With holidays in the UK set to soar this year due to travel restrictions abroad, what better place to visit than Cornwall. We have the beaches, the surf, the picturesque scenery, quaint coastal villages, coastal walks and the iconic St Michael’s Mount to name a few! Let’s admit that most people come for the stunning beaches, so I’ve compiled a list of the best beaches for families in Cornwall. All you have to do is to decide which one is the best!! If you can that is!!
Perranporth
I’m starting with my favourite and one that is only 10 minutes from me, Perranporth. This beach has miles of golden sand. Popular with the surfing community, it has lifeguard cover from Easter until the end of October. For little ones, it’s ideal for paddling and splashing around or learning to surf with the surf school! Don’t forget to find the tidal pool for a swim!

Situated right by Perranporth village, you can set up your camp as close as you need to for the shops and toilets. For adults, you have a popular bar and restaurant sat right in the middle of the beach. Sit down and on one of the numerous picnic benches while the kids play in the sand around your feet! My little ones love this!! The carpark is at level access to the beach so a great one for buggies and wheelchairs. If you bring your dog on holiday with you, dogs must be kept on leads between July and August, 9 am – 5 pm.
Gyllyngvase
Gylly in Falmouth is a lovely sandy beach, perfect for sandcastles! It’s close to all amenities and if you get a chance to visit Gylly Beach Cafe you won’t be disappointed with the food and the view on deck! If you fancy a stroll you can walk from the beach all around the headland up to Pendennis Castle and Pendennis Point. Here you may be in luck to spot dolphins and basking sharks and will almost get 360 views of the Fal Estuary and Falmouth Bay at this point.

A great way to explore Cornwall and its beaches is to find a self-catering holiday cottage to stay in as a base. Falmouth has plenty! You can find many pretty places to stay at Classic Cottages that are near the coast and will cater to all your family’s needs. Or if you would rather go to a more central location surrounded by woodlands, that’s an option as well!
Godrevy and Gwithian
I have many childhood memories of going to Gwithian beach daily during the Summer holidays. Gwithian Towans is a huge sandy beach in West Cornwall. There are views to Godrevy Point and Godrevy lighthouse. At low tide, the beach stretches over to Godrevy. But be careful of high tide when this route gets cut off. Gwithian is a popular beach with surfers and families. There is a cafe and toilets available. Please note that dogs are banned at Gwithian Towans Beach from 1st July to 31st August (10am to 6pm).

Godrevy beach has many rocky sections, but also plenty of sandy parts. So I would recommend it for families with older children. It is a National Trust beach with sloping paths down from the carpark to the beach. Please note they advise no swimming due to strong undercurrents and the car park is free to National Trust members. Godrevy is perfect for taking photos with the Godrevy Lighthouse in the background and great for surfers if the conditions are right.
Summerleaze Beach
Less than 5 minutes from the town centre of Bude you have the stunning clean Summerleaze Beach. The sandy beach is fairly well sheltered, making it perfect for families as well as it is on level access from the large carpark. There are toilets and a beach cafe close by and a real gem to see is the sea pool nestled at the foot of the cliffs. Beach huts and sand chairs are available.
Towan and Fistral
I can’t not mention any of the beaches in Newquay! Fistral is well known for it’s surfing around the world and Towan Beach (also known as Town beach) is so close to Newquay town it’s the life and soul of the party! Although it is at the bottom of a steep slope it is Newquay’s most sheltered beach with fine golden sand. The beach’s most iconic feature though is ‘the Island’, or Jago’s Island, which has a house built on it that you can actually stay in!

Porthcurno Beach
OK, so I’ve left the most beautiful Instagrammable beach until last – Porthcurno Beach located in the far west of Cornwall.

You don’t need to go abroad to see a beach as stunning as this one when it’s right on your doorstep. Soft silky white sands and turquoise waters will make you think you are in the Caribbean. With high cliffs on both sides you will be in your own paradise of natural beauty. It has a stream that flows down one side which is great for kids to paddle in and up on the cliffs is the internationally renowned open-air Minack Theatre, built in the 1920s.
If you are looking to stay near the beach on holiday in Cornwall see here for more info.
*Please note always check the tide times before you head to a beach.
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Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you have found this post useful on the best beaches for families in Cornwall.
You have picked such lovely beaches another is sennen cove.
Thank you! I often see photos of beautiful beaches in Cornwall but rarely find out what they are called and where they are. Hope to visit some of these in the future.
Amazing place – would love to visit them all
These beaches look so amazing. We have been to Fistral Beach but would love to visit again one day soon.