On the most westerly tip of the UK, Cornwall is one of England’s go-to vacation destinations in the summer. Despite the 6-hour drive from London (or you can opt for a 1 hour flight to Newquay regional airport), families descend on this beautiful part of the country for its stunning beaches, challenging coastal hikes and family-friendly attractions.
Where to go
We loved visiting the towns of St Ives and Falmouth. On a rainy day, there are beautiful winding streets to explore, filled with independent stores, coffee shops and quirky cafes. Both of them are on the water, like most towns in Cornwall, so you’ll either have a beautiful sandy beach to explore or a pretty harbor to walk round. Cornwall surf brand ‘Fat Willy’s‘ has stores in every town here – if your kids are anything like mine you’ll find it hard to leave town without something from this must-have tourist shop.
Take the train into St Ives from either Carbis Bay or Lelant – it’s the easiest place to park to avoid driving in the town center and it’s the most picturesque train journey you’ll ever take along the coastline.
What to do
Visit Tate St Ives – this Cornish outpost of the famous London museum is so well set-up for kids. There’s a dedicated play space where kids can draw or experience some interactive activities, before posting up their masterpieces on the wall. They also have a special children’s gallery tour guide, which helps them think about what they’re seeing and explores the art work through their eyes. The view from the gallery out over the sandy beach is truly beautiful.
We also loved visiting the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, a kind-of outdoor aquarium which nurses sick seals and aims to release them back into the wild.
On our way back to London, we stopped off at a quirky little Science Museum in Bodmin, called Discover 42. It’s a handmade mini museum of amazing scientific experiments and interactive exhibits, housed in a little cabin within the town’s playground.
What to see
The coastline just up from St Ives is known as Three Mile Beach: famous for its miles of pure golden sands, beautiful coves and spectacular scenery. If you walk all the way along Gwithian to Godrevy Point, you’ll see the local seals basking on the beach. It’s also a great beach for surfing, with surf schools for kids.
Where to stay
The Carbis Bay Cottage is in a perfect location, within walking distance of the beach and the town, as well as being on the train line into St Ives.
Find more of our family-friendly vacation homes in Cornwall or browse all our homes in England, UK.
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/cornwall/the-carbis-bay-cottage
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/charlestown/the-quay-road-villa
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/landulph/the-kingfisher-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/cornwall/the-churchtown-residence