What family days out have you done in Cornwall and enjoyed

[tomme]

We are going to St Ives, Cornwall next week have dd6 and ds5 and would like some recommendations for things to do. Have considered Eden project, flambards, dairyland farm, new quay zoo and or aquarium but would really like to hear the experiences of people who have been recently and any other suggestions gratefully accepted.

Paradise Park Near hayle, Geevor tin mine in pendeen, St Micheals mount at Marazion (you can walk over to the island on the causeway or get the boat), Trip on the train to falmouth (you can then get a boat up the river fal or over to St Mawes), swimming baths in st ives, swimming baths at Falmouth, Castle in Falmouth, Mousehole is nice but not an awful lot there.

My DS's aged 7 and 10 loved Flambards, i thought it was a really good value day out.

NewQuay Aquarium is a rip off.

DIdnt make it to the others you have said.

lost Gardens of Heligan

Thanks anymore ideas

You MUST go to the Porthminster Beach Cafe in St Ives - it's wonderful.

If the weather is good you will be happy just mooching around St Ives.

Eden Project can get VERY busy.

The Big Sheep - DD and DS loved it!

Second vote for Paradise Park (Dairyland is quite similar and unless you really run out of stuff, quite a slog from St. Ives - 45mins each way down the A30)

Would also recommend a day out in Falmouth, you can look around Pendennis castle, visit the Maritime museum which is excellent with lots of interactive stuff for kids and there are some nice child friendly restaurants too.

Eden Proj is brilliant and def worth the day out, plus they have their skating rink open for half term and I think kids go free for the week too.

Gweek Seal sanctuary is good (if you like seals!) they nearly have a two for one offer on so check online or get the Cornishman newspaper when you get down - it has lots of offers and vouchers etc.

Hope the sun shines for you!

oops - re Gweek I meant nearly always

if you go to Eden try and get there when it opens as Ragwort is right it can get busy.

If you go to the Lost Gardens of Heligan go to TREBAH GARDENS as well. They are next door to each other. Though I have to say I prefer Trebah.

Ooh - never been to trebah. Will add to list...

The Maritime museum in Falmouth is a good day out - you can also do park and float and have a little boat trip on the way there and avoid driving around the town.

We loved Trevarno,near Hayle - lovely gardens, great adventure playground and kids loved the woodland walk. However I saw in the Times the other day that the estate is up for sale so maybe too few people knew about it.

Agree with Paradise Park. If you fancy a schlep up the A30 then Crealys Adventure Park is good fun (wrap up though, it always seems 5 degrees colder than rest of Cornwall).

If your DC like cycling then hire bikes in Wadebridge and cycle the Camel Trail to Padstow and back. The going is off-road and fairly flat but it does take nearly an hour each way. Still, it avoids the hell that is parking in Padstow.

Recommend Godrevy Beach, if you are NT members carpark is free and there's a great cafe there (or was 2 yrs ago).

The Eden project is very good - but agree that you should get there early.

Crealy Adventure Park was quite good too - DD (5) and DS (18 months) had a really good time. If you go on the log flume, hold on tight to the bars or you'll fly forward at the bottom (ask me how I know...)

Love Flambards - went a couple of years ago DD (then 2.5) enjoyed it, although I think she was a bit young for the museum and was a bit bored.

St Michael's mount is very good, as is the Geevor Tin Mine - think you can go into the mine itself, but we didn't get a chance when we went (arrived too late).

If you like looking at really old things and don't mind walking then grab an Ordnance Survey map. Nearby are several Quoits, Men-an-Tol, which is a standing stone, not to mention Carn Euny, which is the site of an Iron Age village. Most of these have parking nearby. DD loved these.

Lost Gardens of Helligan is compulsory :)

Agree that Newquay aquarium is a waste of money.. it's OK, but we were in and out in less than 20 mins. If it's raining and you have a voucher, give it a go.

Personally I didn't like Newquay Zoo either, but that's because I'm a snob Your kids will love it though.

Don't assume parking is free anywhere and make sure you have loads of change (I swear we spent £40 in the week we were there on parking alone)

Pendennis Castle (bit of a drive from St Ives, but DS LOVED it)

Tintagel Castle also a good one.

Another vote for Gweek Seal Santury.

if it's sunny enough for the beach [crosses fingers] then the beach at Sennen Cove is amazing (last turn on the right before lands end) and there's a nice place just up from the beach to get something to eat.

My Ds's are mad on trains so we really liked Lappa Valley Railway, nr Newquay
and Bodmin Steam Railway, with a walk to Lanhydrock House

Trebah is lovely but not next to Heligan! Glendurgan ( National Trust garden) next door but also lovely.
If weather is nice so many nice beaches on North coast.(envy)
If go to Padstow can also get little ferry across to Rock for a wander on beach & Blue Tomato cafe for a drink or meal ( but rel. pricey)
Also quite cool Padstow lifeboat station but not in Padstow but at Trevose Head - a bit Thunderbird like & hidden away!

Still not got the hang of these smileys!

Flambards is brilliant. Also loved Lost Gardens of Heligan though admittedly that was more for me than DCs.

Flambards
Lappa Valley (but wouldn't have thought much fun in late-Oct)
Beaches (ditto)
National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, long drive but really good
Wonderful gardens (already named) - but have always gone in May so no idea what they are like at this time of year
Didn't think the Maritime Museum was that great.
Thought Dairyland was a waste of money, but not as bad as World in Miniature (OMG no!).

We went to a monkey sanctuary a few years back which was great. Can't remember where it was - sorry - but I'm sure if you google 'monkey world' it'll pop up. Our nieces loved the woolly monkeys!

Two food things:

• Trevaskis Pick Your Own & Restaurant known by my children as The Land of Puddings - you have never seen an éclair as big as those they have; and

• Roskilly's divine organic ice cream & dairy farm down on the Lizard. (Don't make a day of it with the Seal Sanctuary, not worth it, but Goonhilly is v close and surprisingly not so very weird.)

Agree on little Paradise Park - it's sweet, and it has a good softplay/clamber place for when it's rainy.

St Ives is just altogether nice for pottering.

Crealy is brilliant value for money, it won hands down over Flambards for us. Newquay Zoo is small but 'nice' and there's a park on the other side of the road for them to explore. Padstow is lovely. October half term is perfect for welly walks on the beach. We're off to Cornwall for half term too, let's hope it gets a little warmer!

Bink Goonhilly's closed down now :(

tamar otter sanctuary

carruan farm centre wadebridge, good place to eat as the food in the restaurant is lovely.

We love the Big Sheep too, and going to Padstow on the ferry from Rock