St Ives in August - yes or no?

[Trumpsgoneloco]

Cant go abroad this summer so I'm thinking of a family break in Cornwall in Aug. I like the look of St Ives. How busy does it get? Is the weather very unreliable? Is there loads for a wide variety of ages?

I dunno how many secret hangouts you're familiar with in Cornwall if you call emmets grockles 😆

Ha ha got me, I’m in Devon 🤣 …they are Grockles here.

Oh definitely go. I've been twice in August and yes it was busy both times but we loved it. Once was hot and sunny, the other not but it didn't affect how good a time we had.

Driving is a pain in the butt in st Ives though. Maybe stay outside of the town centre and walk or get the shuttle bus in. Or stay further out so you can easily visit the town as well as all the other amazing places near like porthcurno and the Minack theatre, at Michaels mount etc.

Yes the roads are narrow but it's such a gorgeous part of the UK.

Thinking about it has made me want to go back. We camp so off to find a campsite nearby lol.

Get the train. Stops right in the town. Can get around to some places by public transport- eg St Michael's Mount but for small little places you'll need a car (and patience....).

You can hire a car in Truro.

I always find the drive down there a pain from London.

Oh, sleeper train is fun and a good experience depending on who is traveling (but pre book)

Stay centrally in St Ives. So you can walk everywhere. Pre-book some restaurants. Pre book food delivery.

Weather - variable.

Rip off uk tourist prices, crap weather, crammed with people, not welcome by locals.... I wouldn't bother

Love st Ives but usually go earlier in the year. We have been August time and it’s rammed everywhere

Not in August. I had a hotel in Redruth in September, and it was almost three times the price of August.

We have been in August. It's busy. But busy with loads of beaches.
Book surf lessons for kids.
Do walks- the walk to Zennor is nice
Loads of beaches to choose from
Do crazy golf
Tate and other galleries
Walk around the small lanes- could set up a treasure hunt for the kids...
Hire wetsuits and boogey boards
Go fishing
See the seals at Godrevy
St Michael's Mount- walk / boat
Moomaid ice cream / sundae
Gym / indoor pool (if raining - good back up)

Beware the "nice" walk to Zennor!! There are 2 options- one is a lovely flat walk over the fields, but the coast path route is one of the toughest stretches of the South West Coast Path- not so much for any massive climbs, but because the going's so tough- it's basically 8 miles of scrambling. I've seen many a shell shocked unsuspecting tourist dead on their feet waiting for the bus back to St Ives!

I spent more than a holiday abroad last time I went in August with 2 children. The weather was awful and we needed to spend a lot of money visiting places and entertainment ( nice little local theatre). We ventured on the beach for one afternoon when the temperature hit 20 degrees. The worst thing was not being able to find a place to park when we got back until after 9pm. We ended up parking in the train station then moving it outside our flat once a space appeared.

No! Best time for St Ives with kids is May Half term. The adult only Scarlett for a nice weekend not in school holidays is a bit different to St Ives with kids in the summer.

I agree with stay in like Penzance or Hayle. There’s not that much to do in St Ives and then when you want to leave it will take you ages.

Last August was quiet - you could get bookings in the most popular restaurant with next to no notice. 2021/22 they would book up in advance the whole season.
last August was weirdly quiet…

I love st Ives! Yes it’s busy but I still love it. If you can get a place with parking that would be a big bonus.