Things to do in Torquay

It’s not hard to see why Torquay has been nicknamed the English Riviera. With balmy summer weather, miles of tropical blue coastline and some spectacular cliff-top settings, the Devon seaside town has long been a go-to holiday destination in the UK.

As well as some of the best beaches and coastline on the south coast, Torquay is packed with activities and days out – from prehistoric cave networks, sprawling country parks, recreated Victorian street scenes and the UK’s largest outdoor water park, there’s genuinely something for everyone. On top of that, Torquay has a vibrant arts and culture scene, with several immersive theatres and a range of cinemas. And our Torquay hotel is in the thick of it all, a short walk from the train station and overlooking Torre Abbey Sands and out to the English Channel.

As befits a bustling seaside resort, Torquay has an impressive eating out scene covering everything from award-winning fish and chips, build-your-own-burger bars, independent cafés and even a Michelin-starred restaurant. And the nightlife scene is just as vibrant, with traditional pubs packed with real ales and craft beers, cool cocktail joints, relaxed beach bars and several impressive nightclubs.

Activities

Dinosaur museums, ancient cave systems, aquatic zoos, the largest outdoor water park in the UK and recreated Victorian streets – there’s not much Torquay doesn’t have to offer!

Entertainment

Our roundup of the best entertainment in Torquay includes the best beaches in the region, a wide range of art and culture including several historic theatres and an overview of the cinema scene.

Places to eat

Whether you’re looking for afternoon tea and a sky-high pile of cakes, lazy sharing plates over a bottle of wine, seafront fish and chips or a Michelin-star evening meal, Torquay’s eating out scene covers all bases.

Nightlife

Largely based around the seafront and Marina, Torquay’s nightlife covers everything from languid café bars, ultra-modern cocktail joints, historic pubs and some of the best clubs in the south-west.

Shopping

With nearly 40 stores, cafés and outlets, Fleet Walk is one of the main retail areas in Torquay. Leading from the coast up towards the town centre, Fleet Walk is home to a wide range of stores spanning fashion, homeware and health and beauty as well as plenty of independent outlets. And it’s just a short stroll from our Torquay hotel.

Carry on through Fleet Walk and you’ll come to the Union Square Shopping Centre, a small covered shopping centre featuring nearly 20 stores including Game, Specsavers and Peacocks and over 400 parking spaces.

Lastly, head to Bridge Retail Park for an out-of-town shopping experience. With over a thousand parking spaces and a series of large stores including Pets at Home and Currys, it’s part of a cluster of retail parks including Riviera Way, Scotts Bridge and Wren Retail Park.

Getting Around

If you’re flying in or out of Torquay, the closest terminal is Exeter Airport which is just 30 minutes away by car or around two hours by bus with a connecting service in Exeter. A relatively small airport which services around a million flyers each year, FlyBe, Ryanair, TUI Airways and several others use it as a departure base for flights across the UK and Europe.

Heading further north, Bristol Airport is the nearest major airport to Torquay. The 90-mile journey takes around an hour and a half by car or taxi and nearly three hours via a mixture of trains and buses. The ninth-busiest airport in the UK with nearly 10 million passengers each year, low-cost airlines including EasyJet, Flybmi, Ryanair and TUI Airways use the airport as a base, with regular departures to Ireland, Spain, France, Italy and several UK destinations. If you’re flying from Bristol Airport, make your journey even smoother by staying the night before you travel at one of our hotels near Bristol Airport.

Right in the heart of town, Torquay Railway Station dates back to 1878 and is one of the more attractive railway stations with a colourful footbridge and canopies and impressive