One of Cornwall’s great surf beaches — a vast two-mile sweep of golden sand backed by high cliffs, three miles north of Newquay, facing full west into the Atlantic. Consistent powerful waves attract surfers and kitesurfers year-round, and the beach hosts part of Boardmasters — Europe’s largest surf and music festival — each August. At low tide it’s one of the most dramatic beaches in Cornwall; at high tide the waves come right up to the beachfront. Multiple surf schools, the Extreme Academy for kitesurfing and SUP, and the Watergate Bay Hotel sitting directly above with three restaurants open to non-residents. Dogs welcome all year. RNLI lifeguards May to September.