Cornwall holiday guide: best beaches, where to stay, St Ives & getting there

E By Emma · Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Newquay (NQY), Exeter (EXT), Bristol (BRS)

Best time to go

May-June and September; avoid the August crowds if you can

Type

Region

Cornwall is England's favourite seaside escape, and it is easy to see why. More than 400 miles of coastline wrap around the county, from the wide surf beaches of the north coast to the sheltered coves and creeks of the south. Add art colonies, fishing harbours, pasties and cream teas, and the gardens of the mild climate, and it is a holiday that rarely disappoints, as long as you avoid the worst of the summer traffic.

Next door is Devon, and for more ideas see our United Kingdom guide.

Where to stay

• St Ives – galleries, Tate St Ives and lovely town beaches; very busy in August.
• Padstow and Rock – foodie harbour town on the Camel Estuary, close to the Camel Trail and good beaches.
• Newquay – the surfing capital, with Fistral Beach and lively nightlife; it also has the county's airport.
• Falmouth – a harbour town with a student buzz, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and easy boat trips up the Fal.
• Penzance and Mousehole – handy for the far west, St Michael's Mount and Land's End, with the train terminus in town.
• The Lizard and Roseland – quieter, wilder south-coast peninsulas with coves such as Kynance and pretty villages like St Mawes.
• Fowey and Looe – south-east Cornwall, nearer to Plymouth, with estuary walks and fishing harbours.

Things to do

1. St Michael's Mount – walk the causeway at low tide or take a boat to the island castle.
2. The Eden Project – giant biomes full of rainforest and Mediterranean plants near St Austell.
3. Minack Theatre – an open-air theatre carved into the cliffs at Porthcurno.
4. Surf at Fistral, Polzeath or Sennen – plenty of surf schools take beginners.
5. South West Coast Path – walk a section such as St Ives to Zennor or around the Lizard Point.
6. Tintagel Castle – clifftop ruins linked to the legend of King Arthur, reached by a footbridge.
7. The Lost Gardens of Heligan – a restored Victorian estate with jungle valley.
8. The Camel Trail – a flat cycle route between Padstow, Wadebridge and Bodmin.

Best time to visit

Late May, June and September are the sweet spot, with long days, warming seas and far fewer people than in the school holidays. July and August are lively but roads, car parks and beaches are crowded and accommodation is at its most expensive. Spring brings camellias and magnolias to the great gardens, while winter is quiet, stormy and atmospheric, with some cafés and attractions closed.

Getting there

GWR trains from London Paddington reach Truro in about 4h30 and Penzance in about five hours, and the Night Riviera sleeper runs most nights except Saturdays. From Manchester and Birmingham, CrossCountry runs direct trains to Plymouth and Penzance. By car it is roughly four to five hours from London via the M4, M5 and A30, or the A303 past Stonehenge, but summer Saturdays can be far slower. Newquay airport has some domestic flights, including routes from London, though schedules are often seasonal.

Getting around

A car makes it easiest to reach smaller beaches and villages, but be prepared for narrow lanes with high hedges and reversing to passing places. Branch lines from the main railway run to St Ives, Falmouth, Newquay and Looe, and the St Ives line hugs the coast. Bus networks cover the main towns, and many popular spots, such as St Ives, are easier to visit by park and ride than by driving into the centre.

We research every guide carefully, but prices, opening times and timetables change. Check them shortly before you travel. Links to our booking partners are affiliate links.