To ask those who have been to Weston-super-mare

[teethingproblems]

I've booked 2 days in Weston super mare for my partners birthday in feb as a surprise, in a little cottage with a hot tub. Can anyone help with activities/things to do/ places to go/ restaurants etc? Im from Cornwall. We love adventure and having fun, like two big kids! Into our food but quite basic with our food taste haha!

Who remembers The Tropicana?

I used to love the Tropicana when I was a kid! WSM is a bit rubbish though….. Cheddar Gorge is quite cool

@Lunificent I remember going to a rave at The Tropicana in the 90's!!

Is it too late to change it? Weston is pretty grim.

It's a dump. I have to go there as I spent most of my life there and family still live there. I wouldn't go there by choice!
Is the cottage actually IN Weston or just near it? Which part of Weston? Some parts you really wouldn't want to stay in!
If nearby you might be able to see and do lots which don't actually require you to enter Weston!

If you are set on going- no theme parks or anything close. And you really can't count the pier rides as anything decent for adults. Residents of Weston will usually go to Bristol if they want to do something decent or eat something decent.

Everyone in the country seems to love Cheddar, go and visit the gorge?
Wookey hole is great if you like caves. I've not been there for years.

I was in Weston Super Mare (or Wet Slurping Mud) yesterday. It was grim. The tide was out . The mud flats are dangerous. The pier was expensive. Lots of the restaurants are closed and the town centre has loads of empty units.

I would suggest Bristol or Bath as an alternative.

I live near WSM and don't understand why anyone would go on holiday there! If you're dead set on going there then I suggest avoiding Wookey Hole unless you have kids. Wells, Cheddar and Bath are much nicer for wandering

@Lunificent

Who remembers The Tropicana?

Banksy set up dismal land there. Was amusing 😂

Tbh if you live in Cornwall then Weston is going to be such a massive disappointment

Weston is an absolute shithole, sorry OP.

If it’s coast you’re after (although why you’d leave cornwall to go to the coast I’m not sure), then north Devon is great. Woolacombe, Croyde, Saunton. But IMO any seaside resort in England in February will have a depressing, bleak, half open and empty feel to it.

In Somerset wells, Bruton and Frome are all lovely places with some really good restaurants, and close to lovely walks on the mendips, stourhead and caves.

A little video for those reminiscing about Tropicana by Bristol’s funniest comedian (IMHO), terry the odd job man.

fb.watch/anfsbrhYFO/

Bath!

@BoodleBug51

Hmm it's not the nicest town. Very run down, poor and scruffy.

I'd aim to do things around it..........

Cheddar Gorge? Mendips?

This🙄 Don’t go into the town if you can help it But the countryside around is lovely

I love Weston! We go every summer with the kids (so activities might be a bit different to what you'll want!) but for a nice meal I'd recommend the Smiths Hotel on the strip by the main carpark, lovely food and really friendly staff. The beach/beach front is lovely for a walk if you're dressed warm enough, pier is a bit of a rip off games/rides-wise but it is a lovely walk up and around.

If you're in a cottage with a hot tub I don't imagine you're right in Weston.

You can explore Cheddar, Mendips for lovely walks, arcade on Weston pier, Thatcher's cider factory in Sandford, Wells has a lovely cathedral & nice pubs/cafes, Bristol is worth a visit and there's a train, Clevedon has some nice shops & an old fashioned cinema. Bristol also has Wild Place zoo & the Wave if you like surfing.

The surrounding areas are actually really nice & I reckon you'll have a good time.

Weston itself is run down which is a shame.

There's also Weston Playhouse which do shows.

Meze Mazi is a lovely Greek taverna in WSM, honestly could spend hours there eating everything on the menu! www.mezemaziweston.co.uk/

Brean Down for the walk to the old fort, or for hiring bikes and cycling the Brean to Weston route. The funfair is only open at weekends out of season.

Watchet (an hour away) has a lovely costal walk and the Jurassic beach where you can look for fossils.

@teethingproblems

For those who don't recommend it, can anyone recommend somewhere more ideal? Has to be between Cornwall and North wakes, anywhere along that route?

Lynmouth, or Porlock or Porlock Weir, Woolacombe Bay, Morthoe, etc.

All around the coast and Exmoor, in South Somerset, and North Devon. The scenery in all those places is stunning, the walks are amazing, there are some very good eateries too, and pubs on Exmoor with roaring log fires. Starting just above Barnstaple and going as far as Porlock, all the little coastal villages are great, so I think if you can look for your favourite type of holiday stay in that area, you can't really go wrong! Lynmouth has a fun little water powered funicular type railway going up the Cliff between it and Lynton. You won't really get any high octane entertainment in that area. But for me, unless I could go the Highlands of Scotland, and Skye, or North & East Yorkshire, I can't think of anywhere better to visit! I hope that you both have a lovely time wherever you end up.

Neither of these are particularly close to WSM, but might work for you if "big kid" is what you are after:
Day pass to Butlins at Minehead - get there on the steam train.
Diggerland is a theme park near Tiverton.

There are a million better places to stay between Cornwall and wales than Weston
It's ok if you have kids but as a couple no - unless you literally use it as a base and go to other places all day

Portishead and clevedon are lovely by day for walks / lunches etc but not a lot to do there as such (I'm from portishead originally but now live 30 mins away but visit regularly)

Personally I'd book fowey / looe if you want nice / peaceful etc

Cardiff / Bristol / bath if you want some life but also close enough to have day trips

Best restaurant in WSM is Scotty's lounge and bistro in the centre. Doesn't look that great but the food is fantastic. Also good are the Ginger Pig and Oleas.

Go to Dunster on Exmoor instead. There’s a castle, a mill, a steam train, all the cream teas you can eat and some good restaurants for dinner

Various things to do around and abou5, and of course lovely walks

The Tropicana brings back memories of the 70s and 80s for me. DH and I went back to Weston a couple of years ago and felt things were improving but that might have been us and I admit it was from a low bar! Lots of people moving out of Bristol there at the moment and I think it will slowly continue to change.

Agree the surrounding places are nice so if you have found a decent place i’d stick with it and use as a base. I like wandering around Wedmore and also cream tea at Banwell castle of they still do them (possibly better in the summer though ). Also used to like walking up Brent Knoll then food in the Red Cow.

People are so dramatic around Weston - there's nothing wrong with it and if it's sunny it's lush

I can think of few places more depressing to go on a surprise weekend away. I would literally cry. Have you been there before?

Do you want beach/scenery or town? Bristol or Bournemouth would be great. Bath is lovely. A lovely village in Dartmoor or in Somerset/Glos? Jurassic coast - near Bridport or Charmouth. There's a lovely pub in Seaton and a sauna you can hire out by the hour on the beach.

Jeffrey Archer chose to be Lord Archer of Weston Super Mare. That's all you need to know.