Cornwall - things to do & places to eat

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We are heading to Cornwall on Thursday for 6 days ...... very excited.

We have rented an apartment in Newquay so are fairly central. We have a 4 and 3 year old and looking for recommendations of things to do.

Which beaches should we visit? Don't mind travelling for 30 - 40 mins. Also any ideas in case the weather is bad like it probably will be.

And most importantly places to eat, would love to go for a family friendly afternoon tea and some nice places for dinner.

Any recommendations would be great

Thanks

The beach at Marazion where St Michaels Mount is is one of my favourites. There's a lovely sea front restaurant there called The Godolphin which does great food in a beautiful setting.

Mousehole is also a very pretty spot to visit with some great cafes and a gorgeous harbour.

Lappa Valley & Dairyland were the favourites for my kids when they were that age. Nether are far from Newquay (by car)

Perranporth beach is amazing for surfing and bodyboarding, and is beautiful and absolutely huge. Definitely worth a visit on a sunny day. If you fancy a day pottering round the shops, Falmouth is beautiful. St Ives is gorgeous but does get very, very busy in the season, so be prepared for crowds and head straight for the park and ride!

Land's End has some nice stuff to do. The tourist centre is an utter waste of time and expensive, but if you park outside it you can walk along the cliffs to a lovely little petting farm.

If it's open, Levant Mine near Penzance is the most amazing day out and gives you a brilliant insight into Cornwall's mining history. Morwellham Quay (just over the border in Devon) is also an incredible industrial-history day out with so much to do.

Wishing you a lovely holiday...my family live down there and I wish I was going too.

Thank you all for your replies, I will get researching.

Really hope it's sunny

Looe is always our 'go to' place to visit

If you want beaches close to Newquay Crantock and Holywell Bay are both lovely National Trust beaches. Lappa Valley is good for children that age. My kids really enjoyed the Maritime Museum in Falmouth on a wet day. Hendra holiday park has got a good fun pool called Oasis which you can visit even if not staying there. Your kids may be a little young for getting the most from that. I have heard good things about Dairyworld. National Trust Lanhydrock House is a really interesting and has a Victorian nursery with toys and desks etc which my kids found interesting. A nice play area by a shiny new tea room as well. Great for cycling and you can hire bikes. Camel Trail is awesome for a lovely easy cycle with gorgeous views.

Consider how long it takes to drive in Cornwall. It takes over an hour to get from Newquay to Lands End, Looe is about an hour and Falmouth 45 minutes.

You might just be lucky with the weather - the forecast is looking quite promising for you! :) If you're looking for a quieter beach you could always try Great Western beach and there's some great rock pooling areas if you wanted to show your kids.

Another one you could try is Whipsiderry which was apparently voted one of Europe's top 20 beaches by the Sunday Times. However be careful of the access route with young children as I believe you can only get to it by steep steps!

Here are a few more ideas if you get stuck! www.westcountryresorts.co.uk/best-beaches-south-west/

Hope you enjoy your holiday and get some nice weather.

We're also offer to Cornwall on Thursday. Staying in Looe so please recommend places near there and things to do.
I can't decide if the Eden project is worth going to?

Lost gardens of heligan. Total hit with the U5s- lots of things to climb on and animals as well as the lovely gardens.

Eden project expensive and looking very tired these days. My favourite beach is Porthtowan, best view and a cool beer from the Blue Bar.
Padstow is great fun, but crazy busy. Lanhydrock is a must visit.

Jamie Oliver for breakfast. You must book though!

I second the Lost Gardens of Heligan - far better than Eden and far cheaper too. We went in December (Christmas Eve in fact) and even then it was incredible - I can only imagine how gorgeous it is in summer. We could have spent days there.

There was a great wee burger joint in Truro called Hubbox that was very family friendly - very "cool"/American style but genuinely good food and great with the DC.

Heligan is definiely worth the money, though Eden aways have something on for the summer - this year there's a space theme. Tintagel is great and has a good cafe - there are excavations going on this summer that you can see. Lappa Valley is good for little ones, as is the Bodmin-Wenford Steam Railway.

One rather hidden gem is the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre, just outside Newquay - my little boy adores it. It's pretty basic but you can actually climb in the planes and sit in the cockpits - it's one of those places I went to with a heavy heart but it was great and all the staff wonderful.

Eating-wise, the Bowgie does good food and is family friendly with fab views - it's close to Newquay, just near Crantock Beach - it's only a little walk from there to Polly Joke which is one of the lovliest beaches in Cornwall. The Driftwood Spars near St Agnes is also good.

Stillwaitingforsummer - if you're at Looe Morwhellam isn't too far far you and a really good day out. There's Launceston and Restormel Castles - if you go to Launceston there's also a steam railway which goes to New Mills Farm Park which is great for kids, or again there's the Bodmin - Wenford Steam Railway. There's the otter sanctuary at North Petherwin (not far from the Countryman Pub which is family friendy), and if you like walking then Minions is perfect - lots of engine houses and stone circles. If you want somewhere to cycle then there's Cardinham Woods, which also has an amazing little cafe.

We're in national trust so will def visit lanhydrock.
Do you mean tintagel castle?

Morwhellham Quay?

Yep - Tintage Castle. If you've got NT membership Cotehele is gorgeous - beautiful Medieval house and loads of outdoors stuff.

And yes - Morwhellam Quay. You can do a little train ride through an old copper mine, and there's people in period costume with a victorian school etc.

OP how's the weather with you? It's horrible in Looe
Are there any water parks near here?

Ideas in and around Newquay;
Lappa Valley is brilliant, a really good day out with lots to do.
If you're really stuck in the rain there is a soft play in the business park opposite Morrisons called Jungle Jacks.
The leisure centre opposite the zoo has a great swimming pool.
For cake and coffee there is a lovely cafe in Trenance Gardens, and the cafe on the boating lake also does really nice food.
I highly recommend the Mexican food at Gilmores who also do mini golf (near the golf course).
If there are any good storms go for a drink or meal at the Lewinnack Lodge and storm watch (great views over Fistral).
Porth is a brilliant family beach.

Stillwaitingforsummer
Waterworld newquay ships and castles Falmouth and hendra newquay