A Cornwall family holiday lives or dies on pacing. Kids cannot cope with seven attractions in five days; they cope brilliantly with two beach days, one big-attraction day, one easy day, and a slow morning before the journey home. This itinerary is built around that rhythm. Base in north Cornwall (Mawgan Porth, Newquay, or Padstow) for the broadest mix of beaches, attractions, and short drives. Adapt by age - everything below works for kids from around 4 to 12.
Before you go: family logistics
Pick a base on the north coast. Mawgan Porth is the strongest single location - mile-long beach, lifeguards, two pubs, four attractions within 15 minutes’ drive, and 5 minutes from Newquay airport. Newquay itself has the most variety. Padstow has the Camel Trail at its back door.
Book the big stuff in advance. Eden Project and Newquay Zoo both offer 15-20% discounts when booked online ahead of the day. Surf lessons fill up by 9am for that day’s lessons in summer - book the day before by phone.
Pack for British weather. Wetsuits for the kids (3mm shorty, around £30 from Mountain Warehouse, lasts 2-3 holidays). Waterproofs for everyone. A flask. Spare warm layer per child. The summer high in Cornwall is 19°C; the sea peaks at 17°C in late August.
Holiday parks vs cottages. Holiday parks (Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth, Polzeath, Crantock) come with pools, kids’ clubs, and on-site cafes - high-stress-free but pricier in peak season. Cottages give you a kitchen, washing machine, and outdoor space; better value if you have older kids who don’t need a kids’ club.
Day 1: Arrive, settle, beach
Morning travel. Aim to arrive in Cornwall by 14:00. Drive: leave London by 06:00 to dodge Bristol traffic. Train: London Paddington direct to Bodmin Parkway (4 hours) then taxi or pre-booked transfer to your cottage.
Afternoon. Drop bags. Walk straight to the beach. Mawgan Porth, Watergate Bay, or Crantock all work for first-day low-energy beaching - shallow tidal pools, soft sand, lifeguards in summer. Don’t try to start activities on the first day; the kids are tired, the parents are tired, the priority is getting feet in salt water and starting the holiday.
Evening. Pizza, pasta, or fish and chips. Most coastal towns have a child-friendly takeaway within walking distance of accommodation. Mawgan Porth has the Beach Hut Bistro (kid menu £6.95). Newquay has dozens of options on Beach Road and Fore Street. Padstow’s Cherry Tree Cafe does early-evening family suppers.
Day 2: Eden Project (the big-attraction day)
Why first. Eden Project is a 4-hour visit minimum, weather-proof, and uses the day everyone is fresh. £35 adult, £18 child (5-16), under-5s free. Online booking 15% off. Open 09:30-18:00 in summer.
Driving. From Mawgan Porth, 45 minutes via the A39 and A30. From Newquay, 50 minutes. From Padstow, 1 hour.
What to do there.
- Mediterranean Biome - 30 minutes; warm, tropical, smells of orange blossom.
- Rainforest Biome - 60 minutes; humid, full of waterfalls, bird sounds, banana plants.
- Outdoor garden - 60 minutes; the canopy walkway is suspended above the rainforest.
- Hangloose Adventure - the SkyWire zip line crosses the entire pit (£28 extra, age 7+, weight limits apply).
- Mud Kitchen and Den Building in the outdoor zone keeps younger kids occupied.
Lunch at the Eden Cafe inside (£7-£10 per kid) or pack a picnic and eat in the orchard.
On the way back: stop at Charlestown for harbour and tall ships (free to walk around), or the Lost Gardens of Heligan (£19.50 adult, £8 child) if you have stamina left and the kids are 6+.
Evening. Easy dinner, early bed.
Day 3: Beach day
The recovery day. Kids are tired, parents are tired, the budget needs a rest.
Morning. Pick one beach and stay there. Best options for families:
- Polzeath - long sandy bay, lifeguards, surf lessons from age 6+, beach cafes, Atlantic Surf Lifesaving Club for beginners.
- Crantock - gentle waves, the Gannel river estuary good for paddling, no surf school.
- Daymer Bay - sheltered, good for younger kids, the dunes for hide-and-seek, walk to the church in the dunes.
- Harlyn Bay - reliably sheltered, well suited to kids learning to swim.
Bring. Bodyboards (£10-£15 to buy in any beach town shop, or hire from cafes for £5/day), buckets and spades, towels, snacks, sunscreen, and one parent at any time keeping eyes on lifeguard flags.
Lunch. Beach cafes do this perfectly. The Beach Hut at Watergate Bay, Surfside at Mawgan Porth, the Polzeath Beach Cafe. Expect £8-£12 per kid for fish goujons and chips, £15+ for adult mains.
Afternoon. Continue beaching. Or, if energy permits and the kids are 5+, an introductory surf lesson with one of the Cornwall surf schools - Surf Sanctuary at Polzeath, Escape Surf School at Newquay, Harlyn Surf School. £30-£45 for a 2-hour group lesson, all kit included.
Evening. Pub dinner. Dog-friendly pubs are also kid-friendly. The Smugglers Inn at Cubert, the Bowgie Inn at West Pentire (sunset over Crantock), the Tinners at Trevaunance, the Mariners at Rock all welcome families.
Day 4: The Camel Trail by bike, or Newquay Zoo
Two strong options. Pick one.
Option A: Camel Trail (best for ages 6+)
Hire bikes in Padstow (Padstow Cycle Hire, £15 adult, £10 child for the day). Cycle the flat 5.5 miles to Wadebridge along the disused railway line that follows the Camel Estuary. Trailers and tag-alongs available for younger kids. The trail is fully traffic-free and a popular gentle introduction to cycling for families.
Lunch in Wadebridge at the Bridge Coffee House or the Old Quay restaurant. Cycle back. Allow 5-6 hours total including lunch.
Afternoon ice cream at Stein’s Bakery on Lanadwell Street back in Padstow. Walk the harbour and watch the Padstow-Rock ferry come and go.
Option B: Newquay Zoo (best for younger kids, or wet weather)
Open 10:00-17:00 daily; £14.85 adult, £11.15 child (3-15), under-3s free, 15% discount online. Allow 3 hours.
Across the road is Trenance Gardens, with a boating lake (rowing boats, pedal boats), mini-golf, a playground, and Cornwall’s largest skate park. Spend the afternoon there. Lunch at the Boathouse Cafe overlooking the lake.
Or extend the day to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary at Gweek (45 minutes south of Newquay), £15.50 adult, £12.50 child. Watching seal pups being fed at 11:00 and 14:30 is the kid-magnet event.
Day 5: One last beach, then home
Morning. A final beach session. Mawgan Porth or Crantock are good ones for the last morning - kids can fly through their final castle-and-crab-bucket session in 90 minutes while you pack.
Lunch. A long pub lunch on the way out. The Atlantic Inn at Polzeath. The Cornish Arms at St Merryn. The Hawksfield at Wadebridge if you’re driving north on the A39.
Drive home. Aim to be on the A30 by 14:00 to clear Cornwall before the Saturday changeover crush. From north Cornwall the A39 then A30 is faster than circling via the M5.
If you’re on the train, last reasonable London-bound train from Bodmin Parkway leaves around 17:00 (4 hours).
Wet-weather backup plan
Cornwall gets 14-18 rain days a month outside summer. Have these in mind:
- Eden Project (£35 adult) - the obvious one, 4 hours
- National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth (£15.50 adult, £6 child) - 3 hours
- Newquay Zoo (£14.85 adult) - 3 hours, undercover sections
- Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay (£12.50 adult, £9 child) - 90 minutes
- Bodmin Jail (£18 adult) - the experience is intense for under-8s; better for 8+
- Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Gweek (£15.50 adult) - 2 hours
- Adrenalin Quarry, Liskeard - free entry, pay per ride (zip wire £15, aqua park £20)
- Camel Creek Adventure Park, Tredinnick - rollercoaster, log flume, family rides, £21.95 (under-1m free)
Costs at a glance
For a family of two adults, two children (8 and 10), 5-day mid-summer non-peak:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 5-night cottage (3-bed) | £700-900 |
| Eden Project | £105 family ticket |
| Newquay Zoo | £55 family ticket |
| Surf lesson, 4 people | £140 |
| Camel Trail bike hire, 4 bikes | £50 |
| Food (mostly self-catered) | £180 |
| Eating out, 3 pub dinners | £180 |
| Fuel (or train tickets) | £90-300 |
| Total | £1500-1900 |
Peak August adds £400-£600 to accommodation. Off-peak (October half-term, Easter) can be 30-40% cheaper across the board.
Family-friendly cottage and hotel pointers
Holiday parks (lower stress, kid amenities included): Watergate Bay Hotel, Bedruthan Hotel and Spa, Carnevas Holiday Park, Mawgan Porth Hideaways.
Self-catering family cottages (budget-friendly, kitchen included): see our places to stay with the dog-friendly and 3+ bedroom filters applied.
Family hotels (full service, kids’ menu, swimming pool): The Headland in Newquay, the Bedruthan, the Esplanade in Newquay, the Lewinnick Lodge at Pentire.
More planning resources
- Things to do with kids in Cornwall - 30+ family-tested activities
- Family attractions
- Dog-friendly Cornwall - a fifth of family holidays bring the dog
- Beach safety - lifeguards, RNLI flags, tides
- Cornwall essentials - hospitals, vets, MIUs
- Getting around Cornwall
