Cornwall Family Life
Best Days Out in Cornwall for Families
From world-famous biomes to hidden pirate coves, we’ve curated the ultimate list of family days out across the county.
Choosing the best days out in Cornwall can feel overwhelming given the sheer number of incredible options available across the county. From world-class visitor attractions to hidden natural wonders that only locals know about, the challenge is never finding something to do — it is deciding what to prioritise. At Cornwall Family Life, we have personally visited every attraction on this list, and we are sharing our honest, family-tested recommendations to help you make the most of every precious day of your holiday.
The Unmissable: Cornwall's Flagship Family Attractions
Certain attractions have earned their place at the top of every “best days out in Cornwall” list through years of delivering genuinely exceptional family experiences. These are the venues that consistently exceed expectations, offering a combination of education, entertainment, and natural beauty that is hard to find anywhere else in the UK.
The Eden Project: A World in a Cornish Clay Pit
The Eden Project is, without question, one of the most extraordinary visitor attractions in the entire United Kingdom, and it consistently tops our list of the best days out in Cornwall. Built within a former china clay pit near St Austell, the site is home to two enormous biomes that house plants from the world’s most diverse ecosystems. The Rainforest Biome, the largest indoor rainforest in the world, is a genuinely awe-inspiring space that transports visitors to the tropics, while the Mediterranean Biome showcases the plants and produce of southern Europe and South Africa. Beyond the biomes, the outdoor gardens change with the seasons, offering a different experience with every visit.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan: A Sleeping Giant Awakened
The Lost Gardens of Heligan represent one of the most remarkable restoration stories in horticultural history, and they provide one of the most atmospheric and memorable best days out in Cornwall for families who love the outdoors. The gardens were abandoned during the First World War when the estate’s gardeners left to fight, and they lay dormant for over 70 years before being rediscovered and painstakingly restored in the 1990s. Today, the 200-acre estate encompasses a working kitchen garden, a subtropical jungle valley, a wildlife hide, and the famous “Mud Maid” sculpture — a living art installation that changes with the seasons.
Adventure and Thrills: Active Days Out for Energetic Families
For families who prefer their days out to involve a bit more adrenaline, Cornwall offers a wealth of options that go far beyond the traditional visitor attraction model. The county’s dramatic coastline and diverse landscape provide the perfect backdrop for a huge range of outdoor activities, many of which are specifically designed to be accessible and enjoyable for children of all ages and abilities.
Surfing and Watersports on the North Coast
The north coast of Cornwall is one of the premier surfing destinations in Europe, and learning to ride the waves is one of the most exhilarating best days out in Cornwall for adventurous families. Towns like Newquay, Bude, and Polzeath are home to dozens of professional surf schools that offer beginner lessons specifically designed for children, with qualified instructors who make the experience both safe and incredibly fun. Even families who have never surfed before can usually get to their feet within a couple of hours, creating a sense of achievement that is hard to replicate in any other setting.
Coasteering and Sea Kayaking Adventures
For older children and teenagers, coasteering — the art of scrambling, swimming, and jumping along a rocky coastline — provides one of the most viscerally exciting best days out in Cornwall. Several operators along both the north and south coasts offer guided coasteering experiences that are carefully graded by difficulty, ensuring that participants are always challenged but never in danger. Sea kayaking is another fantastic option, allowing families to explore sea caves, hidden coves, and offshore islands that are completely inaccessible by land.
Free and Low-Cost Days Out: Making the Most of Cornwall's Natural Treasures
Some of the very best days out in Cornwall cost absolutely nothing, and it is often these unplanned, spontaneous adventures that children remember most fondly long after the holiday is over. The county’s natural landscape is, in itself, a world-class attraction, and the simple act of exploring a new beach, climbing a coastal headland, or following a river to its source can provide a full day of entertainment without spending a single penny.
Rock Pooling and Beach Exploration
Rock pooling is one of the most quintessentially Cornish activities, and it remains one of our favourite free best days out in Cornwall for families with younger children. Armed with nothing more than a bucket and a sense of curiosity, children can spend hours exploring the fascinating micro-ecosystems that are revealed at low tide. The best rock pooling beaches in Cornwall include Hannafore near Looe, Godrevy near St Ives, and the area around Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula.
Walking the South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is the longest national trail in England, and the sections that pass through Cornwall offer some of the most dramatic and beautiful coastal scenery in Europe. Even short sections of the path are accessible to families with children, and the views from the clifftops — looking out over the Atlantic or down into the turquoise waters of a hidden cove — are genuinely breathtaking. We recommend the section between Padstow and Stepper Point for younger walkers, as the terrain is relatively gentle and the views are spectacular.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best days out in Cornwall for toddlers?
For very young children, we recommend Lappa Valley Steam Railway, Paradise Park in Hayle, and the beaches of the south coast, which tend to be calmer and more sheltered than those on the north coast.
Which are the best days out in Cornwall when it’s raining?
Cornwall has a surprisingly good selection of indoor attractions for rainy days, including the Eden Project (the biomes are fully indoors), the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, and the Tate St Ives gallery.
Are the best days out in Cornwall expensive?
It varies enormously. Major attractions like the Eden Project can cost upwards of £30 per adult, but many of the best experiences — beaches, coastal walks, rock pooling — are completely free. We always recommend mixing paid attractions with free natural experiences to keep costs manageable.
How far in advance should we book the best days out in Cornwall?
For major attractions during the summer holidays, we recommend booking at least 2-4 weeks in advance. Many attractions offer significant discounts for online booking, so it is always worth planning ahead.
Are the best days out in Cornwall accessible for children with disabilities?
Accessibility has improved significantly across Cornwall’s major attractions in recent years. The Eden Project, in particular, has invested heavily in accessibility infrastructure and is now one of the most inclusive visitor attractions in the country.
What does this mean for you and your family?
The best days out in Cornwall are not just about the attractions themselves — they are about the moments of connection, wonder, and shared laughter that happen along the way. Whether you are watching your child’s face light up as they spot their first starfish in a rock pool, or sharing a bag of chips on a harbour wall as the fishing boats come in, these are the experiences that define a truly great family holiday. At Cornwall Family Life, we are here to help you find them.