The single biggest mistake on a 3-day Cornwall trip is trying to see all of it. Cornwall is 80 miles long, with most of the good stuff sitting on single-track lanes. By the time you finish driving from Bude to Land’s End, you’ve used half your trip on the A30. Pick a region instead. Three regional itineraries follow - choose the one that matches your interests and your starting point.
Before you go: 3-day logistics
Get there fast. The Night Riviera sleeper from London Paddington (departs 23:45, arrives Penzance 07:45) buys you a full extra day. From the Midlands, leave by 06:00 to avoid the Bristol bottleneck. From the South East, the train to Truro is faster than driving once you factor in Friday traffic.
Stay in one place. Two-night cottages and hotels are more cost-effective than three single nights, and you waste less time in transit. Most providers run a 2-night minimum from Friday or Saturday in summer.
Pick your region first, then book. All three itineraries below work as a 2-night stay. See our places to stay for live availability.
Itinerary 1: West Penwith (best for first-timers and dramatic landscape)
The Penzance-to-Land’s-End peninsula compresses Cornwall’s iconic moments into 30 miles. Granite moorland, the Atlantic crashing on cliffs, fishing villages that haven’t changed in 200 years, and the Minack Theatre carved into a cliff above turquoise water. Base in Penzance or St Ives.
Day 1 - Penzance and Marazion
Arrive by lunchtime if you can. Drop bags in Penzance (the Artist Residence on Chapel Street is well-located, or the Mount Haven Hotel above Marazion has the best view). Walk the Penzance promenade west to Newlyn for fish and chips at Mackerel Sky or the original Newlyn Galleria for art and lunch.
Afternoon: drive or take the bus 4 miles to Marazion for St Michael’s Mount. Time the visit to the tide - the causeway is exposed at low water and the boat ferry runs at high tide (£3 each way). The castle and gardens take 2-3 hours and need pre-booked tickets in summer.
Evening: dinner in Penzance. The Shore (Tim Smith’s tasting menu, book ahead), the Tolcarne Inn at Newlyn (Ben Tunnicliffe’s pub-with-fine-dining), or Coast for casual seafood. Walk back along the prom at sunset.
Day 2 - Land’s End peninsula loop
Drive the loop anti-clockwise - around 30 miles but allow a full day with stops.
- Mousehole (8:30am) - the harbour wakes up early; before tour buses arrive at 10:00. Coffee at Hole Foods.
- Porthcurno and the Minack Theatre (10:00) - one of Cornwall’s loveliest beaches, overlooked by the open-air clifftop theatre. Minack ticket office £6 day visit, performances £18-£28 (book weeks ahead).
- Lunch at Sennen Cove (13:00) - The Old Success Inn or the Beach Restaurant overlooking a 1-mile sweep of white sand. Lifeguarded in summer.
- Land’s End (14:30) - the cliffs themselves are free; the tourist village charges for parking (£8). Skip the attractions, walk the Coast Path 1 mile to Nanjizal Cove instead.
- Cape Cornwall (16:00) - Cornwall’s other “end,” quieter and arguably more dramatic. National Trust car park free for members. Walk to the chimney stack on the headland.
Back to Penzance for dinner. Save energy for tomorrow.
Day 3 - St Ives and out
Drive or train to St Ives (15 minutes by car, 25 minutes via St Erth). Park-and-train at St Erth (£5 day parking + £4.10 train) is genuinely faster than driving in summer.
Morning: Tate St Ives (£12.50) and the Barbara Hepworth Museum on the same ticket. The Hepworth garden is best in good weather. Lunch at Porthminster Beach Cafe (book the day before) or Porthmeor Beach Cafe (walk in).
Afternoon: walk the Island headland circuit (25 minutes), then a swim at Porthmeor or Porthminster if the sun’s out. Catch the train back to St Erth or drive home from there.
If you have time before the train back to London: a stop at the Carne Family Beer Garden at Cripplesease for a final pint before the long journey home.
Itinerary 2: Falmouth and the Roseland (best for sailing, food, and gardens)
Falmouth and the Roseland sit on Cornwall’s south coast, more sheltered and slightly warmer than the rough Atlantic side. Sailing waters, sub-tropical gardens (Trebah, Glendurgan, Heligan), wooded estuaries, and a cluster of fishing villages. Base in Falmouth.
Day 1 - Falmouth town and beaches
Arrive in Falmouth by mid-afternoon. Direct trains via Truro on the Maritime Line. Drop bags at the Greenbank Hotel (harbour view), the St Michael’s Resort (Gyllyngvase Beach access), or the Royal Duchy.
Walk the High Street to Events Square; the National Maritime Museum Cornwall takes 2-3 hours and is well-priced (£15.50 adult). Tower lookout, Tudor naval gallery, an interactive sailing display.
Late afternoon: Gyllyngvase Beach, the lifeguarded town beach 10 minutes’ walk south of the centre. Swim, paddleboard hire (£15-£20 per hour), or just sit at Gylly Beach Cafe with a coffee. Walk the prom to Swanpool and Maenporth as far as you have time for.
Dinner: Star and Garter, Oliver’s, or HQ on Killigrew Street. Late drink at Mango’s or the Boathouse at the harbour.
Day 2 - The Roseland by ferry
Catch the 10:00 King Harry Ferry (£11 return per car) or the 10:00 passenger ferry from Falmouth to St Mawes (£8 single). The Roseland is south of the Carrick Roads - quiet lanes, hidden coves, the early-Christian church at St Just-in-Roseland sitting in a sub-tropical churchyard.
- St Mawes - tiny village, 16th-century castle (English Heritage), three pubs.
- St Just-in-Roseland - the church and waterside graveyard, palms and tree ferns.
- Pendower Beach and Carne - white sand, golden sand, both unspoiled.
- Veryan - a village of round whitewashed cottages built to keep the devil out.
Lunch at the Idle Rocks (smart, book ahead) in St Mawes, or the Plume of Feathers in Portscatho. Last ferry back to Falmouth around 17:30.
Evening: try MaeMae for small plates or the Working Boat Pub for a harbour-view pint and pub food.
Day 3 - Trebah, Glendurgan, and home
Drive to Trebah Garden (10:00 opening, £14) - sub-tropical valley garden tumbling down to a private beach on the Helford. Allow 2 hours. Glendurgan next door (National Trust, £14, free for members) has a famous laurel maze.
Lunch at the Pandora Inn at Restronguet - 13th-century pub on the creek, you can watch boats from the deck. Drive back via the King Harry Ferry route for one last estuary crossing.
Itinerary 3: North Cornwall (best for surfing, walks, and family beaches)
The Atlantic-facing north coast - high cliffs, big surf, broad sandy beaches, and the most family-friendly stretch of coast in the south west. Base in Padstow for food and the Camel Trail, or Newquay for surf and family attractions.
Day 1 - Padstow harbour and the Camel Trail
Arrive in Padstow by mid-afternoon. Park at the long-stay car park above the harbour (£15 for 2 days). Walk the harbour, browse Stein’s Bakery (the cardamom rolls go quickly), the deli, and the fishmonger.
Late afternoon cycle: Padstow to Wadebridge on the Camel Trail (5.5 miles each way, flat, traffic-free, on the disused railway following the Camel Estuary). Hire from Padstow Cycle Hire or Trail Bike Hire. Pints at the Bridge Coffee House in Wadebridge or pub lunch at the Old Quay before riding back.
Dinner: book ahead. Rick Stein’s Cafe (casual), Prawn on the Lawn (counter only), the Old Custom House (locally caught fish), or the Cornish Arms 10 minutes’ drive at St Merryn for Stein’s pub.
Day 2 - Bedruthan, Mawgan Porth, and Newquay
Drive south on the B3276 - the cliff road from Padstow through Constantine Bay, Treyarnon, and Porthcothan. Slow down. This is one of Britain’s most photographed coastlines.
- Bedruthan Steps (10:00) - towers of granite rising from a beach, viewpoints from the National Trust car park (free to members, £6 otherwise). Beach access via 150 steps, only at low tide.
- Mawgan Porth (12:00) - mile-long beach, lifeguards, the Catch seafood restaurant for lunch.
- Newquay (14:00) - surf town. Fistral Beach lesson with Escape Surf School (£35-£45, 2 hours, all kit), or Watergate Bay if you want emptier surf.
Evening: dinner at The Headland Hotel for a sunset view over Fistral, or back at Padstow.
Day 3 - Tintagel or Polzeath
Two options. Tintagel (45 minutes north) for the dramatic English Heritage castle on the headland, the new footbridge across the gully, and Boscastle harbour for lunch. Polzeath (15 minutes east) for a swim, surf, or coastal walk to Pentireglaze Haven and the Rumps. Both are great. Polzeath wins for swimmers; Tintagel for legend-and-castle fans.
Drive home via the A39 (the Atlantic Highway) - slower than the A30 but a more interesting end to the trip.
How to choose
| Region | Best for | Where to base | Hardest to do without a car |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Penwith | Drama, history, walking | Penzance or St Ives | Bedruthan, Cape Cornwall |
| Falmouth and Roseland | Food, sailing, gardens | Falmouth | Roseland (some bus routes) |
| North Cornwall | Surf, beaches, families | Padstow or Newquay | Bedruthan, Mawgan Porth, Tintagel |
If you’ve never been to Cornwall, west Penwith concentrates the iconic moments. If you’ve done that and want something quieter, head to the Roseland. If you’re surfing or have kids, north Cornwall.
Add-ons if you have an extra half-day
- Eden Project (10 miles inland from St Austell) - 3-4 hours, £35 adult. Adds half a day to any itinerary; only worth the detour if you genuinely want to see it.
- Lost Gardens of Heligan (near Mevagissey) - 3 hours, £19.50. Better in spring and autumn than summer.
- Lanhydrock (National Trust, near Bodmin) - 3 hours including the cycle trail. Free for members.
More planning resources
- Cornwall road trip itinerary - 7-day full-county loop
- Getting to Cornwall
- Getting around Cornwall
- Cornwall guide
- Cornwall essentials
