Best place to stay in Cornwall - especially for eating and beaches

[yellowellie]

Just that really!

It's my first time in Cornwall and I want to visit gorgeous beaches, restaurants and countryside.

Where are the best places to stay for all of that? I'll be there for about a week in August with my partner and two kids.

Looks like Bude and St Ives are both good?

St Ives is great with lots of beaches!

It will be heaving with tourists though.

St Ives has amazing beaches, some nice restaurants and some culture (Tate and Barbara Hepworth). Very very busy though!

St Ives is a great place to stay. You can easily get over to Marazion and down to Porthcurno which are well with a visit.

Padstow surely, if it's the foodie experience you are looking for? Lovely beaches all around the estuary and Trevose Head (advertised as "Seven Bays for Seven Days").
But if you haven't booked a accomodation for next month in Cornwall, especially after the recent weather encouraging people to have a staycation, I would get on with it. Would think pickings will be pretty slim.

Thank you!

St Ives and Padstow both seem like great options. Are there any other places that are more chilled and still in a town / foodie type location?

There are many excellent restaurants across Cornwall, but if you're looking for a food-themed break and plenty of eating options concentrated in one town / a small area, Padstow or possibly St Ives would be my choice. Both also have a selection of stunning beaches nearby. Both towns will be very busy in August though.

Sennen Cove. Glorious beach, lovely cliff top walks to St Just and Lands End and the best fish and chips in the world. Fact. Not the chippy in the village, but the one out on the road to Lands End.

You've got the Minack Theatre just a few minutes drive away which often has pop up artesian catering, Penzance for bigger restaurants and shops.

Sennen is my happy place.

I prefer the south coast - SE cornwall around Looe and Polperro because it is much less busy than the north and just as easy to have days out from. we love the moors - stunning scenery. You aren't thinking of this August are you?

Presumably you are planning for next summer.

Bude is nice but far north, although if you’re in Cornwall you are near most places, but small roads and half of London driving around means it takes forever to get anywhere in the summer.

Is this for next summer? Everywhere will be booked up for this summer now.

I love the Lizard peninsula. Not so much for food experience but you can do a different beach/cove every day.

We managed to get a lovely last min cottage with Cornish Gems with 20% off. If going to St Ives you need somewhere with parking, it’s utterly horrendous. I wouldn’t contemplate going back again without a parking spot.

Another vote for the Lizard.

Fab suggestions, thank you.

Yes it is for this summer! I've seen a few places available on Airbnb, any other suggestions for last minute bookings?!

Fowey is nice

St Ives is gorgeous, lots of fantastic food options. You’ll need to book tables ASAP.

South coast, Lizard peninsular is beautiful and far less crowded. I’d skip St Ives - it’s so rammed you can’t move. Same with Padstow.

St Mawes is a lovely spot.

Kynance Cove on the Lizard is the prettiest beach ever.

Padstow and surrounding area is beautiful but sooooo busy in summer, especially when the weather is like it is currently.

If you do go, just accept that the traffic and crowds are inevitable, parking spaces are few and far between and accommodation is expensive.

Cornish people work incredibly hard in the summer months to keep tourists happy. Support the local economy by eating in independent restaurants and cafes (not just the ones owned by Mr Stein, or Tesco!), buy souvenirs from local community art groups (you can find some excellent work at very reasonable prices) and enjoy relatively cheap days out on the beaches, or coastal walks. If near Padstow, Trevisker garden centre is great for food and Craftworks pop-up is well worth a visit.

Padstow has a park and ride bus service from the field near Tesco, there are beautiful and quieter bays the further around the headland you go.

What kind of beaches do you like? Heaven for me is a sort of cove beach, maybe a cave, rocks to scramble over rock pools etc.

I am not fond of huge massive beaches with nothing but sand.

Fowey is wondeful.
Also be aware of funny eating situations.. Some pubs had strict rules about family rooms after certain times..

Go to The Stable in Newquay for a pizza (I recommend the cheeseburger one!) and a chocolate brownie. Best brownie I've ever had!

Ive just booked to go to Bude for this Friday, there's accommodation out there! I used wooldown cottages and I know they have at least 2 other cottages available. Have a good trip!

We are going to Morwenstow in Bude for a week very soon and recently booked a cottage through Airbnb. Very excited as we haven't been on holiday for years.

Not really helping but tbh, doing a bit of research, all of Cornwall looks lovely.

You are lucky mizu, I love Morwenstow. Spend the day on Sandymouth and then retire to the Bush Inn. I wish I was there.