I go to University in Bournemouth, going into my final year now, soon to enter the real world of res...
I go to University in Bournemouth, going into my final year now, soon to enter the real world of responsibilities etc! I plan to earn loads of money, move to Austrialia where i shall live in a gorgeous house by the beach in the sun! Yey!
Member since:26.07.2004
Reviews:8
Members who trust:1
Having been at Uni for two years now, I finally appreciate the beauty of Torquay having been away from it. When the weather is good it really is like the South of France (Ive been there - so i do what its like!).
I feel very lucky to have my home base here in this untouched part of England. Its a fantastic place to live but I can't recommend it highly enough as a place to visit. All my friends who have come to visit ,as well as my parents friends etc, fall inlove with the place. My boyfriend is from London and he loves my area so much he wants us to move down here once I've finished Uni.
For a holiday, it is best to come in the summer months (to enjoy the weather) or potentially in the easter holidays (a little quieter and the sun makes a good appearance!).
Torquay is great for people of all ages: a) young people, groups / couples: this town has got fantastic nightlife and loads of activities to keep you entertained during the day b) family holidays: Torquay is a great place to have a family friendly holiday with the numerous safe beaches, tourist attractions and plenty of places to eat c) 'older' people: there are great places to stay and fantastic walks and activities.
Nightlife: Torquay
is absolutely buzzing at night in the holidays, be they Xmas, Easter or Summer hols, everyone comes out to play! There are so many bars and pubs you'll be overloaded with choice! The nightlife is mainly focused around the marina (off the top of my head I can think of 10 bars in that one small area!), however there are some excellent bars further up town including 'Rhythm & Blues' & 'Chaplins'.
Torquay has around 6 nightclubs in the main town centre. The four main ones are:
The Venue - a club set over 3 floors catering for lots of tastes r'n'b, dancefloor hits etc. A good club for going out with a massive group of friends any night of the week.
Claire's - r'n'b club / dance (this is my favourite club for r'n'b) consists of two rooms, capacity around 800 at a guess - its not huge! A club more for dancing than drinking. Queue early (around 10pm) to avoid disappointment. Best on Saturdays and Fridays
Route 66 - excellent night out, really good fun, cheesy music. On Sunday nights its £3 to get in and 66p a drink! yey! Best night of the week.
Valbonnes - up the top of town, popular on Thursday nights.
Another good (but little club) is Smove (above Cafe Mambo on the marina). It has a late licence till 3am but the drinks are quite expensive.
There is a cinema in Torquay which is ok but there is a better one on Paignton seafront, that is pretty much brand, new with 8 screens, 2 that are licenced.
The theatre gets some really good shows. Jim Davison makes annual trips to Torquay (if he's your scene) as he has a boat in the marina (apparently). For families, a pantomime is performed every year.
Shopping: In Torquay town centre the array of shops is pretty good for a small town. It has a very metropolitan feel but is very friendly and welcoming. Although Torquay has big department stores such as 'Hoopers' (great place to shop, if a tad pricey), it is not so much about the ordinary high street shops, like Topshop (even though there is a small one), as shops that offer intimate service and one-off fashion items. The fashion shops are fantastic, you just have to look for them. For women's fashions try 'Attic' (at the top of town), Jane's (near the marina) and obviously 'Hoopers'. Torquay has all the standard shops like WHSmith, Boots, River Island, TKMax etc. but what is really great about the shopping in Torquay is the little gems in between!
Tourist attractions: Paignton Zoo - excellent zoo, not far from Torquay The Model Village - fun day out, in the evenings there is a UFO display Babacombe Cliff railway - 2 mins walk from the Model Village. An historical cliff railway down to Babacombe beach. Quay West - a water park in Paignton, where there are also quad biking sessions Living Coasts - a new addition to Paignton zoo. Fantastic attraction at Torquay Marina. All sorts of marine life, birds, seals, penguins and fish. Provides a good few hours of entertainment. Fairground - if you visit Torquay in the summer the fair sits on Torre Abbey green for 4 weeks and is always a good laugh.
Places to visit: Seafront - obviously you have to take 'a stroll along the prom' and go to the beach and buy an ice cream. The beaches in Torquay operate the flag system and they are safe to swim and kept very clean. There are a few really nice beaches in the area of Torbay, some are stony, some are sand but they are all beautiful. Cockington - Im lucky enough to live right by this area. It's descibed as a country park estate. Cockington Court itself consists of a pretty manor house with outbuildings used by local craftsmen to sell their products. Cockington has vast grounds to explore, by horse or on foot (horse -draw carriages take you from the sea front up to Cockington costing around £5 for 1 carriage, max 5 people), with lakes, woodland and water meadows. When in Cockington you should sample the renowned DevonshireCream Tea - scones with jam and cream. Brixham - take a boat trip across the bay and eat fresh fish and chips in Brixham. Dartmouth - home to Dartmouth Royal Naval College. Lovely historical town where you can take a boat trip down the river.
Places to eat out: There are loads of places to eat out in Torquay. I would recommend any of the large chains e.g. Hogshead etc or Banx in the town centre (my favourite place to eat!) for lunch. In the evening eat anywhere in the main town centre or around the marina. A fantastic place to feast is the Edward's Brasserie in Wellswood (just up from the town centre). The food is gorgeous but it is pricey, around £15 for a main meal.
Places to stay: Torquay is not short of places to stay from caravan parks to 5 starhotels (well, 1 actually - The Imperial Hotel). As well as a selection of large hotels there are smaller family-run hotels as well as a massive selection of B & Bs.
The cost of your visit will depend entirely on where you stay and what activities you do. In Torquay you can quite easily spend a fortune and then again you can have a great budget holiday.
There is no shortage of things to do in Torquay, I have only named a few of the main things but you should go for youself and see what you make of it, I'd be interested to know!
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Great review, I am hoping to go to Torquay in 2009 for a family holiday and your review was very helpful, thanks Jenny xx
Pidney 24.08.2004 11:00
Not a bad review, haven't been to Torquay for ages. Liked it as a beer swilling oaf. years later liked it as a Dad with rugrats. Not sure on the daily budget though; are you dry (even Dad's like a beer)?
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Jul 29th, 2004
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