We're quickly approaching prime holiday season and one very popular area of the United Kingdom to visit is Cornwall. Known for it's beautiful coastline, slightly better weather and delicious cuisine - what is there not to love? We've been on holiday to Cornwall almost every year since leaving university back in 2011 and it has become a really special place to us.
St. Ives is where my husband proposed to me and back when Isabella was three months old we went on our first family holiday down to Cornwall. Over all of these trips we've come to learn where our favourite places are to visit that are also family friendly. Prior to visiting anywhere I always love researching where the best places to visit are, where we're going to eat and almost plan out a bit of an itinerary. I find that if I don't do this we end up wasting precious holiday time doing that research when we could be out exploring. In this post I'm going to be focusing on the 'days out' places to visit, but if you're looking for places to eat near these places then head over to my Top 10 Family-Friendly Places to Eat in Cornwall post.
1) Kynance Cove - This place could honestly be somewhere a lot more tropical than Cornwall with it's beautiful blue sea and stunning views. If you're visiting with smaller children it is worth noting that you do have to almost trek down to the cove, so it is certainly not pushchair friendly but we went down with both girls in carriers and it was absolutely fine. Once you've made it down there the sandy beach, rocky coastline and café with the most beautiful views make for a very relaxing day out. You do have to be careful about the tide coming in, as it did come in pretty quick while we were there but luckily there was a table in the café so we could enjoy a drink before heading back to the car.
2) St. Ives - A well-known and much loved place to visit in Cornwall, not only for the pretty harbour and array of restaurants serving delicious food but also for the beaches. There is one right in the middle of the town, which is perfect for enjoying takeaway fish and chips on or simply building a sandcastle. As the beach is within the harbour the sea is very calm, making it a very child friendly place to paddle and play. There are plenty of typical 'seaside shops' selling inflatables, bucket & spades and ice-creams for that authentic British seaside holiday feeling.
3) Perranporth - Three miles of golden sand and clear waters this is the place to head when the many beaches of Cornwall start filling up. There's a café on the beach, the village centre is a short stroll away and the beach is vast. There are plenty of places to eat and 'seaside' shops in the village, which cater for all.
4) Porthtowan - This is somewhere we stumbled across while having a drive along the coast and the beauty of the beach caught our eye. A seaside village with impressive granite cliffs and a sandy beach makes it a quieter option for families and a popular choice with surfers. If, like us, you enjoy having a coastal drive on holiday then this is one place to add to your list for a quick visit.
5) Portreath - Again, somewhere we stumbled across while on a drive, but this small village with its narrow harbour has so much charm. Once a busy harbour, Portreath is now popular with families and surfers as the beach is cleaned daily and no dogs are allowed during peak season.
6) North Cliffs - This is more of a beautiful place to stop and see, rather than a day out, but worth a mention nonetheless. Running in front of the car park is a coastal path with breathtaking views. Take a leisurely stroll, stop for a flask of tea or drop by for a quick photo; it's the perfect place to take a break.
7) Porthleven - Full of traditional charm, Porthleven is set in the middle of a large sweeping bay. An impressive harbour, streets filled with cafes/restaurants and a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere makes it a lovely day out or place to stay for your holiday. Due to conservation rules the harbour remains an unspoilt working harbour, so take a step back and watch the world go by.
8) Roskilly's - An ice-cream farm serving some of the tastiest ice-cream I've ever tried! My personal favourite (for something a bit different) is their Cream Tea flavour. You can visit the ice-cream parlour, wander around the farm, see the animals and enjoy one of the beautiful walks. A fun few hours can be spent here and the ice-cream is sure to keep everyone happy.
9) Lizard Point - The most southerly part of mainland Britain Lizard Point has the most breathtaking views over turquoise sea and dramatic cliff faces. There is a café right on the point that you can walk down to from the National Trust car park, though it is worth noting that the only toilets are back at the car park. It's another narrow path down to the café/point, so is not really pushchair friendly. Though the views make up for it; it's well worth paying a visit on a clear day to make the most of them.
10) Eden Project - It's a family-friendly day out that is good come rain or shine. The vast domes house tropical plants a plenty, whilst the open outdoors can be enjoyed by children. Also, if you picked up Gardener's World Magazine (May 2018) then you can get 2 for 1 entry all year long for here, which helps when you're going as a family.
11) Padstow - Famous for Rick Stein having almost every shop, restaurant and café in the town; Padstow has a beautiful harbour and is well worth a visit in my opinion. The vegetarian fish and chips from Rick Stein's takeaway are some of the best I've ever had and all of the little delis dotted around are perfect for picking up holiday gifts or treats for yourself.
Where are your favourite places to visit while on holiday?
Feel free to leave a comment - I love reading every single one :)
Helen x
Such beautiful photos. It has made me want to visit right now. We have always wanted to go to Cornwall but the drive puts us off as it is just that bit to far. Got me thinking now if we could stay in a hotel half way for the night:)
ReplyDeleteI love Cornwall but have only been to Perranporth and St Ives on this list. We are heading back later this year so will see what else we can squeeze in
ReplyDeleteOh this is so useful as we are planning to visit Cornwall this summer. I am clueless about where to visit, I have only been once and it was a drunken week in Newquay!
ReplyDeleteNot been to Cornwall in years but I remember quite a few of these places from when I used to visit with my parents.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful photography! The even project is on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteI have never ever been to wales!you make me want to go there so badly now :) The coast there is so pretty! That is something to see.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to Cornwall for the first time this summer, so this is really useful. It looks so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI really need to explore Cornwall some more, it's such a beautiful place! I have only been to Mullion which was absolutely stunning.
ReplyDeleteNever been to Cornwall, but your pictures have inspired me to visit there some time soon.
ReplyDeleteJohn M
Absolutely love that Kynance Cove is number one, isn’t it just the most beautiful little beach? St Ives is also amazing and great for swimming, but a little touristy. I love Cornwall as I grew up there and I can’t wait until my second boy has been born so we can go back down there and I can carry on exploring my homeland with my kiddies.
ReplyDeleteWe super super love Cornwall but still not been to all the places that you have listed here. We are planning to head down south next summer and I have book marked your blog so that we can decide where we will be heading to x
ReplyDeleteI've never been to Cornwall but you've made it sound irresistible here. I'd love to visit!
ReplyDeleteKatie xoxo
I love Cornwall in fact my older brother loved it so much he moved there and lives just down the road from the sea. It is such a stunning place and you captured some lovely spots that I need to check out next time I am there x
ReplyDeleteI just swooned at every one of your photos. Stunning!! I can’t tell you how much I want to visit Cornwall. It’s top of my bucket list of places I want to visit. The U.K. has so many amazing places - just like this. X
ReplyDeleteI have never been to Cornwall but it's been on my bucket list forever. Now we have Adobe, it's definitely somewhere I am looking at for next summer and seeing your amazing photos just cement it in my mind that it is my holiday destiny!!!
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