Best place in Devon/Cornwall

[ohmylordylord]

Someone help me please

I'd like to book something in Devon/Cornwall for me, DP & 4yo DD for a week. Maybe 10 days or 2 weeks depending on price

We drive. Live in east London and would be happy to travel but ideally no longer than 5hrs.

Don't want to be completely isolated. Stuff to do. Secret waterfalls or scenic beaches would be AMAZING. Seaside town?

What do you recommend tell me your favourite place in Devon/ Cornwall.

Also would you recommend airbnb? Never used one before. Or rent a caravan? Not keen on a hotel as I have a DD with multiple allergies and is very fussy to easier to cater for her myself mostly and eat out occasionally

Thanks!

[Badger1970]

St Ives is one of my favourite places, never fails to amaze. But I wouldn't advise school holidays...... we went in March this year and it was busy then. There's so much to do locally too. Equally, Padstow and Rock are lovely. There's a ferry between the two, and Rock is quieter.

Devon - we love the north coast, Woolacombe is beautiful. We stayed in a little town called Braunton which was great and had lots of great beaches in easy reach.

[Proud2care]

North Devon
Hartland Quay - walk to Spekes Mill with a beautiful waterfall.
Barricane Shell beach along from the main Woolacombe beach.
Broadsands beach(locally named Little Thailand)
Westward Ho! and Instow
Woody Bay, stunning!
Lynton and Lynmouth, catch the cliff railway
Exmoor - Tarr Steps

[Newnormal99]

Place called Coombe mill
In Cornwall. Self catering on a farm. Feed runs every other big tractor rides. Used to be a small soft play on site and a mini train every afternoon. Sure there is more now as was fair few years ago we went.

[Sorcha69]

I live st Ives....lots of different beaches! Lively.

Gorran haven on the south coast is quieter but lovely too.

[Sorcha69]

Love not live!

[Proud2care]

Ps. This is Broadsands Beach I'm referring to in above post, it's at Watermouth Bay.

[Neverendingdust]

Anywhere on the Penwith Peninsula is perfect. St Ives, Marazion, Mousehole, Coverrack, Helston, Newquay. St Ives will be chaos so probably best for a day trip.

[Grissini50]

We’ve just come back from a week in Hayle which is near to St Ives and lots of great beaches (Gwithian has great rock pools), not too far from the south coast - at michaels mount and praa sounds, there’s a good zoo park there too. Last year we went to Mevagissey which is like a smaller, less busy St Ives - old fishing port, beautiful harbour and near Gorrab Haven and other more cove like beaches and Eden Centre, Lost Gardens of Heligan. So I’d recommend either of those.

[Anonnnnnnm]

Looe is brilliant.

[SunnyShiner]

I can't stand Padstow, it's over commercialised and hideously overcrowded. St Ives beach is glorious but again it's so busy it's not enjoyable.

Devon is maybe a better bet if you want to get there in 5 hours from E london. The roads down to cornwall aren't good in the holiday either.

[CornishGem1975]

Cornwall - St Ives - I love it there even at the height of summer. Crantock/Holywell Bay area is lovely, and Bude is a great little town.

Devon - I prefer the North - Croyde, Woolacombe.

[Sorcha69]

Carbis Bay is simply stunning ..Great beach for a little one and only 3 min train ride to St ives

[balalake]

I would urge you not to use Air BnB. Think of locals priced out of the housing market in the area, don't help make it worse.

Exmouth has a beach ideal for a four year old I suggest.

[CornishGem1975]

I've used Air BnB a few times - I always book with a Superhost.

And I do think of the locals - the last two times the properties have been in the garden or attached to the "locals" own homes so providing them with an income. The other time when I went to Ireland I rented a flat owned by a local farmer.

[Powerplant]

Hartland North Devon for scenery and beautiful sunsets and Bude/Widemouth north Cornwall, about 25 mins away, for lovely beaches and nice town. Carbis Bay but a bit further south.

[Redhound]

East Devon. Sidmouth/Lyme Regis/Seaton, all the way along that coast line really.

[Sleepthief]

Good luck getting to anywhere in Devon or Cornwall in less than 5 hours from East London 🤷‍♀️

[ifonly4]

For us, Beer in the south. Visited north Devon quite a lot, and for us Lynton and Lynmouth out of the ones suggested. Lyme Regis and Sidmouth are other good options if you want an obvious seaside down with large sandy beach. Traffic is usually bad around Bristol and once you come off the M5 at Exeter, we've often found ourselves crawling, so if you want travel close to five hours I'd stick with Devon or Devon/Dorset border.