Newquay Activity Centre is Newquay’s longest running surf school with over 30 years of experience in making surf dreams come true.
We are an award-winning team (winners of the Best Surf School at the UK Surfer Awards and winners of the Cornwall & South West Tourism Awards) dedicated to delivering fun, safe, and memorable surf lessons for all. Located in the heart of Newquay, just moments from Towan, Great Western and Fistral Beach, we offer you easy access to the best waves in Cornwall. Whether you’re a family seeking an unforgettable day out, a solo traveler craving adventure, or a group of friends looking for a new thrill, you’ll be in safe hands with us. Our friendly instructors live and breathe surfing, and we pride ourselves on tailoring each lesson to your needs. Get ready to catch your first wave and grin from ear to ear – we’ll have you riding in no time!
We know there are plenty of surf schools out there – here’s what makes Newquay Activity Centre (NAC) stand out.
At Newquay Activity Centre, we believe it is not just about getting you in the water, it is about giving you an experience you will remember for all the right reasons. From expert, friendly instructors and small group sizes to our prime beachfront locations and years of local knowledge, everything we do is designed to help you feel confident, safe and genuinely excited about your time in the waves. We combine professional coaching with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere so whether it is your first lesson or you are looking to progress, you will feel supported every step of the way.
Located in the heart of Newquay, Cornwall, our surfing centre is just moments from some of the town’s best beginner-friendly beaches. That means less time travelling and more time enjoying your surf lesson in Newquay’s famous waves. You can get changed in our heated facilities, store valuables securely in our lockers and warm up with a hot shower after your session. Whether you’re visiting Cornwall on holiday or you’re local to the area, our surf school in Newquay is perfectly positioned to give you safe, convenient access to the surf.
Our fully qualified and experienced instructors deliver some of the most trusted surf lessons in Newquay. Friendly, patient and passionate about the ocean, they tailor each session to your ability level. Beginners learn the fundamentals in a safe and supportive environment, while improvers receive technical coaching to help refine turns, positioning and wave selection. With small group sizes and constant in-water guidance, you’ll build confidence quickly and enjoy real progression during your time surfing in Cornwall.
We provide high-quality, well-maintained surfboards and warm, flexible wetsuits designed for UK conditions. Our beginner boards are stable and buoyant, making them ideal for first-time surfers in Newquay, while intermediate surfers can use performance boards suited to Cornwall’s varied beach breaks. Every piece of equipment is professionally fitted before you head to the water, ensuring comfort, safety and the best possible experience during your surf lesson in Newquay.
We pride ourselves on making every surf lesson special and our reviews are testament to that. We have over 4311 5 star Google & Tripadvisor reviews!
Our daughter loved her group lesson with Sacha and Jack, then progressed brilliantly in her one-to-one with Alex. Professional staff throughout!
Andy, Google
Booked beginners surfing for my daughter and nephew. Oleks and Heath were amazing - so attentive with all students. Fantastic time! Highly recommend!
Jamie, Tripadvisor
Fantastic family lesson! Venetia and Zak made it safe and fun. Great instruction, quality wetsuits, and our 10-year-old is hooked. Highly recommend!
Louise, Google
Great surf lesson with James! He helped all 6 of us catch excellent waves and even gave us brilliant lunch recommendations.
Ben, Tripadvisor
First time surfing in Newquay and my daughter loved it! Sasha and Elly taught her brilliantly. Highly recommend asking for either of them!
Reza, Google
Excellent experience with all staff, especially Harrison! My sisters and I had the best time, learned loads, and loved the atmosphere. Thank you!
Miya, Tripadvisor
We are licensed by AALA (Adventure Activities Licensing Authority) and are a recognised Training centre for SLSGB (Surf Life Saving Great Britain), the only one in Newquay. Understand what these outdoor activity qualifications mean for your safety and enjoyment.
The Perfect location for Surfing Lessons in Newquay
Newquay Activity Centre is ideally situated to access some of Cornwall’s best surfing beaches. We run the majority of our lessons at Newquay’s extremely user friendly and safe Great Western Beach. The waves are consistent and ideal for learning, so we are privileged to experience 350+ days of surfing in Newquay each year. If we want to look for different conditions or surf at another stage in the tide then we are just a few minutes walk from the international surfing mecca that is Fistral beach.
Surf School Newquay
Newquay Activity Centre is purpose built and has toilets, heated changing rooms, lockers for valuables, hot showers and storage space for your personal items. We are just a few moments from the centre of town and its abundance of great coffee joints, eateries and surf shops. We’ll supply you with a discount card after your lesson which will give you some great discounts at local businesses around town.
Newquay Activity Centre have been delivering surf lessons in Cornwall for over 20 years, and we’re proud to be the longest running provider of surfing lessons in Newquay. We’re proud of our number 1 ranking on trip advisor and we are two time winners of the Cornwall Tourism Awards and gold winners of the South West Tourism Awards.
We are proud to have been recognised and sponsored by Rip Curl; they are a leader in surfing equipment, apparel and wetsuits, and have recognised Newquay Activity Centre as a centre of excellence in the Cornwall surf school scene.
We also coach the Army and the Navy surf teams and are proud to be a recognised centre for Help For Heroes. This means we regularly organise military adventure training packages that meet their high standards. Their core values of teamwork, developing leadership and other personal qualities is necessary to withstand the rigours of operational service.
Top of the range Equipment
To enjoy your time in the ocean and progress as much as possible during your lesson, it’s important to be kitted out with the right equipment. That’s where we come in…
Beginner Surfboards
To learn to surf, you must have the right equipment. This will make a big difference to your enjoyment and success when surfing in Newquay. A common mistake is trying to learn to surf on a board that’s not suitable for your level, height, weight or type of wave. Yes, the board might look cool under your arm, but it’s frustrating when you’re unable to ‘catch a wave’ or ‘pop up to your feet’. At Newquay Activity Centre we don’t just give you any old surfboard to ride; we choose one that is most suitable for you. So the first step is to determine what size board fits your height, size and surfing experience level.
For our beginner surf lessons we are committed to using Alder and Softech boards for our new surfers. Though more expensive to other beginner boards, they offer unrivalled stability and buoyancy. Super stable boards, though not the coolest in the quiver, are much easier to paddle, will get you into waves quicker, and are made of soft foam for safety. When you’re learning it’s all about wave count, and these foamies are the ideal boards to get you up and riding and progressing up the ranks. What’s more, at the end of each season we are able to re-skin the boards, and so we’re not sending old boards to landfill.
Improver Surfboards
If you’re looking to take a step up, we offer three stages of progression surfboards which you can experiment with. The best board is the one you’re having the most fun on!
Children’s Surfboards
Newquay Activity Centre is the only surf school in the area to offer an exclusive range of children’s surfboard and kids surf lessons. Please ask us for details.
Wetsuits
Our guests are provided with top of the range, well fitting and flexible wetsuits that are appropriate to the season. Being warm and comfortable in the water is super important as it enables you to fully concentrate on learning and having fun for the duration of your surf lesson.
Surfboard Hire Newquay
If you’d like to bolt on additional surfboard hire to your lesson then we are delighted to offer you a discounted rate. You can either stay in the water after your lesson or return to the centre for lunch before heading out to surf your socks off all afternoon. If you’d like to hire equipment after your lesson to surf at Fistral Beach, Towan or Great Western, then please select the surf lesson with bolt on Newquay surf hire option.
For over 20 years our knowledgeable and passionate coaches have pioneered the training of surfing, bodyboarding and coasteering instructors.
Explore our top outdoor activities in Newquay, from surf lessons and coasteering to Super SUP adventures - unforgettable, instructor-led experiences on Cornwall’s stunning coastline for all abilities.
slather of factor 30-50 water-resistant sun cream before taking part in one of our activities. You can also use a bit of zinc for extra protection.
occasionally intervenes and makes it impossible to run a safe session. In the unlikely event that this should happen, we would endeavour to change the date of your session or offer an alternative solution. If this were still impossible then a voucher would be issued for the value of the activity.
certainly gets the heart pumping, but you don’t have to be an athlete.
same equipment as you and will also take a First Aid Kit in case of minor injuries on the beach. In the unlikely even of a serious incidents occurring during a surfing lesson, the RNLI beach lifeguards will be on hand to respond and assist your surfing instructor.
that works wonders for your fitness and mental health. Having been recognised as a top centre for cultural activities, and awarded Centre of Excellence status by the ISA, our professional instructors will lead you through the basics of surfing techniques and provide extensive instruction from the sand to the water. As Trip Advisor’s Number One provider of outdoor adventure activities in Newquay, we’re also just 500m from the Sunday Times’ No.1 beach for activities, Fistral Beach. As a new Olympic sport for Tokyo 2020, there’s never been a better time to give surfing a go!
ancient Polynesia, surfing was recorded for the first time in 1778 by Captain Cook, who’d sailed to the Hawaiian Islands and seen natives riding wooden boards in the surf.
But it was over 100 years later until surfing reached Britain’s shores, when two brothers surfed off the coast of Bridlington whilst on holiday in 1890 and another century before it was a cultural phenomenon.
When a famous Hawaiian surfer called Duke Kahanamoku won gold as an Olympic swimmer in 1912, surfing found itself published in newspapers and magazines all over the world. A few plucky Brits dabbled in the sport on homemade boards, inspired by the pictures they’d seen, but it was the arrival of four Australian Lifeguards in 1962 that hooked the attention of Newquay’s youngsters and Newquay surfing began! Their flair, cruising surf style, fashion and Beach Boys soundtrack gripped the town which saw a new breed of surfers ride up through the ranks into international competition and become shapers of progressive performance surfboards. Surf Lifesaving clubs were born and beach lifeguards soon patrolled popular beaches. Newquay had become the UK’s cultural hub of surfing and it remains so to this day. You can learn more about the history of surfing in Newquay in this blog post.
be categorised as:
Spilling – These waves break slowly and gradually, with the lip of the wave gradually toppling down its face. These are long, mellow waves making them perfect to learn to surf on. Newquay is a great place to find them.
Plunging – Waves that plunge rather than spill are more powerful, exciting and steep, potentially resulting in a barrel if the winds and swells correspond!
Surging – Surging waves are useless for learning to surf on, so be reassured that we rarely get them breaking on our coastline here in Newquay!
shore whilst either standing or lying on a board. The ultimate goal is to ride along the unbroken face of the wave and tuck into the tube created, as the wave’s lip breaks, known as a barrel.
From our activity centre Located just 500 metres from the UK’s most famous surfing destination, Fistral Beach, we run an extensive selection of surfing lessons in some of the UK’s best quality waves. Whether you’re a complete beginner or professional surfer, Newquay Activity Centre has you covered with instruction suitable for all ages and surfing abilities!Embarking on a surfing lesson with us is more than just a couple of hours at the beach – it’s a memory you’ll treasure and the start of a new passion!
If you’re ready to feel the rush of catching your first wave or improving your skills with our awesome instructors, now’s the time to take the plunge.
Have questions or special requirements? Give us a call at 01637 877722 or drop by our centre – we’re here to help.
Pro tip: Book in advance for summer holidays – spots fill up fast when the sun is shining and the surf’s up! And don’t forget to ask about our multi-lesson packages if you’re keen to keep the momentum going after your first lesson.
We can’t wait to welcome you to Newquay’s waves. See you in the water!
