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We're off down to that area in a couple of weeks, so are there any 'must see' places or things to do for two adults and an 8yr old girl?* Its been over 10yrs since we've been to Cornwall.
Of course if the weather is good, most of the week will be spent on the beach!
*no suggestions of surfing please, I'm not that keen on swimming in the sea, and my daughter can only do widths in the pool.
Just come back from a week in the Isles of Scilly ( pics coming soon ). You can do a day trip on the boat from Penzance quite cheaply. Do it in good weather as it's a fair distance to cross but the reward is incredible. Quite unique, stunningly beautiful, loads to do, have a beach to yourselves if you want to do nothing, snorkel with seals, the best seafood I've tasted in England. I could go on all day.
Just do it.
men an tol, the Merry Maidens and Lanyon Quoit
minack and porth kernow
st Michaels mount
For lunch: the Gurnards head and Trelowarren
Go th the proper bottom of England at Lizard Point it's not tacky like Land's End which is a right armpit of an attraction .Lizard is more understated and the trip round the lighthouse is good for a few quid .Visit the Witchball Inn for very good seafood but watch your head on the lowbeams if you are over 5ft 10
Take the open top bus from Penzance to St Ives via Land's End - I did this with my 8 yr old last year and she really enjoyed it,. You can stop off along the way at various places including [url= http://www.minack.com/ ]The Minack Theatre [/url]which does free children's shows during the summer.
2nd men an tol, nice little walk on the moor to get to it too (only half mile or so-not quite enough to p. the little ones off!)
Bit commercial but my kids love Crealy (nr newquay 30 mins or so drive from PZ-book online for discount on the tickets)
Maize maze nr. Hayle (10 mins from PZ) is a good day out too and fairly reasonable.
Hope you get good weather, beaches around Hayle are great for the family (Mexico has great tidal pool in the sand for the young uns)
Have a good one 🙂
Forgot Dairyland (also nr Newquay) My girls (6 and 10 - thats their ages not their names!) love it, good farm based "theme park". Theres also a really good well equipped playground right on the seafront at Marazion just outside PZ that they love to go to. Hours of fun, nice benches to sit on when your not in "Dad I'm stuck!" mode on the climbing frames and free!
Thanks all - can anyone from the daytime posters add anything?!
Cheers
Buy fish and shellfish from the harbour/market in Newlyn and barbecue it on the beach at sunset with a little disposable barbie.
You MUST eat at the Gurnards Head nr Zennor (nr St Ives) - amazing food and lovely pub. Porthminster Cafe in St Ives is also a winner.
Go to St Michael's Mount (it's great) and even if you don't surf, check out Sennen Cove and if you don't mind a quick walk, Gwenvor beach.
Anywhere around Porthcurno (Minack) is stunning as it the Lizard Peninsula - very nearby. Also check out Porthleven - a lovely fishing town with nice places to eat and drink.
On your way down, stop at Bedruthan Steps beach (check tides) and on your way back go via St Austell, the Eden Project.
Down on the Lizard is wonderful but Roskilly's icecream is a great place to visit, lovely farm, laid back, peaceful and gorgeous icecream. On the way stop off at RAF Culdrose viewing point on a flying day.
The Minack is fab especially when a school of dolphins swim by behind the stage, it suspended the play when I was there!
Go to Sennen in the evening for the most amazing sunset.
Walk some of the coastal path for exploring more remote coves.
There are lots of Celtic stones etc, get an OS map to find them.
Logan Rock is a great place and there is a great beach that is a climb down so doesn't attract the usual beach crowd, from memory you have to go through the camping site which is also a good site.
+1 for the park at Marazion, spent many happy times there.
As said before a trip to the Scilly's is fab, the helicopter is fun.
St Ives is lovely, Tate is a good hit, but the town is busy.
Enjoy! We're going in August, I married a Cornishman so know it well and love it dearly.
Ayup Tim
If you fancy getting some family biking in, you can ride the Coast to Coast route between Portreath and Bissoe. If you're not bringing bikes then you can hire some from Bissoe.
Otherwise, pretty much as everyone has suggested. Go for a drive along the coast between St Ives and Lands End - proper remote feeling you won't get anywhere else in Cornwall (except Bodmin Moor!). There's Paradise Park in Hayle which has all types of exotic birds (feathered variety)- not been tehre for years admitedly but used to like it when I was a kid. Talking of Hayle - the Maize Maze looked pretty barren when I drove past last week so don't bother with that. Praa Sands is nice as is Gwithian/Godrevey for beach action.
Scillies is good for a day trip, but it's a flat bottomed ship so if the sea is choppy, the 2hr or so trip over is not pleasant! You can fly over but it's pretty expensive.
When i was down that way.
I swapped and small shinny rock for a camera tripod, played trivial pursuit with a dice made from a lump of Hash then slept with a lizard.....
Kids will love it.