcard for the town, the Crealey Adventure Park with its white-knuckle rides, indoor play centre, toddler rides and animals including reptiles, ponies and small pets.

There are also numerous events held each year in the town. The Run To The Sun custom car festival is held in May – one of its highlights is a ‘cruise’ of more than 1,000 cars that stretch for 8km, as well as live music and comedy stages. And the Fish Festival takes place in September and features cooking demonstrations, food marquees, rock pool rambles, and children’s activities. There are also beach concerts – The Levellers play at Lusty Glaze Beach on July 18.

After our day on the beach, we return to our lovely holiday home – a roomy terraced house with attic conversion named The Tall House. It can accommodate eight people, and is the perfect place for a large family – or two families of four – to relax. It’s spacious, kitted out with everything we might need (TV, video, washing machine, dishwasher, etc), and also has an outside patio with table and chairs. The owners also have another, even bigger house, for holiday letters, named The Square House.

Much of the time we eat at the house, but we decided to venture out for a meal after being recommended a small pizza restaurant that is nearby and has sea views. Called Little Italy, the pizzas are renowned locally for their quality.

I can vouch for their reputation. My Hawaiian pizza – with mozzarella, honey roast ham, pineapple, red onion and peppers, along with roasted onion and mozzarella bread and rocket/ tomato salad – was a terrific creation.

The kids are equally well-catered for. One wants a plain cheese pizza, and the other wants plain cheesy-sauce pasta. Neither of such basic dishes is on the menu, but the chef is happy to accommodate them.

And so the weekend ends with well-fed, well-entertained and now tired children, and my desire to surf has been satisfied once more.

The one regret is that we only came here for a weekend – we’d have loved to have stayed longer.

Getaway

  • The Tall House and The Square House, Newquay. accommodation-newquay.net Prices start at £500 per week. Open all year and welcomes groups of all ages.
  • Surfing Is Therapy, Headland Hotel, Fistral Beach, Newquay, 01637 851517/ 07977 280652 surfingistherapy.com
  • Newquay Zoo, Trenance Leisure Park, Newquay, TR7 2LZ, 0844 4742244. newquayzoo.org.uk
  • Waterworld, Trenance Leisure Park, Newquay, TR7 2LZ, 01637 853828. newquaywaterworld.co.uk
  • Crealey Adventure Park, Tredinnick, Wadebridge, PL27 7RA. 01841 540276 crealy.co.uk/cornwall
  • Blue Reef Aquarium, Towan Promenade, Newquay, TR7 1DU. 01637 878134. bluereefaquarium.co.uk/newquay
  • Little Italy, Tower Rd, Newquay, TR7 1LR. 01637 852021, littleitalynewquay.com
  • For more details about the town and events, visit visitnewquay.org