Blue Reef Aquarium Newquay — Attraction in Newquay

We had a great family afternoon here, it provided about an hour and half's worth of entertainment for the children. Unfortunately, it took two attempts to visit, as the first day we came the queue was all the way out the door and about 100 people deep! The torrential rain was to blame,as there's not too much to do in Newquay if the sun isn't out, so try to go on a sunny day! We got the tickets slightly cheaper via Day out With the Kids, I'd recommend doing the same. Parking is a bit of a nightmare, we found the Atlantic Road Car Park was a great option, and only a 10 min walk to the aquarium.

The Aquarium itself was brilliant, it was very informative and interactive, it also focused heavily on the environmental impact of plastic in our oceans, which is something everyone needs to be educated about! There was a wide array of sea creatures, and the tanks were kept very clean so visibility was perfect. The underwater tunnel is fantastic, it really allows you to feel up close and personal with the creatures! The Octopus was absolutely mesmerising, as were the Loggerhead Turtles. I would say it is slightly smaller than other Aquariums I have been to, so we were completely done within an hour and a half. The staff were all very friendly and professional. The gift shop was very reasonably priced, and had some really nice bits. There's a cafe, but we didn't use it. You can leave your buggy by reception, which is probably advisable as although there were elevators it wasn't particularly wheelchair/buggy accessible. You get a stamp on your hand on the day of visit, so if you wanted to re enter on the same day you can, although as nice as it was it wasn't something we would have done...

We had our daughter's birthday party here recently (yes, they do kids parties!), and I have to say it was really good. The staff were super friendly and helpful. The kids had their own space in the cafe for the party. Food was simple, sandwiches crisps, fruit and a yoghurt, but still good quality and the kids all enjoyed it. (Bring your own cake!)

As part of the party, we were given a guided tour by Owen, who was very knowledgeable and a super friendly guy. The kids all enjoyed asking lots of questions and learning about the various creatures. Huge shout out to Owen as he really made the party that bit more awesome for all the kids.

As for the venue itself, there was a good selection of fish and other aquatic creatures for the kids to see. From native Marine displays to a big tropical tank with sharks and a huge turtle in. Caiman and catfish, a big octopus and so much more. The kids particularly enjoyed seeing the sharks, octopus, stonefish and boxfish. As another treat for the party, they all got to feed the fish in the main tank at the end too, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We had similarly great feedback from the parents that came round too, everyone enjoyed it and we would thoroughly recommend it for a birthday party for kids aged about 7-11. Our daughter is almost 9 and the party was perfect for her and all her friends. Very reasonable price too.

The only slightly negative thing to mention was completely unrelated to the aquarium itself, and that is that parking in Newquay sucks, We booked the morning slot for the party, and this solved most of that issue.

Thanks again for a...

For DISABLED VISITORS

We visited here today (beginning of September 2025) and I just wanted to share the good and bad bits about this attraction for you (just to make it easier) 🤓:

PARKING nearby on street is possible with a Blue Badge only (3 hr limit) (The Blue Reef/Aquarium is located right at the bottom of the Town after a very, very steep hill 😳).

I took my pavement mobility scooter 🛵 down; which was also very easy to use when we went round the Blue Reef Aquarium. However, unless you have either a huge battery pack or a powered wheelchair 🧑‍🦼 it will not be able to get you up the hill afterwards!😬 We had to push my old one!!🤪

So I’d advise you to get dropped nearly outside and have your Mobility Scooter 🛵 or wheelchair 🦼 and park on the road with your Blue Badge to make it much easier.

CAR PARKS 🅿️ There are 2 big ones at the top of the hill. One is short stay and the other is longer stay.

ACCESSIBILITY IN BLUE REEF It’s actually almost perfect 👌🏼 for people with their Mobility wheels 🛞 (or pushchairs for that matter 👩‍🍼👨‍🍼)

There’s no discount available for us; but they do seem to have thought about disabled access. There is a disabled toilet on the right before the desk where you pay. There’s also a lift up to the next floor where the shop and the enormous tank is.

So, my friends, I hope this helps you and gives you an idea 💡 of what to expect if you’re thinking of visiting. With a bit of planning, it’s definitely worth a visit to see the wonderful sea creatures: Turtles, sharks, terrapins, sea urchins, seahorses, and so many types of fish 🐟.

Have a great...