Best place to stay in Cornwall early July

[NatW2021]

Hey! We are looking for somewhere central for day trips but somewhere we can chill at night with some nice pubs/restaurants ideally near the beach. looking at st Ives but not sure if it’s going to be touristy and I’m sure there are lots of amazing places that we just don’t know about

Thanks

St Ives is very touristy - do you want coastal? Surf or calm beach? North coast Bude-Newquay is more windy & surf, and east/west calmer side Truro etc. Bodmin colder & foggy 😂

@JellyCakeswim calm beach, first time visiting just want somewhere centralish to travel about but not in the middle of nowhere and places to eat and drink kn the evening without the need to drive.

Polperro is a stunningly beautiful small fishing village with lots of pubs/restaurants. There is a tidal beach and natural swimming pool. It's very peaceful.in the evening after the day trippers have gone. Its right on the SW Coastal path and also has easy road access to other parts of Cornwall to explore.

Fowey is bigger, equally beautiful in a different way, more restaurants and shops. A little bit swanky. Lovely little beach ( Readymoney Cove)

St Ives really is beautiful and everything it's cracked up to be but because of that it is absolutely packed in the summer. I love it but I stay in Carbis Bay about 10 minutes walk along the coastal path.

All 3 of these places you could mistake for the Med when the sun is out!

Padstow is great, really good pubs and restaurants but you have to drive to beaches really but within 4 miles there are some amazing beaches. Harlyn, Constantine, Treyarnon.

I love the north coast of Cornwall more than the south.

Falmouth is another option OP. Its had a lot of investment recently and there's some super restaurants and obviously the beach. It's on the SW costal path and from there you have access to The Lizard, Helford river and St Michael's mount. Less touristy than St Ives too.

St Ives is very touristy but I love it. Can’t see past it.

The location is so good. Easy to pop over to Penzance and Mousehole. Padstow and Newquay doable for day trips. Best of all my beloved Porthcurno is nearish too.

There are about 5 beaches in St Ives. Porthgwidden is my favourite.

I should have said I have been many times which is why I have visited other places for day trips. There is plenty to do in St Ives itself if you just want to park up and relax.

We stayed at Una St Ives which is just up from Carbis Bay and loved it, so many places to visit within half an hour. Padstow/Rock equally lovely and nice places to eat/drink.

Places we've not liked at all - St Agnes, Bude, Newquay and Looe. All quite poor and run down, only sustained by nice beaches.

St Ives is fine in early July. If you can't find anywhere to stay with its own parking, use the Rugby Club and pay for a week. You can easily get the train out of St Ives (beautiful short trip to St Erth, then use the mainline) but St Ives has excellent food and drink for the evenings.

We always like to stay in the town and leave the car in the big car park up the hill. It’s easy enough to offload at the property then park up. We once paid for a house with a driveway but it was so far out of town it wasn’t worth it. I like being able to pop back to drop off beach gear or pick up snacks.

Mousehole. So beautiful ❤️

Thanks all - I'll be 6 months pregnant at the time do you think it will be manageable? Not looking to do anything crazy just relaxing mostly.

Honestly @NatW2021 i don’t think you can go far wrong with St Ives. The location along with the facilities (shops, pubs, restaurants) far outweigh the negatives.

If the weather plays ball and the tides are agreeable, you can walk from Porthminster beach to the Harbour, and I swear, you would think you were in the Maldives.

None of the coastal places are central tbh. Anywhere on the coast is by definition not central and will be touristy.

St Ives is a great place. Busy and touristy yes, but because it’s beautiful with several lovely beaches you can walk to and loads of restaurants. If stay right in it and just enjoy being there it would be a relaxing place to be. It’s a place I know really well. I’d recommend it over Padstow/Fowey as the beaches are just way better!

We stay at gwel an mor every year! A nice restaurant on site and 10 minute walk down to the beach with a few restaurants.

Padstow for great food etc and nearby beaches and easy walking along the estuary.
Hop over to Rock, and a short drive to Port Isaac or down the coast to Watergate Bay.

Wherever you stay you are not too far from all the other places to have day trips. All of Cornwall is lovely.

If having meals out book the table well before you go.