Best place to go in Cornwall for first visit

[Catinavat]

We have never been to Cornwall and would like to plan a trip for next summer. Where would people recommend? Would like wild beaches and good restaurants.

St ives, Padstow or Falmouth have some lovely restaurants and beaches.

But I would avoid like the plague in the summer holidays. If you can go out side of the main 6 weeks even if it's May half term you'll have a much nicer time

Depends how far down you like to go, the best beaches are the furthest away. Lizard point is beautiful, st ives, sennen cove, Falmouth nice for a walk around.

The north coast for surfing, spunto is more for swimming. So if you’re down the end you can do a bit of each.

You'll hear a lot about the horrors of Cornwall in the school holidays, we go every year, it's honestly not that bad.

St Ives is our favourite place and yes it does get very busy - but book restaurants in advance and whatever you do, don't book a property or accommodation without parking. It's a non-negotiable. The beaches aren't really wild there though, but beautiful. You can also stay a little further out at Carbis Bay, 20 min walk into St Ives but more choice of accommodation and more chance of parking, but not a lot going on there.

I love Bude. Beautiful beaches and a lovely little town.

We went last summer in August and it honestly wasn't that bad . But I'm from a sea side town so possibly used to it . We visited Hayle beaches including Gwythian Bay and also St Ives and Penzance - all so beautiful. St Ives was busy of course but so much to see and we will go back probably early summer next year .

Tintagel... boscastle...trebarwith strand? I think its spelled that way 😁

Porthleven?

The good restaurants tend to be clustered in 'touristy' areas like St Ives, Port Isaac, Padstow, Fowey which then means more people and busier beaches. I think you will have to choose between being in a town for the restaurants and driving to the more remote beaches, or stay somewhere more remote and be prepare to drive to the restaurants in the evening. Public transport is rubbish down here!

Yes to Porthleven, it's beautiful. We also like the Lizard peninsula.

Porthleven is nice and there are lovely beaches down on the Lizard. Gunwalloe is one of our favourites although it depends if you prefer swimming or bodyboarding as north coast generally has better waves. But we've been all over Cornwall to different places and it's all lovely, even in the school holidays we've found quieter places away from the crowds.

Go at Easter or thereabouts OP. Summer is hell.

Gwythian

Same, love it so much we moved to Bude a few years ago and it feels like we're always on holiday!

Plenty of places to eat and exploring to do.

I think I'd rather stay in town and drive for the beaches

@marshmallowfinder but is the the sea intolerably cold at Easter? Is October half term better?

Might well be, yes, from that point of view!

The Roseland peninsula, the dangly bit that ends at St Mawes, is beautiful. I have many happy memories of holidays there as a child in the 1970s. Beaches called Pendower and Peter Splosh (shale) and Porthcurnick - the last of which has a café whose owner was called up to cook for the G7 meeting in St Ives.

The driving down the narrow lanes is pretty hairy, though!

Marazion

I’d stay in St Ives in a place with parking. It’s busy but that is because it’s a lovely town with several great beaches and a lot of fab places to eat within easy walking distance. For slightly more wild beaches… you can drive out west to Sennen one day, head to Gwithian or explore the Lizard. My main tip for avoiding crowds and traffic is go out early, or later. Not the classic 10-4 tourist day out.

Bude is lovely like stepping back in time in a good way
We rented this house http://shorebreakcornwall.co.uk
Gwythian beach is lovely.
Personally we try to stay in a quieter place and drive to the town.
You have great selection of places, it does get busy so try to plan.
The Journey to and home is usually the wort for us.
Sea temps ideally you should be wearing a wetsuit, you can Google the temps, from memory its warmest after summer.