10 of Our Favourite Beaches in Cornwall

If there’s one place that has completely stolen our hearts over the years, it’s Cornwall. We’ve been visiting as a family since 2014, totally six trips to date, and I don’t think we’ll ever tire of it! (And once I get hubby on board, I’ll definitely move there… Sigh, one day) There’s just something so magical about this area, with it’s stunning beaches, rugged coastline, fantastic countryside walks, beautiful wildlife and interesting history, in my opinion, Cornwall has it all. Over the years, we’ve explored many different spots and so I thought I would share our 10 favourite beaches with you. Whether you’re looking for calm waters for paddling, soft sand for digging, or dramatic views for your next photo moment, you’ll find each of these qualities within this list…

1. Hayle Beach

Let’s start with a classic – Hayle (basically because this is where I would choose to live). This beach is just beautiful. It is vast, clean, has stunning golden sand and is absolutely perfect for letting the kids run wild. We’ve spent hours here building sandcastles, investigating the rock pools, paddling and playing in the shallows, body boarding and playing beach games. Because it’s such a long stretch of beach, it never feels overcrowded, even during peak summer months. There is a car park up the top, lifeguards on duty, a small cafe and toilets making it ideal for taking children to. The waves can be pretty rough here which is perfect for body boarders and surfers. In my view, this is a must go to beach.

Area: Hayle, TR27 5BU

Parking: Yes – Pay & display (various locations including North Quay & Towans)

Toilets: Yes – seasonal

Cafe: Yes – good options at the beach and nearby in town. Cove Cafe sits in the cliffs

Accessibility: Moderate – some access points are flat, others via dunes or steps

2. Mexico Towans

Just along from Hayle, Mexico Towans feels a little more wild and untouched, which we love. It is a bit of a walk from the car park, but you can choose to do this via Hayle Beach when the tide is out or along the coastal path at the top. It can be a little tricky when you’ve got a big load but I promise, it’s absolutely worth it for the stunning views and peaceful atmosphere. The sand dunes here are perfect for adventurous little climbers and a sand body board ride – this is our children’s favourite game – the beach is sandy and golden and the sea is great for body boarding. On clear days, you can see right across to Godrevy Lighthouse.

Area: Phillack, Hayle, TR27 5EG

Parking: Yes – Pay & display at Sandy Acres or Gwithian

Toilets: Limited – nearest facilities at Gwithian or Hayle

Cafe: Not on this beach, nearest at Gwithian or back at Hayle

Accessibility: Poor – long walk and access over dunes, not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies

3. Carbis Bay

Carbis Bay, ohhh, I adore this beach. It is incredibly family-friendly, with calm turquoise waters that are ideal for swimming, snorkelling and paddleboarding – one of the few spots we can take our board to in Cornwall without the risk of big waves. The sand is golden, there are rocks you can climb and investigate and with the hotel right on the bay, there is food, drink and toilets at hand. There’s usually a lifeguard during summer and a place to hire water equipment and wetsuits. The only downside is that there is limited parking down at the Bay and the closest car park is at the top of the hill. It’s great on the way down, but very hardwork on the way back up after a long day of playing in the water. Having said that, we do it time and time again simply because this bay is so worth it.

Area: Carbis Bay, St Ives, TR26 2NP

Parking: Yes – Limited parking, pay at hotel or uphill public car park

Toilets: Yes – near beach

Cafe: Yes – beach cafe and restaurants

Accessibility: Good – steep hill but paved, access possible for pushchairs

4. Marazion Beach

We fell in love with Marazion when we visited it for the first time in 2021. The beach itself is beautiful, with a mixture of soft sand and stones, rockpools and of course the stunning views of St Michael’s Mount. Walking across the causeway at low tide is such a fun and unique experience for the whole family or at high tide you can make your way across on the boat. This is also another amazing spot for paddleboarding and if you have the stamina you can go all the way around the mount. The town is closeby and is really charming, full of cute shops and cafes.

Area: Marazion, TR17 0EN

Parking: Yes – Pay & display along promenade and town car parks

Toilets: Yes

Cafe: Yes – several options in town and beachside

Accessibility: Good – flat, easy beach access, some parts wheelchair-friendly

5. Praa Sands Beach

Praa Sands has everything you could want in a beach, long stretches of sand, surf-friendly waves and a big car park right by the beach (a rare find in Cornwall!) We’ve spent some brilliant days here with buckets, spades and a picnic in tow. The waves here are can be much bigger than other beaches I have listed above, so bring your bodyboards and/or surfboards. If you can manage it, walk the length of the beach until you come to the rocks where you can explore the pools, have a play and get some great photos.

Area: Praa Sands, Penzance, TR20 9TQ

Parking: Yes – Pay & display at main car park by the beach

Toilets: Yes – near car park

Cafe: Yes – beachfront cafe/bar

Accessibility: Moderate – sloped path, not ideal for wheelchairs but manageable with pushchairs

6. Daymer Bay

Daymer Bay is a hidden peaceful gem, nestled on the Camel Estuary. The water is usually really calm, which makes it perfect for families with smaller children allowing for loads of water play. When the tide goes out, you can walk around the rocky coast to Rock Beach which is absolutely stunning on a clear summers day (see next point).

Area: Near Polzeath, Wadebridge, PL27 6SA

Parking: Yes – Pay & display by beach

Toilets: Yes – seasonal

Cafe: No – nearest facilities at Rock or Polzeath

Accessibility: Moderate – flat-ish walk from car park, some grassy/sandy patches

7. Rock Beach

Rock Beach sits opposite the well known town of Padstow and as mentioned, around the corner from Daymer. This is a gorgeous beach with beautiful golden sand and loads of space when the tide goes out making it ideal for walks, exploring, beach games and pool dipping (the pools are great for children). When the sea is in, it is calm enough for paddleboarding and swimming. There is plenty of room here so just like with Hayle, you don’t ever have to feel as though you are on top of people.

Area: Rock, Wadebridge, PL27 6LD

Parking: Yes – Pay & display car parks in Rock village

Toilets: Yes – public toilets in town

Cafe: Yes – cafes and restaurants in Rock

Accessibility: Good – flat, sandy access with paved paths nearby

8. Sandymouth Beach

Located near to Bude, Sandymouth is one of the more dramatic beaches we’ve visited. There are cliffs, rock pools and pebbles leading to golden sand – it’s a beach that changes character every time we go. This was our local beach during our very first holiday to Cornwall in 2014 (we stayed at the caravan park just up the road) and back then we were wowed by the rippling exposed sand from when the tide went out. The small pools were ideal for our then toddler. We went back last year (2024) and found it to be fantastic for body boarding and rock pooling for our now bigger kids. There is a car park, cafe and toilets on the way down to the beach. If you have the energy, the cliff edge coastal path is lots of fun with the most incredible views. Tip – there is a fab little food shack around 30 minutes away by foot which makes for an ideal cornish treats pit stop and the brook is a nice way for the kids to cool off.

Area: Near Bude, EX23 9EG

Parking: Yes – National Trust (free for members, pay otherwise)

Toilets: Yes – near car park

Cafe: Yes – seasonal cafe above beach

Accessibility: Poor – steep and rocky path, not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies

9. Kynance Cove

We discovered Kynance Cove after a lovely follower on social media messaged me about it and I am so grateful they did. With its turquoise water, dramatic cliffs and white sand, it looks like something straight from a postcard. There is a large car park at the top but I have to warn you that the walk down is steep and not at all buggy or wheelchair friendly. If you can manage it by foot (carrying all you need) you’ll be rewarded with one of the most breathtaking beaches I have ever been to. We only visited for a short time and quite late in the afternoon but we absolutely loved exploring the caves and rock pools, playing in the water and building sandcastles. There is a cafe which I have heard is fab but we didn’t get a chance to try it out – next time!

Area: Lizard Peninsula, Helston, TR12 7PJ

Parking: Yes – National Trust (free for members, pay for others)

Toilets: Yes – by car park (none on beach)

Cafe: Yes – seasonal Kynance Cove Cafe

Accessibility: Poor – steep cliff path down, not buggy or wheelchair-friendly

10. Carlyon Bay

Carlyon Bay in St. Austell, has a bit of a different vibe, a little more rugged and industrial in parts but we really loved it. There’s something about the open space, the long shoreline, and the mix of sand and shingle that makes it perfect for a relaxed beach day or afternoon walk. In summer, they sometimes have food pop-ups and events down there, which is such a lovely touch.

Area: St Austell, PL25 3RG

Parking: Yes – Pay & display (some redevelopment ongoing)

Toilets: Yes – seasonal

Cafe: Yes – pop-ups and seasonal food huts

Accessibility: Moderate – beach access has been improved, but may still be tricky for some

Our Top Tips for visiting Cornish Beaches

I just wanted to add a few tips that we have learnt from visiting over the years that may be useful to you:

• Check tide times – Many beaches can vanish completely under a high tide which can leave you disappointed or possibly cut off if you go for a walk. Always check tide times and do your research before visiting a beach.
• Flags – If the beach has lifeguards, it will have flag indicating where is safe to swim, where to body board and where not to enter the water. Red and yellow is for swimmers and body boarders (but always check if there is a divide with these to keep everyone safe), black and white is for surfers and a red flag means danger, stay out of the water. If you’re ever in doubt just speak to the life guards.
• Invest in full length wetsuits – Cornish waters are usually cold but with a decent full wetsuit, you and your family will be able to stay in the sea much longer (Vinted is a great place to source these).
• Pack for every season – The weather is so changeable in this part of the country so make sure you have jumpers, suncream, hats, waterproofs, jeans, walking boots/wellies as well as normal summer wear. Our Mozy Wraps have been put to such good use over the years in Cornwall.
• Just in case bag – Always have a just in case bag in the car full of some of the above so you aren’t ever caught out.
• Embrace the rain – A cornish beach in the rain can be just as fun as in the sun. Just be prepared with all you’ll need. If you splashing in the water, surfing or body boarding, a bit of rain won’t make any difference anyway.
• Take food and drink – We always, always take a picnic, lots of water in our reusable bottles plus a flask for tea everywhere we go in Cornwall. This means we don’t ever have to spend too much when out, we never miss out on lunch, we keep the kids happy with snacks and we keep warm if the temperature drops.
• Pack efficiently – As you can see, many of these spots require a bit of walking and even taking some tricky pathways to access them. By packing your stuff efficiently, you’ll be able to carry all you need for the day in one trip.
• Leave no trace – I cannot emphasise this enough, do NOT leave anything behind. If you take something to a beach, please, PLEASE take it away with you. No one is employed to do a clean up job after you have gone and with the tides here often coming in high, your waste will simply be swallowed up by the waves, polluting the ocean. Let’s keep our beaches clean and tidy for everyone to enjoy and to protect the wildlife.
• 2 Minute Beach Clean – Even though I popped this above, people obviously DO litter and when they do, it’s down to the more conscientious visiors to help with this. By doing a 2 minute beach clean every time you are at a beach, you will be helping to make a positive difference.

Cornwall really is our happy place. Each beach holds so many memories now, from those first paddles (and first taste of sand!! Ohhh Jake!) to the paddleboarding fun, beach picnics, warm tea in the rain (because Cornwall is known for it’s 4 seasons in one day) as well as the water fun and lots of laughter, we have had a ball every single time. We’ve discovered that there’s no “best beach,” just the best beach for that day, depending on what mood you’re in and what the weather is doing. So, whether you’re after adventure, calm or a bit of both, I promise you that Cornwall has something for everyone.

Have you visited any of these beaches yet? And, more importantly, do you have a favourite we need to add to our list for next time?

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