Don’t let a bit of rain ruin your holiday fun; there’s still plenty of fun to be had in Cornwall that will keep you all entertained in the rain, whether you are holidaying as a family or a couple.
For Families…
Visit Camel Creek
Less than half an hour’s drive from us, near Wadebridge, Camel Creek offers a range of fantastic attractions come rain or shine! Kids will be in their element here, and Hendra offers an exclusive discount code to Hendra guests too, find this in your pre-arrival email.
Kids will love Camel Creek’s soft play adventure area, Creeky’s Playhouse, and will want to spend all day there whatever the weather! This large soft-play area offers many obstacles and climbing opportunities. But the kids will have to move on from here as there’s plenty more to see indoors at Camel Creek, including the Reptile House, with snakes, iguanas and more, The Stables, with horses and ponies, and Pet Corner, home to all sorts of fluffy favourites.
In-between showers you can ride some of the fantastic outdoor rides too, with rides for tiny tots such as tea-cups, a bouncy water rush ride which bobs along a stream and a mini-ferris wheel.
Older ones will love Vertigo, a thrill ride that takes you to the sky…pauses…and…plummets you to the ground! Ah! Along with the Raging Rivers Ride, choose from a long and bumpy slide or a vertical drop!
Booking in advance is essential.
Visit some Arcades and go for a dessert inside…
Explore some of the Newquay’s arcades, kids love nothing more than visiting the arcade and spending a pound of 2ps, while trying to win the prizes on the edge! With many different rides and games to explore, no seaside holiday is complete without a visit to an arcade or two or three! A perfect shelter from the rain.
Now time for a little sugar! Newquay has some fantastic dessert places that you can eat inside or undercover, including Ben and Jerry’s at Central Square, with all your favourite Ben and Jerry’s flavours – heaven! Cafeaccinno’s Dessert Shop, on Cliff Road, offers traditional ice cream Sundaes, like a Knickerbocker Glory or Banana Split, or topped Waffles and Crepes – delish! Finally, if you are feeling classy, and want to add a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to your treat, then it has to be ChouKette, on Bank Street. A French Patisserie and Chocolaterie in Cornwall. It is family friendly, and children and adults will love their seasonal window displays at Easter and Halloween.
For Couples…
Meander around a gallery…
Photo by Ian Kingsnorth – Provided by Visit Cornwall
Instead of getting soaked outside head inside and soak up some culture! St Ives is home to one of the four Tate Galleries in the country, two being in London, one in Liverpool, and one in Cornwall.
The Tate St Ives overlooks Porthmeor Beach, a cool white building, with several exhibitions from international and local artists.
St Ives began to attract artists in the beginning of the nineteenth century, who were attracted to the town because of the quality of the light. Modern artists and sculptor’s, most famously Barbara Hepworth, also visited or resided in the town. There is a Barbara Hepworth Museum in the town too, where you can further explore the town’s rich art history.
There’s many an art gallery in the town perfect for rainy day browsing, with traditional St Ives harbour and seascapes for sale and more modern pieces, perfect for remembering your holiday in Cornwall.
Have a romantic meal overlooking the sea…
Indoors of course! The sea loses none of its soothing qualities or beauty even when it is raining. And what better way to spend a rainy afternoon than having a leisurely lunch at one of Cornwall’s fantastic restaurants overlooking the sea, and enjoying some local produce?
In Newquay alone there’s the Lewinnick Lodge, with perfect sea views overlooking Fistral beach, and a classic menu offering locally sourced food from the land and sea.
Over on north Fistral there is the much-praised Fish House, which overlooks Fistral beach with a menu that is absolute heaven for seafood lovers, and if you aren’t a seafood lover then this menu could certainly change your mind!
For everyone…
Surfing and bodyboarding
When it’s wet why not get wetter?! Nothing stops a Newquay surfer from catching a perfect wave, come rain shine, summer or winter, they will be there waiting to ride the waves.
In Newquay Fistral is the surfing beach, which began to become well-known in the 1960s for its fantastic surfing conditions, cemented in the 1980s by the arrival of surf festival Boardmasters, which was originally a surfing festival with competitions. Today the festival is a well-known music festival hosting a range of music from across the globe. Fistral is the perfect place to test out your surf or body board, with many places to hire from.
SSS Surf School is situated on Towan beach, which is in the centre of Newquay. Towan beach is also a great place to test the waves, away from the surfing pros on Fistral which can be off-putting to beginners. This surf school offers lessons for families, groups, couples, and beginners. A friendly and fun approach to surfing, and you will learn some new skills – what better way to spend a rainy day?
