Hendra Holiday Park
Hendra Holiday Park is a large, family-run park in the countryside just outside Newquay, on Cornwall's north coast, going since 1972 and spread across 80 acres of caravans, lodges and touring pitches. At the centre is a big indoor fun pool with three flumes, soft play, arcades and a daily entertainment programme, with Newquay's surf beaches a short drive away. It's a self-catering park built to keep young children busy whatever the Cornish weather does.
On this page
Is it worth it?
The quick read before the detail: who the park suits, what's on site and what to weigh first.
Hendra is one of Cornwall's biggest and best-equipped family holiday parks, family-run since 1972 and spread over 80 acres of countryside just outside Newquay. The draw is how much sits on the one site: a large indoor fun pool with three flumes, a warm toddler pool, soft play, three arcades, adventure golf, a daily land train and a full evening entertainment programme, enough to fill several days without leaving. The trade-offs are real. It's inland, so the beaches are a short drive rather than a walk down; the indoor pool is booked and paid separately from the accommodation; the whole park is cashless; and in peak season it's busy and lively rather than a quiet retreat. It's also the priciest park in Holiday Park Guru's Cornwall top ten. You'll get the most from it if you want a facility-packed, weatherproof base for young children and are happy to drive to the sand.
Best for
You want a facility-packed park for young children, an indoor fun pool and soft play, daily entertainment and a weatherproof base, with Newquay's beaches a short drive away.
Maybe not for
You want a quiet adult retreat, a beach on the doorstep or a swim included in the price, or you're travelling on a tight budget.
Best ages
Strongest for babies, toddlers and young children, though the soft play runs to age ten and older ones have the games room, skate park and arcades.
What stands out
The indoor Oasis Fun Pools with their three flumes, and Henry and Henrietta Hippo with the free 9am land train that toddlers latch onto.
What to check
That you're happy to drive to the beach, and that the indoor pool sessions are pre-booked and charged per person on top of the stay.
Where is it?
Inland near Newquay in north Cornwall, about a mile and a half from town and 8 to 10 minutes' drive from the beaches.
Quick facts for families
What the park is like
Where it sits, how it's laid out, how you get around and its character in peak season.
Hendra is a large, traditional British holiday park, not a boutique lodge village or a quiet spa retreat. It's been run by the same two families, the Mays and the Hyatts, since it opened in 1972, and it marked its 50th birthday in 2022. The name means "home farm" in Cornish and the site is genuine former farmland, now 80 acres of landscaped parkland. In peak season it's busy, lively and entertainment-led; families after peace and quiet will find the atmosphere at odds with what the park does well. Its accreditations include VisitEngland and AA five-star ratings, a VisitEngland Gold Award, the David Bellamy Gold Award for conservation and a Hoseasons Diamond Award in 2019 and 2023, alongside Blackberry Field, a small nature reserve kept within the grounds.
The park works out from a central hub: the Oasis Fun Pools, The Venue entertainment space, the Deck Bar, the food outlets, Henry's Playloft soft play, the arcades and the outdoor play areas all cluster together, and the accommodation fields radiate out from there. Maple and Beech fields sit closest to the facilities; Gannel View is set apart with countryside views and the pet-friendly caravans; the Meadow Retreat lodges have their own premium zone; and Chestnut House is tucked away at the park's edge. You get around on foot, and there's a free Hendra Land Train that leaves at 9am each day from the station by the skate park, with Henry or Henrietta Hippo on board for a tour of the park. For more on the wider county, see our Cornwall guide.
The park is now completely cashless, so bring a card or phone rather than coins; card and contactless are the only way to pay for the arcades, pool, food, shop and launderette. One thing to keep an eye on for a future visit is NQY Rocks, a new all-weather activity centre due to open at the park in summer 2026, part-funded by the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund. It's set to have 17 Clip 'n Go climbing walls for all ages, multi-storey soft play for ages four to twelve with a separate toddler zone for under-fours, a coffee shop and a gym. It wasn't open when this guide was written, so check before you rely on it; once running it's set to stay open all year, which would stretch the park's wet-weather appeal further still.
Where to stay
Every way to stay, from a budget caravan to a four-bedroom house, and which suits a family.
Everything here is self-catering, and every holiday home has a fully fitted kitchen. The caravans run in three tiers, Budget, Classic and Premium, with a named accessible caravan, two premium lodge tiers and a standalone house above them. Hendra publishes caravan sizes in feet rather than square metres, so those are the figures below. Where a size or a spec isn't published, the table says so rather than guessing.
| Accommodation | Size | Sleeps | Linen | Wi-Fi | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towan Budget | 28' × 10' | Up to 4 | Bring your own | None | No |
| Holywell Budget | 32' or 35' × 10' | Up to 8 | Bring your own | None | No |
| Seaton Classic | 32' or 35' × 10' | 6 or 8 | Bring your own | None | No |
| Mawgan Classic | M2: 28'×10' · M3: 35'×10' | M2: 4 · M3: 6 or 8 | Bring your own | None | Some units |
| Porthminster Premium, 13ft | 36' or 39' × 13' | 6 or 8 | Included, made up | 2 hrs a day | Some units |
| Godrevy Premium, 13ft | 36' or 39' × 13' | 6 or 8 | Included, made up | 2 hrs a day | No |
| Crantock Premium, 13ft | 36' or 39' × 13' | 6 or 8 | Included, made up | 2 hrs a day | No |
| Watergate Premium, 13ft | 36' or 39' × 13' | 6 or 8 | Included, made up | 2 hrs a day | Some units |
| Kynance Accessible premium | 13ft wide | Up to 6 | Included, made up | 2 hrs a day | No |
| Whipsiderry Platinum Meadow Field | Not published | Up to 6 | Included, made up | Ask the park | Ask the park |
| Meadow Retreat lodge Lodge | Not published | Up to 8 | Ask the park | Unlimited | Ask the park |
| Chestnut House Standalone house | Not published | Up to 8 | Included, plus towels | Super-fast | No |
The Budget caravans, Towan and Holywell, are the entry point, both a standard 10ft wide and in Maple Field near the facilities. Towan is a two-bedroom that sleeps up to four, with electric heating and a 19-inch TV; Holywell comes as a two or three-bedroom sleeping up to eight, with gas central heating and the same 19-inch TV. Both take duvets and pillows but no bed linen or towels, so pack your own or hire a set, and neither has Wi-Fi in the caravan.
The Classic caravans, Seaton and Mawgan, step up in fit rather than size, still 10ft wide with a 22-inch TV and DVD player and gas central heating. Seaton comes as a two-bedroom sleeping six or a three-bedroom sleeping eight, with a fridge-freezer in the galley kitchen, and sits in Maple and Beech fields. Mawgan is the top of the Classic range, with double glazing and a lift-up double bed in the master; the two-bedroom M2 sleeps four and the three-bedroom M3 sleeps six or eight with a pull-out double in the lounge, and it spreads across Laurel, Beech and Maple fields. Like the Budget range they need your own linen and towels and have no in-caravan Wi-Fi.
The Premium caravans, Porthminster, Godrevy, Crantock and Watergate, are the ones that suit most families, and where we'd steer you first. They're the super-wide 13ft models, with a king-sized bed in the master, a 32-inch TV in the lounge and a 22-inch TV in the master bedroom, an en-suite, linen included and beds made up on arrival, and two hours of free Wi-Fi a day (around 5Mb, capped at 1GB, with a paid unlimited upgrade if you need more). Porthminster sits in Cherry and Laurel fields. Godrevy, in Beech and Laurel, has an en-suite in both the two and three-bedroom versions and some units with ramp access, useful if you're pushing a buggy. Crantock, new in 2022, is in Cherry and Beech with floor-to-ceiling windows. Watergate, the newest from 2024, spans Cherry, Beech and Laurel, also with floor-to-ceiling windows, plus a full-size fridge-freezer. The king bed suits parents, the twin room takes one or two children, and folding one of its beds away makes room for a travel cot. The two-bedroom versions sleep up to six and the three-bedroom up to eight.
Kynance is the fully accessible caravan, 13ft wide in Beech Field with adjacent parking and a low-gradient ramp. It has two twin bedrooms and a pull-out double in the lounge, sleeping up to six, plus a wet room with a fold-out seat, a low-level kitchen a wheelchair user can work at, sliding internal doors and a portable helper frame. Linen is included and a travel cot fits in either bedroom. More on its access features is in the accessibility section below.
Above the caravans sit two premium lodge tiers. Whipsiderry Platinum is in the exclusive Meadow Field: a two-bedroom that sleeps up to six with a pull-out double, with decking, beds made up and eight Oasis swim vouchers included. The Meadow Retreat lodges are the top-of-the-range option, two or three-bedroom lodges sleeping up to eight with unlimited free Wi-Fi. Confirm the current spec for both with the park when you book.
Chestnut House is the most premium stay of all, a standalone four-bedroom house at the park's edge with two king rooms (one en-suite), a twin and a bunk room, sleeping up to eight. It has an enclosed private garden with a barbecue, a separate games room, a 50-inch TV and super-fast Wi-Fi, with linen and towels both included and a Cornish welcome hamper. One family Oasis pool voucher is included per day, and check-in is Monday or Friday only. The bunk room is made for young children, though the secluded spot means a longer walk to the central facilities.
Away from the holiday homes, the touring and camping fields take tents, touring caravans and motorhomes on grass and hard-standing pitches with electric hook-up and shower and toilet blocks that have won the Loo of the Year Platinum Award. They're the most affordable way to stay, from around £26 a night for a couple on 2025 pricing (check the current rate when you book). Some pitches are dog-friendly for an extra charge, though dogs aren't allowed on the Super, Grand Premium, Silver Leaf or Gold Leaf pitch grades.
Eating and drinking on site
The self-catering food picture, the eateries and bars, plus the on-site shop and launderette.
There's no meal package or dining plan here; it's self-catering, with a handful of eateries on site for the nights you don't want to cook. Every holiday home has a full kitchen, and the on-site shop covers a proper self-catering shop rather than just snacks.
The Terrace Bar and Restaurant is the main sit-down option, a recently refurbished full-service pub-restaurant serving food through the day, with children's menus and highchairs, and dogs allowed in the conservatory. The Beach House, new in 2025, is a bar and pizza restaurant, hand-crafted pizzas and cocktails with kids' menus and undercover outdoor seating. Always Sundae is the ice cream shop, serving organic Cornish ice cream from Roskilly's Farm, and the Fish and Chip Shop is a traditional takeaway by the outdoor play areas. For a drink, the Deck Bar is an outdoor, festival-style entertainment bar with live music, made half as big again in a 2026 makeover.
The Venue is the main evening entertainment space rather than a place to eat, hosting the children's early-evening programme and the later adult acts. The Hendra Marketplace shop is open daily and stocks fresh bread, groceries, milk, eggs, toiletries, Cornish drinks and toys, along with baby food, formula and everyday baby essentials. The launderette is card-only at £6.50 a wash and £1.50 per 20 minutes of drying, and it dispenses Persil Non-Bio detergent and Comfort Non-Bio conditioner automatically, which quietly takes the risk out of the wrong product for a baby's washing. In September, the park's Toddler Month adds Kids Eat Free at the on-site restaurants, with terms attached.
The Oasis pools
The Oasis Fun Pools are the park's flagship and one of the largest indoor fun pools in the South West. The main pool sits at about 29°C and the complex has three flumes: a gentle green slide a small child can take with an adult and a buoyancy aid, a 265ft blue tyre ride on a rubber ring (with a weight limit of around 100kg), and a fast red tube. There's a river rapids ride, a waterfall and giant tap, plus a jacuzzi seat. For the youngest there's a separate baby and toddler pool, warmer and shallower at over 30°C, with a toddler slide for under-fives, a friendly crab feature and a squirty creature, and there's a family changing table in the pool area. Paid in-pool extras include the Sea Scooters and aqua jetskis, which run a mini course.
The important thing to know is that indoor swimming isn't included in your stay. Sessions are booked online, up to two weeks before you arrive, and paid per person at £4.45 each (June 2026 pricing, so check the current rate), and they run an hour and twenty minutes each; buying swim vouchers in advance costs less than the gate price, so it's worth doing if you'll swim often. The indoor pool runs from 27 March to 15 November in 2026, roughly 10am to 6pm, with earlier openings for guests at peak times. Change requests need 24 hours' notice by email.
Supervision ratios are set and worth planning around before you travel, because they decide how many adults you need in the water. A child under four needs one adult to one child, in the water, whatever their swimming ability; ages four to eight are one adult to two; ages nine to thirteen are one adult to five, with a swim test possible for unaccompanied older children; and non-swimmers of any age are one adult to two. The supervising adult has to be in the water, not watching from the side. For the flumes and rapids, swimmers need to be competent and over 1.2m tall, T-shirts are fine in the main pool but not on the flumes, and swim nappies are required for any child who isn't fully potty-trained, sold at pool reception if you run short. If you'd like it calmer, the first session each Wednesday is a Quiet Session with no music, starting at 9am in peak school holidays and 10am the rest of the season.
The separate outdoor Oasis pool is heated to around 24°C and, unlike the indoor pools, it's free for guests and needs no booking; you just show your passes at the gate. It's open from the end of May until the end of August, fully lifeguarded, with sun loungers and a snack shack, and it closes in bad weather. Its ratio is one adult to two children under nine, or two non-swimmers of any age, with supervising adults aged 16 or over and in the water. Outside peak season the indoor pool opens to non-residents too, at the full tariff, though they can't pre-book or change a booking.
Babies and toddlers
What the park provides for the youngest, and the one big gap to plan around.
Hendra is set up for young families, with a dedicated Toddler Breaks section on its own site and provision to match. In the Oasis pools there's the warm, shallow toddler pool with its slide for under-fives; in Henry's Playloft there's an under-2s zone with building blocks and wall activities; and outside there's a small play frame for under-fives with a boat and toddler swings, next to the pirate ship and the Fish and Chip Shop. The Beach House and Terrace both do kids' menus with highchairs. When NQY Rocks opens in summer 2026 it will add an under-4s toddler zone too.
The practical side is well thought through. Every caravan has a microwave for warming bottles and food and a full kitchen for flexible mealtimes, and a twin bed folds away in each range to make room for a travel cot, though you bring the cot and its bedding yourself. The shop stocks baby food, formula and essentials, the launderette dispenses non-bio detergent automatically, and there's a family changing table in the pool area. Park-wide 5mph speed limits and pedestrian areas keep it safe underfoot. The daily 9am land train, with Henry or Henrietta Hippo aboard, is the routine toddlers seem to love most; the hippos also turn up at the Terrace at breakfast. In September, the Toddler Month runs the same daily 9am land train alongside kids eating free all month and extra early-evening entertainment for younger children, an offer that runs to 30 September 2026.
The one gap to plan around is childcare. Hendra doesn't run a crèche, a nursery, an age-banded daily programme or a babysitting service; the evening entertainment is whole-family rather than a drop-off. That's fine if you're happy to have the children with you throughout, but it's worth knowing if you'd pictured an evening to yourselves. What's on offer instead is the land train, Henry's Playloft and The Venue's early-evening entertainment, none of it a bookable drop-off session. Stair gates and blackout blinds aren't listed, so ask the park at booking if you need them.
Soft play, arcades and entertainmentThings to do at the park
Henry's Playloft is the indoor soft play, for children up to age ten, with a ball pool, slides, climbing and rollers, the separate under-2s zone and a parent seating area with refreshments and free Wi-Fi. No booking is needed, though free entry uses a Hendra membership or entertainment card for guests who booked directly with the park; otherwise there's a small charge. Within it, the Quiet Space is a private, lower-sensory room you can book for half an hour at a time, and Quiet Play Sessions run reduced-numbers, no-music soft play on Thursdays from 4pm to 5pm plus a midweek afternoon; the park lists different midweek days on different pages, so check the current day when you arrive.
Outdoors there's Henry's Pirate Ship with slides and climbing for older children, a traversing climbing wall, a sports field for football, badminton and cricket, plus a skate and scooter park. The Games Room, in a renovated 200-year-old former piggery, has two pool tables and air hockey and suits older children and teens. There are three amusement arcades, by the Terrace, by Always Sundae and inside The Venue in the evenings, with 2p pushers, grabbers, driving and shooting games and fruit machines, all cashless. Palm Beach Adventure Golf is an 18-hole mini golf course, charged separately, as are the mini 4x4s for children aged four to ten and the Segway tours.
The daily entertainment is included in the holiday. Beyond the 9am land train and the hippos at breakfast, The Venue runs a children's programme of party games and dance competitions in the early evening, then adult cabaret, comedy, live music and magic later on. School holidays and peak weeks add extras such as dance and football academies and Make a Bear, and the year has seasonal themes: Easter, summer and a Halloween Spooktacular that runs into early November.
Dogs
Bringing the dog, the beaches a short drive away and the family days out around Cornwall.
Hendra is an openly dog-friendly park, with pet-friendly caravans and pitches for an extra charge. The pet-friendly holiday homes are a subset rather than the whole range: Watergate pet-friendly units sit in Gannel View with estuary views by the dog-walking field, Porthminster pet-friendly units are in Gannel View, Cherry and Laurel fields, and Mawgan pet-friendly units are in Laurel. Not every caravan in those ranges takes dogs, so check when you book, and Chestnut House takes none. Dog-friendly touring pitches are available too, though not on the Super, Grand Premium, Silver Leaf or Gold Leaf grades.
Around the park, dogs stay on a lead, there are dog bowls dotted about, and there's a Doggy Bath at the Pine toilet block, handy after a sandy beach day. A dog-walking field runs by Gannel View and Blackberry Field. Dogs are welcome in the Terrace conservatory, outside under cover at the Beach House, outside at the Fish and Chip Shop and in the Deck Bar marquee, but not in the indoor entertainment or pool areas beyond guide dogs. Several of the nearby beaches, Fistral, Crantock, Holywell Bay and Watergate Bay among them, are dog-friendly, though some Newquay beaches have seasonal dog restrictions, so check the signs and Cornwall Council's guidance when you get there.
Newquay's coastThe beach and Newquay's coastline
There's no beach on the park itself. The nearest are 8 to 10 minutes away by car, which is the single thing families flag most often, but that short drive opens up all of Newquay's beaches. Fistral is the famous one, the UK's best-known surf beach, RNLI-patrolled with wide golden sand, though the Atlantic swell that draws the surfers makes the water itself no place for toddlers. Towan, in the town centre, is sheltered by the headland, family-friendly and RNLI-patrolled, and Porth is a sheltered bay that families favour. A little further, Crantock, about 15 to 20 minutes away, is wider and quieter with dunes and a river estuary and is the one most often recommended for young children; Holywell Bay and Watergate Bay, around 20 minutes out, are big dune-backed and surf beaches, the latter better for older children and surfers than for paddling toddlers. Closer to town, Great Western and Tolcarne are the town beaches, and Lusty Glaze is a private cove with water sports.
On water quality, several Newquay beaches are assessed each year under the UK's bathing-water rules, with Fistral and Towan among those that have historically rated highest; Blue Flag status is awarded annually and changes year to year, so check blueflag.global for the current list before you count on it.
The area and days out
A car turns the park into a base for much of Cornwall. Closest of all is Lappa Valley Steam Railway at Mitchell, minutes away, with steam rides, indoor soft play, mini golf, pedal swan boats and woodland trails, a real young-family favourite. Camel Creek Family Adventure Park near Wadebridge (about 25 minutes) has rides, outdoor adventure, indoor play and animals, and Newquay Zoo, Blue Reef Aquarium and Pirate's Quest are all in or near the town for shorter outings, with Trenance Gardens and Boating Lake a gentle, dog-friendly afternoon.
Further out, the Eden Project near St Austell (about 40 minutes) has its giant biomes, tree house and playgrounds; the Lost Gardens of Heligan near Mevagissey (40 to 45 minutes) have jungle rope bridges, farm animals and jumping pillows; and Healeys Cyder Farm near Truro (20 to 25 minutes) does tractor rides and farm animals. Padstow (about 25 minutes) is a family-friendly fishing harbour, and St Ives (about 45 minutes) has beaches, galleries and a park-and-ride in season. The South West Coast Path, dog-friendly, runs from Newquay for walks along the cliffs. Our Cornwall guide has more on the county for families.
Accessibility
The accessible caravan and pool, the quieter sessions, then what families rate and how it compares.
The park has a genuine accessibility programme rather than a token line. The Kynance caravan is fully wheelchair-accessible, with a wet room with a fold-out seat and support handles, a low-level kitchen a wheelchair user can work at, wide and sliding doors, a low-gradient ramp with adjacent parking, a portable helper frame and movable furniture. Beyond it, some units in the Godrevy range have ramp access, and families needing ramp access can ask the bookings team. The Oasis pool is reached by a ramp and level-access path, with double doors to both pools, staff on hand to help, a family changing table and free entry for carers. The park is part of the Sunflower Scheme for hidden disabilities, and offers the Wednesday Quiet Session in the pool and the Quiet Space in the Playloft. There's a dedicated line for accessibility questions on 01637 875788, separate from general bookings on 01637 875778.
What families sayLoves and gripes
The good and the less good, drawn from guest reviews and family roundups.
What families love
- The Oasis Fun Pools, the single most-cited reason to book, with the toddler pool praised for its warmth.
- The sheer volume of facilities, enough to fill a week without leaving.
- Henry and Henrietta Hippo and the free 9am land train, a daily toddler routine.
- The evening entertainment programme and its team.
- Cleanliness and upkeep across the caravans and site.
- The safe, contained feel, with 5mph limits and pedestrian areas.
- Baby essentials in the shop, and September's quieter, cheaper Toddler Month.
Common gripes
- No beach on site, a short drive with the pushchair and kit.
- The indoor pool charged separately and pre-booked, rather than included.
- The completely cashless setup, card or phone only everywhere.
- Busy and lively in peak season rather than a quiet retreat.
- Price: the most expensive of the Cornwall parks in one top-ten round-up.
- No Wi-Fi in the caravan on the Budget and Classic ranges.
Across the review sites it rates well, sitting around 4.4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and 4.6 on Google, 4.5 on Hoseasons, and 90% in Holiday Park Guru's own assessment, with the pools, the scale of what's on site and the entertainment the strongest themes. The park's own guest surveys report high satisfaction too, 98% saying they'd stay again and 94% saying they'd revisit the Oasis pool, though those are its own figures rather than independent scores.
Against the other Cornwall parksHow it compares
Hendra is the priciest of the ten parks in Holiday Park Guru's Cornwall round-up, so most comparisons come down to its facilities and pools against price and beach access. Haven's Perran Sands at Perranporth is the one families most often weigh against it: noticeably cheaper, around £1,085 for a week against Hendra's £1,575 on Holiday Park Guru's August 2026 pricing, right by the beach, and running Haven's structured, age-banded Activitots and Seaside Squad sessions, which Hendra doesn't. Hendra offers more on-site facilities, three pool flumes against Perran's one and higher guest scores, 90% against Perran's 80% on Holiday Park Guru. If a beach on the doorstep and a drop-in kids' programme matter most, Perran wins; if you want the deepest set of on-park facilities, Hendra does.
Haven's Riviere Sands at Hayle sits beside its beach and scores well too, but has no indoor flume pool and takes no dogs. Sandymouth near Bude scores highest of the Cornwall parks, but it's up in the far north of the county, which lengthens both the drive in and the day trips west. Retallack near Padstow is a premium, quieter waterpark-and-spa lodge retreat, a different sort of break, and Trevella, also near Newquay, is quite a bit cheaper and quieter with indoor and outdoor pools but far less entertainment and soft play. The bigger inland comparison is Center Parcs, a woodland village with swimming included in the price and structured age-banded sessions, no beach and a higher cost again.
Getting there and when to go
The drive, the train and airport options, whether you need a car, plus the best months for young children.
Most families drive. The park is reached on the A30 and A392 into Newquay, roughly 4 to 4.5 hours from London, about 2.5 hours from Bristol and around 3.5 from Birmingham; the sat-nav postcode is TR8 4NY. Summer Saturdays are the main changeover day and the A30 gets congested then, particularly around Bodmin, so a Saturday-to-Saturday break is worth allowing extra time for.
By rail, Newquay is on a branch line from Par, itself on the London Paddington to Plymouth mainline, with London to Newquay roughly 4.5 to 5 hours and usually one change; some direct services run from the North. Rail operators and times change, so check the current services for the year you travel. National Express coaches serve Newquay, and there's a local bus, but the park isn't on a handy bus route for beach days with young children. Newquay Cornwall Airport is about 6 miles (10 km) away, the closest airport to any major Cornwall park, with UK and short-haul routes that change by season; check cornwallairportnewquay.com for the current timetable.
You'll want a car. There's enough on site for several days without one, but the beaches are that short drive, the bus doesn't reach the gate, and the wider county, the Eden Project, Padstow, St Ives, needs one. Car-free is workable if you plan to stay put, but beach days are hard going with pushchairs and beach kit otherwise.
On timing, the park runs roughly from late March to early November. The indoor Oasis pool is open from 27 March to 15 November in 2026, while the outdoor pool runs only from the end of May to the end of August. July and August are the warmest and sunniest months, and also the busiest and most expensive. For young families, September comes up again and again as the pick: quieter once schools go back, cheaper, with the Toddler Month extras and weather that can still be kind. Easter and May half-term are popular and busy too.
When to goWeather at Newquay
Newquay sits on Cornwall's Atlantic north coast, so the weather is mild and changeable rather than Mediterranean, and rain is possible in any month. That's exactly why the indoor pool, the soft play and the games room matter so much here: they keep the week going when the beach won't. The figures below cover the park's main open season.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 10.5° | 5.5° | 68 mm | 13 | 9° |
| April | 12° | 6.5° | 68 mm | 12 | 10° |
| May | 15° | 9° | 70 mm | 11 | 12° |
| June | 17.5° | 11.5° | 60 mm | 10 | 15° |
| July | 19° | 13.5° | 65 mm | 11 | 17° |
| August | 19.5° | 14° | 68 mm | 11 | 17° |
| September | 17.5° | 12° | 70 mm | 11 | 16° |
| October | 14.5° | 10° | 111 mm | 16 | 15° |
| November | 11.5° | 7.5° | 125 mm | 18 | 13° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer.
The sea peaks at around 16 to 17°C in high summer, refreshing rather than warm and cold by Mediterranean standards, so wetsuits are standard for children spending a while in the water. It's one more reason the heated pools matter so much on a Cornish family holiday, whatever the forecast.
Questions
The things families ask most, useful links and when this guide was last updated.
Is swimming in the Oasis pools included in the price?
The indoor Oasis pools aren't. You book and pay for them per person, per session, and you reserve your slots online up to two weeks before you arrive rather than turning up. The outdoor pool, open late May to the end of August, is free for guests. If pool time is central to your week, buy the swim vouchers in advance, where they cost less, and grab the calmer Wednesday-morning Quiet Session if you want one.
There’s no beach on site, so how much does that matter?
Newquay's beaches are an 8 to 10 minute drive, so a beach day means loading the car with the pushchair and the kit rather than walking down. With young children that's very doable, but it rules out a spontaneous hour on the sand. If you picture stepping straight onto a beach, a beachfront park will suit you better; if you want the pools, soft play and entertainment on tap and the beaches as day trips, Hendra's inland position works fine.
What does the park being cashless mean in practice?
Bring a card or your phone, because no cash is taken anywhere, the arcades, pool, food outlets, shop and launderette included. Handing a small child 2p coins for the arcade pushers isn't an option here, so if that's part of the fun for your family it's worth knowing before you travel.
Is there a crèche or kids’ club we can leave the children at?
No. Hendra doesn't run a crèche, a nursery or an age-banded drop-off club, and no babysitting service is listed. What it has instead is whole-family entertainment, the soft play, the daily land train and the pools, all done together. If you were counting on childcare for an evening to yourselves, plan around its absence.
Can we still swim or play if our toddler prefers it quiet?
Yes. The first indoor pool session on a Wednesday is a Quiet Session with no music, and Henry's Playloft runs no-music, reduced-numbers Quiet Play Sessions on Thursdays from 4pm plus a midweek afternoon. The park lists different days for that midweek session on different pages, so check the current day when you arrive. There's also a lower-sensory Quiet Space you can book by the half-hour.
Does the park provide travel cots?
Every caravan has room for a travel cot, made by folding away one of the twin beds, but you bring your own cot and its bedding; cot hire isn't something the park advertises. If you'd rather not carry one, ask the bookings team when you book whether anything can be arranged.
Do we really need a car?
In practice, yes. You can manage without one if you're content to stay on site, where several days of pools, play and entertainment sit within walking distance. The catch is beach days: the bus doesn't run to the gate, so reaching the sand, or the wider county, means a taxi or a hire car with the pushchair and kit in tow.
When’s the cheapest good time to go with little ones?
September. The park runs a Toddler Month with kids eating free at the restaurants and extra early-evening entertainment for younger children, the crowds thin once schools go back, prices drop from the summer peak, and the weather can still be kind.
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Useful links
- Hendra Holiday Park: the park's own site for accommodation, the Oasis pools and booking.
- Cornwall with little ones: our guide to the wider county, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated July 2026.
