To not get Cornwall?

So many more better places to enjoy beaches in the U.K.

What???? It's amazing here....

Eden, shite
Flambards, shite
Padstein, sorry Padstow, shite
Parking anywhere, expensive and shite.

Ok, it's pretty shite.

@LarrysNewOwner - your children might enjoy the Giant Slip n Slide - on A39 between St Columb Major and Wadebridge. There's an Aqua Park at Retallack (close to Slip n Slide). Dairyland and Springfield Pony park (not exactly adrenaline central but ok for primary aged). Flambards better for bigger rides and Adrenaline Quarry near Liskeard (I think) which has Aqua Park, zip line and massive swing over the Quarry. Plenty of body boarding and surf lessons up here on North coast.

Word of warning if you venture up here - it's Boardmasters next week so will take four times as long to get anywhere 😡!

Dreadful place overcrowded, overpriced, rubbish roads, plenty to do if you don't mind spending hours in the car, horrible twee Ye Olde Shops aimed at fleecing tourists. Once I've had a pastie and a cream tea I'm done with it and I've just discovered you can get them posted to you at home

Yes, I thought the same. Overhyped and over priced. Nightmare roads. Much nicer places around.

So your solution is to travel to the other side of Devon? 😂

Paradise Park
Cornish Seal Sanctuary

There's also Trelissick NT which is lovely and just over the King Harry chain ferry

St Ives is gorgeous and worth a day trip on the train, despite the crowds! St Mawes and the Roseland are lovely and quite close to St Austell, also usually much quieter than other areas. There are small beaches in St Mawes that are good for rockpooling and bigger sandy beaches towards Portscatho. The church at St Just in Roseland is a really beautiful spot.

Lappa Valley is about 30mins drive from you, with DC that age they will absolutely love it! https://www.lappavalley.co.uk/

Why St. Austell?

Visit Fowey , take a boat trip to Meva and eat a fresh mackerel bap and a Kellys cone. Spend a day in St. Ives and eat lunch at the Porthminster .

Looe is worth a visit, you can get there by train and make it part of the adventure (it fairly scenic).

the beeches are lovely, typical Cornish village / town but has a bit more going for it than somewhere like Port Isaac.

There are a couple of arcades (for when it rains), glass bottom boat trips, a woodland walk, crabbing at the harbour, the sea is a lot calmer so it isn’t over run with surfers and body boarders either.

St. Austell is absolutely dire.

Get out and about, there is plenty to do and see. I like the seal sanctuary at Gweek, and St. Mawes.

@Berga nails it tbh.

Have you done Charlestown yet?

Forgot the Camel trail and Respryn. Both pretty.

nailed it!

Agree that staying in St Awful or snoozle was a silly idea!

You have the Eden project, the lost gardens of Heligan, Lanhydrock, Bodmin Jail and Charlestown nearby.

If you are willing to go further you could go to Flambards (best day of the week), St Mawes, Padstow, Falmouth, the lizard.

It’s not that overcast though really! I’m not sure what you don’t get? 😂

It’s a bit like asking:

AIBU to not get London? Staying in Croydon… 😂

Your first mistake was going to St Austell. Saying that though - it’s only the town centre that’s a dive. You are very close to the clay trails/ Wheal Martin, Heligan, Eden Project, Mevagissey, Charlestown and Fowey. The coast path walk between Pentewan and Meva is very nice (you can pick up the trail right outside the entrance to pentwan sands holiday park)
the walk along the river in the woods between St Austell town towards Pentewan is also nice.

Some of the PP suggestions are a 2 hour drive away (Mousehole) and in a completely different county (Dartmouth). I think people underestimate what an absolute pain in the arse getting around Cornwall is, especially in the summer!

Not much, it’s overcrowded, overpriced and the locals both rely on and despise the tourists.
Perhaps it was once nice but the first time I went 20 odd years ago I already thought that it was way over-rated and overcrowded.
So many more better places to enjoy beaches in the U.K.

Love Cornwall. Pretty towns: Mevagissey, Mousehole, Looe, St Ives (absolute favourite), and Padstow. Kynance Cove is also a must....stunning views. We also love Falmouth. When we go we travel around. Use St Austell as your base and travel to different places ever day

Even on very sunny days!!!

There’s lots to do in Cornwall, but the problem is that everything is spread out and takes a while to drive especially in the summer traffic.

If you like a pretty town - head to Mevagissy, you can get the ferry over to Fowey and back (often see dolphins)

Theme parks - well there’s Flambards but that’s a bit of a drive. Camel Creek has a few rides.

There’s lots of museums - we used to do the Wheal Martyn.

Take the train to St. Ives - it will be busy when you’re there, but it is lovely. You change at St Erth for St Ives and it’s very pretty as it goes along the coast.

There’s always lots of kids activities at the Eden Project.

Look out for carnivals - well worth it!

Dartmouth has boat trips and is lovely to wander round, park and ride is your best bet to get down into it. There's a steam train somewhere too possibly totnes. Mousehole is lovely too.

Bodmin jail, tin mines, cycle the camel trail

Lost Gardens of Heligan
Lanhydrock House
Mevagissey
Fowey
Charlestown
Trebah Gardens
The Seal Sanctuary