Towan Beach, Newquay, Cornwall

Services on Towan Beach, Newquay


Towan Beach is a beach where you can spend the whole day as it’s got everything you need for a beach day out. Glorious sand, services and refreshments:

  • Car Parking: Yes, a small pay and display car park is alongside Walkabout
  • Public Lavatories: Yes
  • Easy Access for Wheelchairs and Prams: Yes, although the road is on a slight slope it shouldn’t cause too many people too many problems
  • Food Available: Yes, cafes at the beach as well as being 100 yards from pasty shops, bakeries and other takeaway foods up in the town.  In the summer there are additional food outlets on the promenade, with everything from hot pasties and cream teas to freshly squeezed juices and hot dogs: Towan Promenade
  • Lifeguard service – in season

Towan Beach is a sandy beach, but when the tide is in there’s little beach left most days. There is a sea water paddling pool, at the base of the Island, which, it is hoped, will soon be revamped and brought back into use.

There are a limited number of beach huts for hire on the promenade, as well as deckchair and windbreaker hire.

The Sealife Centre overlooks the beach and there is an ice cream van parked alongside the slipway most days.

There are lots of rock pools to explore, alongside the harbour South Quay wall, which has steps up to the harbour too. There are also rock pools along the cliffs.

When the tide goes out there’s plenty of damp sand for playing ball games etc.

No surfing: Towan beach has restrictions May-September, while the lifeguards are on duty – no surfing is allowed, only bodyboarding, until 6pm each evening. Surfing = big board, standing up. Bodyboarding = 3′ board you lie on.

New for 2016: Towan Beach Promenade had a makeover, with new beach huts for hire and high quality independent food sellers: Towan Promenade

Where to Stay Near to Towan Beach

As it’s right in the centre there are no caravan parks close by. The choices are self-contained apartments, hotels and guesthouses or self-catering cottages or holiday flats. If you want a good view overlooking the Island and Towan Beach, then you can rent The Old Edwardian, a wonderfully reneovated old Edwardian house with glorious sea views, spread over two floors it sleeps 6, with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It also has parking.

Beaches in Newquay

Image: Jonesey