A Guide to the Best Beaches in St Ives for 2023

Are you looking for popular beaches with white sands in Cornwall? Maybe you are planning on a trip with family and friends but haven’t decided on a location yet? We’ve got you covered with these beaches in St. Ives with amazing views and many attractions! 

St. Ives, Cornwall, is generally recognised as the United Kingdom’s best seaside town! It is located north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the Celtic Sea’s coast. The decline in the town’s fishing caused them to shift their commercial focus to seaside resorts where people can have fun during summer months.

Now, St. Ives is home to a lot of fabulous resorts that can make it worth your while. You can easily find these places through online booking sites like Booking.com. If you are looking for the best beaches with spectacular views where you can relax, go swimming during high tide in the turquoise waters, or spend hours building sandcastles during low tide, you should visit St. Ives! 

The harbour beaches in St. Ives are accessible, and they are only a stone’s throw away from the town centre and restaurants and cafes that serve great food and incredible artworks.

Porthmeor Beach

If you are looking for popular beaches to surf all year round, Porthmeor is the place for you! It has very consistent surf that works for the whole year. 

But, if you are not up for surfing and want to chill in the sun or walk in the sands, Porthmeor still has you covered! It is one of Cornwall’s best beaches. This beach is a consistent winner of the Blue flag beach award (an award-giving body for beaches, marinas, and tourism boats). 

Porthmeor has excellent cafes and seasonal lifeguard services. You can easily find a surf school here, too. It is a fantastic beach destination for families!

Meanwhile, there are many luxurious places to stay near the beach. An excellent option would be the Mr. Blue Sky near Porthgwidden beach. If you want a place to stay with WiFi and parking, you should check out Porthmeor Sands. It is just 500m from the beach!

Porthminster Beach

This next beach destination in St. Ives is excellent for commuters (either train or bus). It’s among the first sights to welcome you upon arriving at the station. You will get to the beach’s golden sands in just a few minutes of walking.

Porthminster beaches are consistent Blue flag beach awardees. It is an excellent destination for families and friends because of its accessibility. This beach’s location is safe for swimming and has lifeguard services in the summer months.

It also has a spectacular beach cafe and is famous for great seafood and al fresco dining. You can also go for some mini-golf on the 18-hole course along the back of the beach.

If you want a place to stay near the beach with extraordinary services, check out Trevose Harbour House. They have great rooms and a superb breakfast menu.

Meanwhile, if you want to bring many pets on your trip to St. Ives, consider booking with Ryb by the Sea because they allow you to bring a large group of people and it’s dog friendly, too. You can also see 3 Porthminister Mews, which offers two bedrooms for four people and allows you to bring two pets. All of these are near the harbour beach and town centre, too!

St Ives Harbour Beach

Are you looking for more options for sheltered St. Ives beaches? If you want secluded beaches that allow you to see boats, you should check out St Ives harbour beach.

Yes! It is still a working harbour and a magnificent beach simultaneously. It is located right in the town centre, so you will have access to all the amenities you need. You are just a stone’s throw away from fabulous cafes, ice cream shops, park, and restaurants here.

The harbour is not too busy, so it will not ruin your relaxation while you’re in St. Ives. From here you can also book excursions, fishing trips, and rides to the famous Seal Island. If you’re tired of swimming, you can visit the island for a little adventure.

If you want an excellent place to stay near the harbour and other great locations, check out the Wasson Cottage. It offers three comfortable bedrooms and a nice bathroom. You can also opt for the Waves Apartment, which would work great if you also plan to explore the town.

Mermaid House will be an excellent option for you if you go with a large group! The property has four bedrooms and two bathrooms that can cater to eight people. It’s perfect for big families or group of friends who want to visit St. Ives.

Porthkidney Beach

Porthkindey beach is great if you want to walk along the coast path. During low tide, the beach can stretch up to a mile long and you can walk barefoot in the sands. It also offers a great view of the beautiful beaches in the area where the river’s mouth meets the sea.

If you are looking for surf spots, Porthkidney’s northern end has a fickle but popular surf spot called the Hawk point perfect for surfers. If you love to surf, this beach is for you.

There are dangerous areas to avoid when swimming, particularly where the river meets the sea. The tides on this beach move fast, and there’s no lifeguard cover. But this beach is perfect to walk your dog. There’s no seasonal dog ban here, too.

The best part is that there are a lot of properties you can book near the beach. You can go to 7 The Manor, Porthkidney Sands, for a two-bedroom place for four people. But if your goal is to bring a larger group, you should look for the Manor, a three-bedroom property suitable for eight people and one pet.

Carbis Bay

Another popular beach destination in St. Ives is Carbis Bay. This beach is sheltered from both wind and waves. It also has a wide beach with golden sands, making this destination among the top picks for family trips. 

There are also a lot of available cottages in the area, such as The View. You can rent these places out for a nice place to stay. These cottages are dog-friendly too!

It is convenient to reach Carbis Bay even though it is farther than other mentioned beaches. It is located about a mile from the heart of St. Ives, but there is less traffic going towards the area. It is an excellent destination for a group of family and friends.

You can stay in places like Emerald or Surf and Sand, which are just about 100 meters from the beach. 

Porthgwidden Beach

The smallest beach in St. Ives is favoured by families because of its excellent sun protection on the east side. Snorkelers will find the rocky outcrops on either side of the beach enjoyable, and when the tide is out, rockpools are accessible to explore. In addition to a row of bright beach huts that can be rented, there is a small café and restrooms. If you don’t wake up early, don’t bother trying to park in the Island car park as it gets extremely busy, especially during the summer months. 

Are you ready to spend your summer months at the beach? Go to St. Ives where beautiful beaches await you! Be sure to visit our full St Ives town guide for more.

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