HelpHound

Torquay is a nice seaside town though in place's it do's seem a little run down and just need's a little updating. I know Torquay is popular with stag and hen nights that maybe one of the reason's. It is also popular with old people with lots of ballroom dancing and bowl's I believe.
The town is very spread out and there are a lot of shops to choose from. Torquay also has a nice harbour we went in the pavilion for lunch and I would never go back there again the food was overcooked and they had a kids menu on every table but didn't actually offer it it wasn't disabled or child friendly. I didn't go to any of the beaches there so can't comment on them.

Torquay is a very busy seaside town, and completely goes crazy in the summer when all the holiday makers desend on it. We found it really hard to drive into the area and it added over half an hour to our journey time, as the traffic was so congested. The bad traffic mainly puts me off booking another holiday in the torquay area which is a shame as the town itself has much to offer, especailly people with children. The beaches were very clean and our son loved digging in the sand. The locals all seemed pleasent and welcomed us, which was great as I hate feeling like a tourist. We stayed in Pontins holiday camp which was awful and I definaltely don't recommend staying there. But there are many other holiday camps and hotels in the area so there is plenty to choose from.

was last Torquay a couple of years ago going to there big Primark store as it was the closest store to Plymouth it''s a sea side town that''s a bit run down a few years and in my opinion isn''t much to look at at all it has the usual big names store such as Woolworth''s and mcdonalds.
A few years ago i did holidayed in Paignton the neighbouring town and i did come to Torquay for the night clubs there wasn''t a great choice but it was definitely better than what Paignton was offering the beaches are nice in Torquay,Paignton and Brixham Torquay is the bigger of the towns, i do feel Torquay has lost it spark it seems to have died over the years it''s got little restaurants and pubs just a shadow of the town it used t be I''m hoping that it''s had some money thrown at it since i last went there as it would be ashame as it really is in a beautiful location which catches the good weather when we have it

i went to torquay in 2006 with family. torquay is ok for people looking fr a nice day trip or touring ect but its not somewhere id like to live, theres just no homely feel about it , torquay is however really good for nightlife with a range of clubs, pubs, entertainment ect.teone thing that i love about torquay is the restuarants,the resturants havea really nice modern look, and the food is amazig.the people in torquay seem really quiet .

There are not many places in this country you can drive 10 mins one direction and be on the moor or 10 mins the other direction and be ont he beach!

Torquay has it all!

A beautiful harbour is the centre of the attractions, small quaint gift shops line the parade. Ice creams and rocks - the typical English resort. Up past the harbour you will find the main shops for Torquay. All the main high street retailers, Boots to Savers you can get whatever you need. If you wanted more shops the city of Exeter is only 20 mins away.

The main Torre Abby sands beach of Torquay is not actually that great as beaches go but is still great for a little paddle. Next to the beach you will find Torre Abby green. A large grassed area, mostly the host of large events in the summer or the famous fayre that arrives for all of August.

A few more attractions which you might like to visit would be The Riviera Centre, this consists of a large indoor pool called "Waves" a fitness suite and a health and beauty suite.

The model Village, Up one road for a few miles from the harbour in a placce called Babbacombe is the Model Village, a whole village but as miniture, a lovely afternoon out for the kids. Do not miss it in the winter, the whole place gets covered in thousands of pounds worth of fake snow which looks so magical. Kids love it!

Kents Cavern, Again a mile up a road from the harbour are the oldy woldy caves of Kents Cavern, Again a lovely hour or two out, dont forget to visit Santa at christmas!


There are plenty more attractions, from events to days out or a walk in the rolling fields of the countryside, Torquay really has something to suit a whole range of tastes!

I have visited Torquay many a time and each year it changes. It is still a family holiday destination with many things to see and do. There is the living coast as previously mentioned. There is a land train to take you on a short visit. the harbour is beautiful and so peaceful. There are many opportunities to get out on the sea with the many fishing and boat trips.

We did an evening boat trip to watch a firework display over the harbour and it was beautiful.

The town itself is busy, its pedestrianised at the bottom end but with bus acess to the top of town. So it isnt that bad. It is mainly families and the older generation, but I have noticed more and more now that weekends in torquay have become a haven for stag and hen parties which tend to take over certain places bar and cafes etc.

There are many bars, cafes and restaurants to rest you feet.

but you cant come to Torquay and not have an Oggys pastie or a Mollie Macks Ice cream. They are delicious.

Torquay is a great base to explore the rest of Devon.

Torquay is the biggest of the three towns that make Torbay otherwise known as the English Riviera. I have to disagree with direwolffs review to a degree as they are putting a lot of money into Torquay and have done for a few years. The new ''Living coast'' attraction is fantastic, a large meshed area with coastal birds and wildlife and also birds from around the world like penguins, puffins etc. You can also see fur seals etc. They also now have a huge hot air balloon on the sea front that takes you up for the most amazing arial views of the bay.
The bottom end of the main shopping street is a little less exciting than it used to be and on a wet day seems pretty deserted as a few businesses have closed down, but he council take care to keep the pedestrianised area planted up with lovely bedding plants no matter what time of year it is. At the top end of town it is as busy and bustling as ever with some great shops and shopping centre. There is also the beautiful town hall and library at that end of town too with some great pubs and cafes etc.
Torquay Marina is beautiful and very well kept. It is behind the Pavilion, which has the most fantastic restaurant upstairs and you can sit out on the roof. The Palm lined promenade is beautiful and artfully lit up at night. You have, of course a theatre with very well known acts appearing all year round, plus a 3 screen cinema at the other end of town. If you like an olde world charm then Cockington Village is full of thatched cottages and you can get to it by horse drawn carriage from the sea front, near the Grand Hotel (also reviewed)
In these days of us worrying about our carbon footprints the whole of Torbay is finding that they are gaining holiday makers that have chosen to holiday in the Uk and not fly abroad. You can still have a great family seaside holiday in Torbay and itts a good centre for exploring the rest of Devon, as it is on the main rail line.

I have been Torquay a few times in my life, when i was young i went and i remember it too be busy with tourists and life but since i returned this year (must be about 5 years since i last went) i find it to be...dead.
There isn''t much life in Torquay, when i went the young students looking for a resort had become older pensioners and the only other younger groups of people i saw were foreigners on exchange ( and there were a lot of them) .
Torquay itself feels a bit run down now, when i last went nothing has been done up since and everything is the same from the shops to the signposts on the wall.
Obviously Torquay still has a few delights which shall never change such as clotted cream and scones which were gorgeous. They also have a few attractions like Kents Cavern which is plesant.

Venturing on the train to nearby areas you have places like Devon, theres the sea side, there is Peighnton Zoo and also if you like boat rides (i dont) you can go to Brixham by boat which is the home of good fishes. Which reminds me whilst i was there, if you like to fish there were a lot of fishers...again i wont talk about that as i dont know the first thing about fishing.

Personally i would say if you go Torquay/Devon area, stay in Torquay, things are nice, its pleasant but dont be scared to venture out to the nearby places ecspecially to the beach where you may walk all the way down into the countryside to go for a Smugglers Inn (a calvery check reviews)

Overall personally i will admit Torquay has lost its customers and becasue of that there is no money to invest in the place making it feel dull, my reasoning for this is because the likes of Ryanair offer such cheap flights it costs more to travel to the south then it does to travel to Barcelona.

Torquay really is the jewell in the crown of the English Riviera which is comprised or Paignton, Torquay and Brixham. A large beautiful harbour is the focal point of the town. In the harbour there are both fishing boats and luxury yaughts. If you are as lucky (I use the term lucky loosely) as me you may see Jim Davidson coming out of his boat.......

From the harbour you can get a boat to Brixham or Paignton, two local seaside resorts, or if you are feeling more adventurous you can go on a fishing trip out at sea or else go on a sightseeing tour.

There is a large range of shops in Torquay really something for everyone, a lot of the shops are clearly tailored to the tourist market but there are a few gems as you walk up the high street. In the evening the town becomes very different is clearly an enjoyable place for night life. There are many pubs and clubs and the atmosphere is very different. There are street performers near the harbour who astound and amaze......or just freak you out! If you are in the area it really is worth a visit, if you are staying there it is also a hub for the English Riviera and you can get to lots of the main tourist attractions straight from the harbour.