8 Of The Best Family Beaches In Cornwall
With about 420 miles of coastline, Cornwall has loads of family-friendly sandy beaches and coves lapped by calm, shallow waters.
While the adults soak up the sun, the kids can build sandcastles, splash around in rock pools looking for starfish or learn to paddleboard. And with the South West Coast Path never too far away, there's also scope for a spot of rambling for the whole brood.
Buckets and spades at the ready? Check out Pitchup’s top eight family beaches in Cornwall.
1) Porthpean Beach
Calm waters and shipwreck displays
Small but perfectly formed, sandy Porthpean Beach sits between two promontories along St Austell Bay.
A paved ramp just down the road from the car park makes it easy to access (especially useful for parents with buggies), and its clear, placid waters will have the kids stripping off and paddling before you’ve even had time to unfurl your beach towel.
If the weather turns, a mile-long stroll along the South West Coast Path leads to Charlestown Harbour, where the Shipwreck Treasure Museum keeps kids transfixed with interesting salvaged items and tales of sunken vessels.
2) Carlyon Bay
Disc golf and adventures at the Eden Project
At Carlyon Bay, also on St Austell Bay, you can let the kids loose to tire themselves out as they fly kites, kick a ball around or play tag on almost two miles of sand across three connected beaches.
With food trucks and beach bars, not to mention a handy car park, this golden stretch also has paddleboard hire and a disc golf course for fab family days out. Prepare for the start of lifelong rivalries as you try to fly a Frisbee into a metal basket – laughter is guaranteed, especially when the Cornish sea breeze gets in on the action.
If you’re looking for some family adventure, there are ziplines, climbing frames and canopy walks at the Eden Project, about three miles inland. And though nobody has ever wished for rain while holidaying at the seaside, the centre’s artificial tropical storms might bring welcome relief from the humid heat of the Rainforest Biome.
Find campsites in St Austell Bay.
3) Mawgan Porth
Caves and sand games on a dog-friendly beach
On the other side of the Cornish peninsula, Mawgan Porth’s wide expanse of blond sand stretches between the River Menalhyl and a green headland.
Shops near the car park sell everything from buckets and spades to bats and balls so you can keep the kids entertained at one of the best family beaches in Cornwall.
But there’s also family adventure to be had without springing for additional gear. Caves at the north end of the beach are a playground for children who want to gather their mateys and make like pirates. Just be sure to check the tide times before heading in. And while we’re on the subject of safety, it’s good to know that Mawgan Porth has a lifeguard service throughout the warmer months.
You can also bring your canine buddy, even at the height of summer, meaning the whole family can spend a day together at the seaside.
4) Porthmeor Beach and Harbour Sand
Surf school and seal-watching boat trips
If the kids have been harassing you about wanting to surf, there are worse places for them to learn than the sandy Porthmeor Beach in St Ives. While you rest under the sun, the local surf school’s friendly, experienced instructors can get your kids riding the waves within a matter of hours.
The South West Coast Path skirts The Island, the green promontory at the eastern end of Porthmeor, which has expansive views of the town and its beaches.
Those who continue walking all the way to Harbour Sand will have worked up quite the appetite by the time they get there. So it’s just as well that this port area is lined with shops selling Cornish fudge, ice cream, and fish and chips. Parched grown-ups can grab a cheeky pint, too. Keep an eye out for those greedy seagulls, though.
Harbour Sand is also the starting point for kid-friendly mackerel fishing trips and sea safaris to Seal Island, home to a colony of Atlantic grey seals.
Check out campsites near St Ives.
5) Treyarnon Bay
Rock pools and a natural swimming hole
Popular with families, not least because it’s dog-friendly year-round, this spot is set in a deep, sheltered cove. In fact, we’re so taken with this stretch of sand that it’s also in our list of the best beaches in Cornwall.
Budding marine biologists can get up close and personal with crabs, shrimp and other sea creatures scurrying around tidal pools.
This area is also home to the daddy of all rock pools, a large natural swimming hole just north of the beach. Even on windy days, when the sea is too choppy for comfort, the water here is calm enough to swim in or practise your dives and cannonballs. Again, keep an eye on the tide times, because the Rock Pool (as the locals call it, appropriately enough) becomes fully submerged at high tide.
Choose your campsite in Treyarnon Bay.
6) Porth Beach
A wide beach, rock pools and a tall bridge
At low tide, you’ll have to walk for about 500 metres before even getting to the water at this wide sandy beach deep between two headlands. So, before you head towards the sea for a dip, be sure to have your bodyboard with you or it’s a long trek back to base to retrieve it. Lifeguards are on duty for the whole summer season, but fetching your forgotten surf gear is not in their job description.
While the smallest of your brood will love splashing around the rock pools and making friends with marine life, older kids can test their head for heights at the Porth Beach Bridge, which leads to Trevelgue Head with its far-reaching coastal views. Meanwhile, those missing soccer practice can try their hand (um, foot?) at football golf on a nearby course.
Search for Porth Beach campsites.
7) Marazion Beach
Long beach with shallow water and views of St Michael’s Mount
Headlands make for sheltered beaches that suit families with young children, but they can also make you feel hemmed in. If you long for wide open spaces and miles of sand, Marazion (which blends into Penzance's Long Rock Beach at the western end) could be the spot for you.
Marazion is popular with watersports enthusiasts, from paddleboarders to kayakers. During the summer months, lifeguards keep an eye on proceedings, but this beach is a good choice for family days out in Cornwall because the water’s so shallow that you can paddle for ages and still only be about waist deep. At low tide, you can even walk to St Michael’s Mount, an island just off the shore, via a causeway.
Nearby car parks, cycle hire facilities and cafés sweeten the deal: The Hoxton Special runs yoga classes for stressed-out parents in need of a bit of om, while kids after some nom can wander off to Jordan’s for ice cream.
Look for campsites at Marazion.
8) Holywell Bay
Golden beach with sand dunes, surf schools and nature trails
One of several National Trust-run beaches in Cornwall, Holywell Bay is a swathe of golden sand that will please even the most demanding among the bucket-and-spade brigade.
The bay has lots of tidal pools, as well as a stream where the kids can splash around safely. Or they can take their fishing nets along and try to pull in the catch of the day.
There are also a couple of surf schools for those who wish to hit the water with nothing but a board between them and the Atlantic swells.
But what sets this beach apart from the rest for days out with the kids is the network of dunes just behind it – frolics aplenty are to be had rolling down them. And little explorers can look for bugs on one of the National Trust’s wildlife walks.
Pick a campsite near Holywell Bay
Now you’ve chosen from the best family beaches in Cornwall, check out our top sites in the county. Alternatively, find out where to go wild camping.