5 Awesome Surf Hotels and Surf Camps in Cornwall [2025]
Surf camps in Cornwall are a sure-fire bet for a fantastic family holiday...
They run both summer and winter but fill up fast during the British school holidays, so be sure to book as early as possible if you want to come between June and August.
The long leg of England that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean from the side of Old Blighty, Cornwall is a mecca for surf.
It’s not really like the rest of the country.
There’s a microclimate that means you’ll be hitting beaches shrouded in cabbage palms and fringed by white sands. There’s a strong local identity that’s wrapped up in Pagan religious rites, tin mining, and a fierce sense of independence. Most of all, though, there are waves everywhere.
Swells from NW to SW make their way into the long, crumpled northwestern (shoreline of the county, known to most as North Cornwall. The result are some of the most iconic British surf beaches. We’re talking the likes of Porthtowan, Sennen, and Gwithian.
For those looking to hone their craft or catch their first waves, Cornwall also has arguably the best learn-to-surf town in the isles: Newquay. That’s where you’ll find some of the finest surf camps in Cornwall listed below, but there are options all over the county to boot.
Let’s take a look at the ones that we’d reccomend for the coming season.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This is just one part of our complete overall guide to surfing in England. This is also a part of our complete guide to surf camps.
Quick-click links to our top surf camps and surf hotels in Cornwall…
- Cornish Wave – The best in the county, offering a five-day trip with surf lessons in Newquay
- St Christopher’s Inn – Best for budget (and partying!)
- Ride on Retreats – Luxury accomodation (just check out that hot tub!)
- Sennen Surf Loft – Best for couples looking for a romantic getaway
- Fistral Surf – Best for advanced surfers
Cornish Wave
- Location: Newquay
- Best all-round surf camp in Cornwall
For us, there’s simply no better people to learn to surf with in this land of clotted cream and pasties than the crew at Cornish Wave.
They’ve crafted a series of seriously fun packages that offer a mix of surf and other adrenaline pursuits to really make the most of the Cornish coastline. They include trips that mix surfing with optional yoga and coasteering, but also wild camping in a lovely plot with its own natural swimming pond and campfire hangout zone.
Their flagship surf package is this five-day romp that takes place on the forever-wave-washed beaches of Newquay. Anyone who’d been there knows just how fantastic it is for beginners and improvers, what with highly sheltered waves rolling into the main beach and harder things waiting down on exposed Fistral and Watergate Bay to the south and north respectively.
The stay itself is truly magical. You’ll bed down in luxury bell tents in an ancient clutch of Cornish coast woodland, keeping the company of forest sprites and birds. It’s a proper escape from city life, with crackling campfires to keep you warm at night and company from both local guides and likeminded travelers.
If it’s not booked – book right away! These guys get busy fast as they only run over the summer with starting dates twice weekly.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
St Christopher’s Inn Newquay
St Christopher's Newquay/HostelWorld- Location: Newquay
- Best for: Budget
Every local surfer from Newquay down to Perranporth seems to have their own story about the St Christopher’s Inn that line the seafront.
For better or for worse, this hostel has become hallowed ground in the surf annals of Cornwall’s wave capital.
It’s seen booming stag parties and the revellers of more Boardmasters than we care to count, but has also given loads of people their first taste of surfing.
Okay, so it’s no luxury spa hotel. But there’s a price tag to match the shared dorm accommodation – you’re looking at under $80/night in the shoulder seasons.
When it comes to surf lessons, things couldn’t be easier. Simply mosey down to the front desk and sign up to one of their guided sessions. The rest will be taken care of.
Oh yea, and Belushi’s Bar is utterly great at night. It’s the place to go in Newquay to start your parties and who doesn’t love a bit of apres. Good drinks deals for people staying in the hostel, too.
Ride on Retreats
- Location: Newquay
- Best accomodation (a luxury villa near Watergate Bay)
Ride on Retreats run a 4-day, 3-night package that’s all about making the most of Cornwall in the summer months – there are only a couple of departures each year, usually in June or July.
It’s a mix of yoga and meditation, plus fun on the waves. Guests get 2x surf lessons on the reliable breakers of Watergate Bay, one of the region’s most consistent spots. All equipment is included and it’s a small-group session, with no more than a handful of people per instructor.
The highlight of this one is probably the accomodation. It’s jaw-droppingly nice. Get ready to bed down in a lux pad on the cliffs above Watergate, with whitewashed interiors, plush double beds, walk-in showers, a hot tub, and breezy balconies. It’s perfect for a health-conscious hen do, an escape from the city, or something along those lines.
Sennen Surf Loft
- Location: Sennen Cove
- Best for: Couples
We wax lyrical about Sennen quite a bit. Yes, it demands an extra two hours in the car compared to northern Cornwall, but therein lies the charm.
This beach is often empty and never clogged by crowds of weekenders out of London or Bristol. It’s also freaking lovely – think pure white sands and azure seas.
The Sennen Surf Loft nestles between the cosy coastal cottages down in Sennen Cove, the small hamlet that hugs the beach.
You’ll be literally steps from some of the mellowest longboard and learner breaks in the UK come the summer, and have one of the best swell-magnet spots in the country on the doorstep, not to mention a characterful local pub to boot.
The place itself is romance to the T. There are tight-knit rooms done out with a whiff of New England style, along with a bijou lounge warmed by a crackling log burner.
Fistral Surf
- Location: Fistral Beach
- Best for: Advanced surfers
More advanced surfers with their eyes on the legendary bombs of Fistral, one of Cornwall’s most exposed and reliable breaks, might consider skipping the planned surf camp package and going instead for a stay at appropriately named Fistral Surf.
It’s located on a bluff overlooking its eponymous beach from the south side. That’s prime for check the waves and getting into the lineup as early as can be.
Don’t go thinking that you get loads of bells and whistles for your money here. You’re basically renting a little self-catering cottage on one floor with a lounge space, a kitchen, and room for up to four people.
The major bonus is that location. You’re a walk off one of the best surf spots in the county.
We’d say it’s a PERFECT option for more advanced surfers keen on tasting the finest that Cornwall has to offer.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
