- Holiday ideas
Beach scene with view of St Michaels Mount© VisitBritain 
Land's End© VisitBritain 
Coastal scene, western Cornwall© VisitBritain 
Minack Open-Air Theatre© VisitBritain 
Padstow© VisitBritain 
View of St Michael's Mount© VisitBritain No longer just about the pasties and the fish and chips (though it does these well!), Cornwall has oodles to offer for family holidays or breaks: mile on mile of beautiful coastline (both stunning beaches and cute coves and creeks for shrimping and crabbing), a thriving watersports community allowing kids to try their hand at swimming, surfing, sailing, body-boarding and so on, fantastic gardens, museums and a thriving arts centre based around St Ives. Facilities just about everywhere seem to have had a makeover, so shops, cafés, harbours… you name it!… are generally more chi chi than ever before.
Due to the shape of Cornwall, nothing’s too far away (meaning less back-seat whinging) – it’s possible to visit a garden in the morning, have lunch in a pub and spend the afternoon on a beach before returning home for some crabbing if you’re lucky enough to be near a seaside wall and a shop that sells bacon. But this all comes with a price tag attached, and with more 2 million people visiting each year, Cornwall can also get very crowded in summer.
Despite the overwhelming choice of attractions (of which we give the highlights below), Cornwall itself and its beautiful villages and beaches, each with its particular charm, should remain the main focus of any family holiday. It may come as a surprise to find that despite offering so many things to see and do, Cornwall’s pace of life remains reassuringly slow.
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Things to do with kids in Cornwall
Keep the family busy in Falmouth – enjoy the views from Pendennis Castle or take a boat-trip in the bay. Ferries operate year round and can take you over to St Mawes with its castle or up the Malpas river to Truro. The boat-trips themselves are enough to keep youngsters happy and the ferrymen are used to lugging buggies up and down the steps. There are five main beaches round the town, with Maenporth and Swanpool popular with families with young kids as the beaches are small and the water shallow. As on lots of Cornish beaches, you’ll find watersports facilities, lifeguards in summer, and cafés to keep the little ones from flagging. Gyllingvase is popular, with a great café year-round and lovely views. The National Maritime Museum has a pool where kids can try their hand at sailing wooden boats and holiday arts and crafts (the presence of its own café plus a Pizza Express and Rick Stein’s Fish and Chips outside in the square make this a popular choice).
Falmouth and its hamlets are surrounded by gorgeous gardens, most exceptionally child friendly, though some of the terrain makes it hard going for buggy-pushers. Trebah has a private beach to stroll down to; kids will enjoy the adventure play areas and children’s trails on the way. Trevarno has a vintage toy museum and a great play area in the middle of the woods. Younger kids will enjoy saying hello to Father Christmas’s reindeer, who take a well-deserved break there. Also worth a visit are Trellisick (catch the King Harry Ferry afterwards and head to The Smugglers Cottage for a cream tea, with the kids in full view below you on the beach), Glendurgan with its maze, and Trewithen.
You can happily spend a day at The Eden Project eco-attraction whatever the weather. The Lost Gardens of Heligan will delight gardening enthusiasts but kids might find some of the paths difficult.
Discover St Ives, an artists’ retreat with terrific galleries, a branch of the Tate and the Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden. With its picturesque and lively harbour and great restaurants, it gets very busy but is bearable if you are just visiting for the day. Of the beautiful beaches, Porthminster has the added bonus of its famous Porthminster Restaurant and Café.
Head to the north coast of Cornwall for better waves for surfers – Fistral Beach at Newquay is where the surfing championships are held, and older kids love the hive of activity that surrounds the beach, full of nightclubs and entertainment. There’s a great aquarium at Towan Beach. Cornwall’s Crealy Great Adventure Park and Dairyland Farmworld, both near Newquay, are good to have up your sleeve for bad weather.
Venture to Fowey (pronounced Foy) – like other towns along the southern coast, it has a rich history. One of the most expensive towns in which to own property in the UK, it's brilliant for family holidays, with great restaurants and the famously child-friendly Fowey Hall Hotel (see Accommodation), which inspired Toad Hall in Wind in the Willows. Fowey Regatta is very popular for the spectacle of the giant pasty being rowed from Polruan to Fowey, the Red Arrows making a daredevil appearance and the Carnival Parade, which kids can enter.
Pack a picnic and head to the Minack Theatre for an unforgettable experience in this amphitheatre hewn out of the rock (bring cushions and blankets). There are daytime and evening performances. Close by is St Michael's Mount, which you get to by boat if the tide is in, or by foot along the causeway when it’s out (popular with kids but make sure you’ve got the tides right!).
Take the family to the Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Centre with its artefacts recovered from lost ships over the last 50 years. Poldark Mine and Geevor Tin Mine are popular spots for learning what life was like underground for a Cornish miner.
Experience what life was like in the Blitz at Flambards, a popular attraction that also boasts a Victorian village. Another unmissable is the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, which gives kids the chance to see seals close up as they recuperate before being released back into the wild.
Eat
Cornwall is a haven for food-lovers, with great local produce and some internationally renowned eateries. You can enjoy everything from pasties from the local corner store to Michelin-starred restaurants, and, of course, fresh fish galore. No family holiday here is complete without at least one meal of fish and chips – they’re good all over but you won't regret making a trip to one of Rick Stein's eat-in or takeaway fish and chip shops in Falmouth and Padstow (just don't try to fight your way into the latter in high season).
Rodda’s is famous for its clotted cream, ice-cream and fudge, and a famous Cornish cream tea is a must – Roskillys does a great one on its farm near Helston.
By Rachelle Keyes
Next Accommodation
When to go to Cornwall
If you’re not put off by the crowds, summer is a great time to visit, with no end of regattas and carnivals (Falmouth Week and Fowey Regatta are both in August).
But if you’re after a quieter family holiday, take advantage of the fact that the Gulf Stream means winters in Cornwall are milder than anywhere else in the UK yet the beaches will often be empty – and the cost of accommodation will be lower.
How to get to Cornwall
Gone are the days of hours sitting in overheating vehicles with little ones asking 'Are we there yet?' – Cornwall now has excellent road, rail and air links from all around the country. London–Falmouth is about 450km or 5hrs by road, or about 5hrs 30mins by train, usually with one change, at Truro. If you’re coming from northern England or Scotland, you might want to check out flights to Newquay Airport.
Cost
Cornwall can be a very expensive famly holiday option if you choose to splurge and stay at one of its many splendidly family-friendly upmarket hotels. Parking costs can also mount up in high season.
Aim to self-cater if you’re on a more restricted budget – and think about coming outside of summer too. Expect to pay £300–700/wk to stay in a cottage, depending on time of year, size and proximity to the coast.
Previous Accommodation
Family friendly places to stay in Cornwall
Cornwall has an almost overwhelming choice of gorgeous family-friendly hotels where you can all have fun and be pampered, many offering childcare. See our favourites below - we are especially fond of Sands Resort Hotel & Spa (voted best family hotel in the UK in Tripadvisor awards) and the nearby chic but ultra-child-friendly Bedruthan Steps.
If you prefer the flexibility of self-catering accommodation, Cottages4you has hundreds of cottages in Cornwall; become a TaketheFamily member to receive exclusive discounts.
See also Hoseasons’ holiday parks and lodges in Cornwall or quirky and/or eco-friendly suggestions in our features Unusual Places to Stay: UK and Green Places to Stay: Europe.
Key:
Self-catering
Hotel
Editors favourite
Kids Club
Fowey Hall, Cornwall
Great service and family-friendly facilities at the place that inspired Toad Hall, located on the south Cornish coast.
The Rosevine, Cornwall
Luxury family holidays and breaks in Cornwall with a flexible twist – stay on a B&B basis, self-cater, or do a bit of both.
The Cornwall Hotel, Spa and Estate, Cornwall
A luxury family-friendly hotel set within woodlands in Cornwall and just a short drive from a selection of beaches.
Sands Resort Hotel & Spa, Cornwall
Friendly hotel overlooking beautiful beaches in Cornwall with a great range of activities and childcare.
Watergate Bay Hotel, Cornwall
A great family hotel and resort for older kids and teens, who can take advantage of the excellent surfing tuition in Cornwall.
Haven Perran Sands, Cornwall
Located on the Cornish coast, with direct access to the beach and its own surf school, making this holiday park a hit with all the family.
Feather Down Farms, Boswarthen Farm, Cornwall
Family-run dairy farm, just a ten minute drive from the north and south coasts in Cornwall.
Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall
Stylish hotel for family holidays and breaks in Cornwall, ultra-child-friendly and also eco-friendly.
The Falmouth Hotel, Cornwall
Within walking distance to the local centre where you will find a good selection of shops, cafes, the harbour and attractions plus kids under 15 stay free.
Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall
Cornwall’s quintessential seaside family hotel.
St Mellion International Resort, Cornwall
Contemporary and luxurious 4-star Cornish resort with something for the whole family.
Haven Riviere Sands, Cornwall
Sensational sea views, gorgeous white sand and turquoise sea.
Coombe Mill Farm Holidays, Cornwall
Family friendly farm and fishing holidays in Cornwall. Magical for children
The Olde House, Cornwall
A family run farm with stone built Holiday cottages on the North Cornish Coast, with indoor pool, playbarn & pet's corner.
Sail Loft Five Star Apartments, Cornwall
Five star luxury coastal holiday rental homes, interior designed with a relaxed modern style and a unique character.
The Royal Duchy, Cornwall
Kind and friendly staff make this Cornish hotel a comfortable family-friendly holiday experience with high standard of facilities and service.
The Valley, Cornwall
In the picturesque Cornish countryside, with luxury family cottages and all the facilities needed on the holiday park for a quite family holiday.
Gwel An Mor, Cornwall
Overlooking the ocean, close to the beach and variety of pubs and restaurants within walking distance in Cornwall.
Whitsand Bay Lodges, Torpoint, Cornish Riviera , Cornwall
Great for exploring Cornwall beaches, has indoor pool and children's play area.
Penstowe Park, Cornwall
A family friendly resort in north Cornwall, close to beaches.
Hengar Manor, Cornwall
Award winning resort offering activities and exploration opportunities.
Honicombe Manor Resort, St Ann's Chapel Village, Callington , Cornwall
Quality accommodation and excellent facilities.
Farm and Cottage Holidays, Cornwall
Hand-picked self catering holiday cottages throughout Cornwall and the West Country.
Tresanton, Cornwall
Elegant, stunning coastal location, terrific service and great reputation, this is an ideal family hotel in Cornwall.
The Esplanade Hotel, Cornwall
Family friendly beach hotel in Cornwall with surf centre and plenty for the kids to do.
Tregea Harlyn Bay, Cornwall
A luxury family holiday house in Cornwall with a spacious garden ofering plenty of outdoor living and entertainment space and just a short walk from the beach.
Mawgan Porth Eco Lodges & Eco Terrace, Cornwall
Luxurious and environmentally-friendly family holiday accommodation in the form of lodges and terraces and with fantastic facilities.
Mawgan Porth Yurt and Airstream Villages , Cornwall
Unique and luxurious accommodation in the form of yurts and airstreams on an eco- and family-friendly resort on the Cornish coast.
Mawgan Porth Cottages and Houses , Cornwall
Luxurious and stylish cottages and houses on an eco family resort, just a stone's throw from the beach in Cornwall.
Next When and How
Family friendly organised trips in Cornwall
Though Cornwall generally isn't the place for organised family trips, those looking to learn or improve at surfing may find a specialised holiday of benefit.
Key:
Self-catering
Hotel
Editors favourite
Kids Club
Global Boarders Family Surf Vacations
Fully tailored & expertly guided award-winning, low impact, high quality Family Surf Trips.
Next When and How
Family friendly organised days out in Cornwall
Key:
Self-catering
Hotel
Editors favourite
Kids Club
Eden Project
An iconic Cornish venue where where you can expand your knowledge of nature through exhibits and interactives.
Next When and How
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