Cornwall, Newquay way - begging for help on CHEAP things to do!

[4yoniD]

Hello, sorry to start another Cornwall thread, I can see a few. I booked a camping holiday to Newquay last year. Not doing so good money wise now :( Would anyone have any good ideas for cheap things to do, or anywhere cheap to eat? I have kids age 4 and 7. Obviously planning on spending time at the beach!! But would be nice to do something else too. Are there any good parks with playareas? Previously did Zoo, Aquarium etc but they are around the £40 mark for family of 4. Will have car. Thanks for any help!

[L0gLady]

There is a big museum/play centre called Hartlands near Redruth.

Drive to Wadebridge, cycle the Camel trail to Padstow, fish for crabs, eat fish and chips, cycle back again.

Depending on how far you want to drive, the Minack theatre is a wonderful day out.

Bedruthen Steps.

Look up the park-and-train to St Ives.

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

How long are you going for? Children of 4 & 7 will be perfectly happy taking a picnic to a different beach each day I should think . And there are plenty of beautiful beaches in Cornwall.

How about Lands End? Always worth a visit. If you have the budget to visit somewhere, Porfell Wildlife Park near Looe is lovely. We went at Easter - it's a small, family run place but with plenty of animals to see. They charge £29 for a family of 4, so cheaper than lots of attractions.

But quite honestly though, if you have good weather, I wouldn't even bother going farther than a beach .

[isthatmorelego]

We we're in new quay based few weeks ago weather not that great at time but had amazing week and spends we're well under control we did beach aquarium as the heavens flooded us that day go on vouchercloud they had £2 per person off so worked out good price didn't do the zoo but you could go back all week with that ticket we also drove to padstow which was lovely. Enjoy your holiday

[WhatAHooHa]

I second that they won't get bored of the beach! However, drizzly days can call for other entertainments. We love (or have done when the kids were younger): Holywell Bay Fun Park (pay as you play), sitting on top of the double decker bus from Newquay - Padstow (a bit like the Harry Potter Night Bus at times!), near Newquay swimming pool there's a park with a little train to ride on, and nearby is the boating lake, boat trips from Padstow harbour (Jubilee Queen is nice) - or even just the ferry over to Rock!

[WhatAHooHa]

Your kids may be too young for it (think the 7 year old would be okay) but have a look at Treasure Trails website. They can make a dull Dani day mooching about much more fun!

[WhatAHooHa]

Also (sorry), most caravan/holiday parks have pretty good adventure playgrounds. Just wander in, buy a drink at the cafe/bar and let the kids run free!

[4yoniD]

Thanks all ... still googling my way through all your ideas but so far Heartlands has been added to my shortlist :)

[4yoniD]

Just had a thought ... ignore my ignorance (I don't live in England!) but are there any really cheap places to eat, like in supermarket cafes? I'm trying to remember whether English supermarkets ever have cafes...

I've found one Wetherspoons in Newquay but I'm a little wary of taking the kids at dinner time, having experienced other Wetherspoons!

[AlanPacino]

There's a lovely park on the opposite side of the road to Newquay Zoo I think.

[WhatAHooHa]

Supermarkets do have cafes for cheap food, but not sure there's an excess of them down there. If you're camping, are you not just going to cook food at your campsite? Were would usually do picnic for lunch, then dinner at the tent.

[L0gLady]

There are fish and chip shops and there are cafes everywhere.

[4yoniD]

Yeah, we have a BBQ but I haven't (yet!) managed to fit a keep cold in my car with everything else, and it seems to require an awful lot of organisation to get to a supermarket and then back to the campsite in time to light the coal and let it come to temperature. (note to self: buy coal).

Fish n chip shop sounds good for the days when I just can't (ahem, won't) cook. Ooh, and just remember there is a McDonalds! (which is a holiday treat for us - nothing like that where I live!)

[WhatAHooHa]

OP, may I interest you in some [http://www.tesco.com/direct/highlander-portable-gas-stove/334-9491.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=334-9491 instant fire] ? Seriously though, check with your campsite as we have stayed at several that let you use communal fridge/freezers so you may not need a cool box. You're right that Barbecueing is a PITA (despite what dh says), it would take forever to cook on one every day!

[HemanOrSheRa]

Newquay Boating Lake is excellent fun and very cheap. It's not far from the Leisure Centre and is set in Trenance Gardens which are lovely.

This place is good fun for small children www.oldmacdonalds.co.uk/. It's not too pricey. It's very 'quaint'! You can take a picnic - there is plenty of space and picnic tables.

There is a Morrisons on the outskirts of Newquay with a cafe. But there are LOADS of cafes in Newquay itself for cheap eats.

Do you need beach recommendations or are you OK on that?

[WhatAHooHa]

Link fail

[HemanOrSheRa]

It's there What! I can see it!

[sanityawol]

Just a hint... buy a copy of The West Briton and / or The Cornish Guardian when you get here (or at least skim through them). They're weekly papers, and they'll have a What's On guide, plus they both often have a full page of vouchers with discounts on entry for local attractions.

The weekly papers normally come out on a Wednesday / Thursday. You've also got the Western Morning News which also has vouchers in it some days, but that covers a wider area and is a daily.

[BikeRunSki]

At Morrison's (supermarket) cafe,1 child eats free with every paying adult on weekdays.

[sanityawol]

Bike that's a good idea - is it still after a certain time (so evenings, not lunchtimes)?

[4yoniD]

Got a few beaches written down thanks, and planning on St Ives by train from Lelant Salting. Went last year on probably the hottest day of the year and was a disaster (waaaay to hot to sit on beach) but I liked what I saw!

Paper sounds good - will def grab one thanks!

[chocolatelime]

You can't really go wrong with the beaches...Mawgan Porth, Perranporth, Trevone, Harlyn, Constantine, Daymer, Rock. A beach for every day! Fly a kite, make a sand sculpture, swim in the sea, investigate the rockpools (Daymer great for this).

Cardinham Woods is near Bodmin and is great. There are a number of way marked trails. A stream for kids to play in. A fab play park. An amazing Woods Cafe which is reasonably priced. All for the cost of a car park ticket.

Cycle the Camel Trail, but this is not cheap - £15 to hire a bike for each adult approximately. There are lots of places where you can park and walk a section of it though which is much less expensive.

Crabbing from Padstow Harbour and a pasty lunch.

Waterworld at Newquay is good fun for kids and fairly reasonably priced.

There is a small cinema in Wadebridge if there is a rainy day. Also a great park and recreational space for kids by the river.

Walk the coast path for stunning views. The walk round Stepper Point is one of my most favourite ones.

Loads of geocaches to find everywhere in Cornwall.

Trelawney Garden Centre in Wadebridge is good to walk around. Lots of retail items to look at. A large play park for the kids. And a good cafe that is reasonably priced.

Kingsley Village at Fraddon has a Next and a Macdonalds.

Loads of cafes in Newquay. Wetherspoons are also in Truro and Bodmin.

[HemanOrSheRa]

Mawgan Porth was going to be my top recommendation chocolate. We're off there in a couple of weeks .

[chocolatelime]

Have fun Heman - weather has been pretty good recently. Too many beaches to choose from really to list a few. Watergate Bay is great too and good places to eat - Beach Hut cafe or you could always go to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen.

[HemanOrSheRa]

Thanks chocolate! It's only been a few weeks since our last visit but I'm excited already.

Just a thought - if you want to do the Camel cycle trail, this company www.padstowcyclehire.com/ do late afternoon/evening hire and it's a bit cheaper. It's a beautiful route.

[TarquinMoriartyGruntfuttockII]

Another to add to your list is the village ok St Agnes and the beach there,Trevaunance Cove. Lots of mining history and great cliff walks around. We love going to the St Agnes Bakery for pasties, a real meal in themselves.

Then there's Callestick Farm where they make their own icecream. My DC love it there and were playing in the rain in their play park last year. Also nearby is the cider farm.