People of Cornwall, help please.

[TheWonderhorse]

Me, DP and 3 dc (15, 12, 9) are going to Cornwall in June for 7 days.

What days out do you recommend? They're not daredevils so nothing too adventurous please.

I have...

Tintagel Castle (but we're Welsh and have seen at least a million castles so might just go and see the gorgeous coastline there).
Camel Creek
Lappa Valley
Eden Project
Hidden Valley
Enormous Slip and Slide
Bodmin Jail
Museum of Witchcraft
Minack Theatre

Have I missed anything? This is too much for 7 days I know but if anyone knows of anywhere not to be missed we'll have a rejig.

Any restaurant recommendations which are nice but not too pricey? Any tips gratefully received.

Thank you 😊

Some fab suggestions by PP. agree that Lappa might be too young for you. Tintagel Castle and the witches museum are fairly close, and you could also go to St Nectans Glen whilst you're in the area - it's stunning. The train from St Erth to St Ives is lovely, it goes around Caribs bay. Fowey is nice to explore, and you could get the ferry over to Polruan. The riverboat from Truro to Falmouth is nice too. Camel Creek is fun, but not the biggest or most exciting theme park. If the weathers nice and you like to swim, you could try and find some of the tidal pools in your area.

Surfing at Fistral Beach in Newquay would be fun, close by is the Gannel River (a ten minute walk away) is great for crabbing and for paddleboarding.

Thank you all, this is so helpful.

We're used to travelling to rural France so an hour in the car is nothing really. I'll sit the kids down with all of this and see what we can do.

DP is really keen on the Eden Project but I'll show him what you've said and perhaps we won't need to bother with that.

There are some long drives here. 1hr 15 to Minack, Geevor, Lizard Point - if the weather is nice I feel you will be wasting a lot of your holiday in the car. Do north / mid Cornwall now and go back for another trip to the far west if you feel inspired by it.

Hi fellow Welshie! I spent two weeks in Cornwall 3 years ago. - The first week I stayed in Marrazion and visited St Michael's Mount. Thought it was fabulous - you walk across when the tide is out or you can get a boat. Never visited the Eden project but the gardens belonging to the castle on the Mount are stunning, full of the most amazing sub tropical plants. One of the most impressive gardens I've ever seen and a real sun trap. The castle is also interesting.
Lizard point is spectacular and I had a picnic there with scones and clotted cream! Lots of very lovely coves like Mullion and Kynance on the South coast as well. St Ives is beautiful but overrated.

The second week I stayed in Tintagel. The castle is in ruins but worth a visit for the views and the scary bridge! Many steps to climb.
Port Isaac, home of Doc Martin, is not far and absolutely gorgeous. Good seafood there (crab) straight from the fishermen which I ate sitting by the harbour.
I plan to go back and explore Looe, Fowey etc on the East coast.

This! I've felt so sorry for the summer holiday makers the last few summers, it's been bloody awful!

Camel Creek also possibly too young, it’s local to us and we used to have memberships there but eldest and middle DC (14 and 12) now consider it too young.

Amazing suggestions already, only popping on to say I love the Eden project, it’s unique and fascinating but sadly it is expensive ( reasonable for a local with a yearly pass but I can understand visitors finding it unreasonably expensive) so just do your research to see if it’s the kind of thing you’d like before you go and if you are on a budget then I’d probably save the money & visit one of the hundreds of gorgeous beaches we have instead.

We've stayed at the Bodmin Jail Hotel for the last couple of years (last year for free as a gratuity for a poor stay the year before!) and honestly, it wouldn't be something that I would prioritise over some of the other things on your list. It doesn't take a long time to do the tour at all and in all honesty it isn't all that special. If you are just around the corner then it might fill a bit of time, but I wouldn't travel far for it.

Definitely visit Minnack. It's one of my favourite places.

Mousehole and Newlyn are cute.

St Eval for go karting
Falmouth Maritime Museum

Coasteering on the north coast if they are athletic and adventurous

The last time we did Cornwall in June the weather was better than Greece. It was stunning. Beaches and beaches!!

A big train maybe, in the shape of the Bodmin and Wenford Railway?? You could combine it with a trip to Discover 42, and then go and climb Brown Willy.

Personally, I love the Eden Project. Not sure if I'd love it as much if I'd ever had to pay full price though.

Our absolute favourite attraction is not, in fact, in Cornwall- it's Plymouth Aquarium.

I live 5 mins from the Eden project and there's a bit of negativity about it, but tbh I love it! I definitely wouldn't pay full price for it though and only go regularly due to having a locals pass.

I do agree with a lot that Lappa Valley would be too young for your ages. My son is 4 and adores it, but although there's a couple of things that could be entertaining for older children, there's a lot of things that older children would be physically too big to use which would be a bit of a waste of money.

There's a really good football golf in St Austell about 5-10 minutes from the Eden project.
Jubilee pool in Penzance is great.
Bodmin and wenford steam railway is good, especially if you book the cream tea option.
If raining the trampoline park in Newquay is great fun, and there's also a fun pool, mini golf and zoo all in the same place which could all be done in one day.
Lost gardens of heligan are lovely.
Trethorne lesiure farm has always been a big hit with various ages in our family too.

I do think you're being a bit optimistic if thinking of doing a park/day trip for half of the day and then pool/beach for the other half. Most things will take up most of the days particularly if you have to include travel time as well.

Hope you have a lovely holiday!

Jamaica inn, st michaels mount, porthcurno beach penzance, Looe.

Been doing a Cornish holiday every year since DC was in mid primary years.

Eden project - it's very expensive. We went twice having enjoyed it the first time. Second time it was dire with dying plants not properly looked after and stupid anamatronic dinosaur. Heligan is more fun.

I'd minimise attractions like Bodmin Jail - unless it's raining or properly cold you only really need 2 non beach or walk days. There are some good NT properties with walks etc.

Buy some body boards and enjoy the surf/waves.

Boat trips or kyacking is fun and there are guided trips.

Minnack is fantastic - if wet there is also the telegraph museum there and if dry one of tge most fabulous beaches

Thanks all, some excellent advice here.

We are used to holidaying in rural France where everything is an hour away and don't mind driving. I do love beaches but we're not an all day at the beach family. Crabbing and rock pooling yes, but not sitting and sunbathing, we get bored. I now plan to get them bodyboards though.

I write historical fiction and am particularly keen on visiting Bodmin Jail, it seems that it's changed lately and is less of a thing now but I really do want to go (but will be doing so with tempered expectations now).

Lappa Valley has gone and Eden Project is teetering on the edge. Perhaps we will go to Heligan and then have a half day exploring too.

We're going to need to come back, definitely.

Oh and would it be helpful/respectful to learn some Cornish? We've made sure to use purpose built tourist accommodation and don't like to stay in cottages that ought to be homes. Cornwall is similar to Wales in many respects and I am sensitive to the issues associated with tourism.

You do not need to learn and 'Cornish' unless you want to brush up on sayings and dialect so you can understand us - alreet me 'ansome!

Hope you have a fab time!

I don’t think OP needs to brush up her Cornish either dar!

Another vote for Hidden Valley, very good fun. This thread is making me want to go back to lovely Cornwall.

Yikes, that's some distance between attractions!!

Yes it wouldn’t be for me, even living here!

Yikes, that's some distance between attractions!!

We've been to Cornwall all my life. CBA with trekking across the county! We sta my near the lizard, so everywhere feels a mission away 🤣

We go most years and don’t do most of these things and wouldn’t! We typically do the same every year, including:

• a couple of coastal walks (one to a seal beach and one is between a particularly nice ice cream shop and a particularly nice cafe, including a bit of time playing on the beach)
• trip to st ives on the bus including crabbing/ boat trip
• minack theatre and porthcurno - as we go during school hols, we see a children’s theatre show. Also been to the telegraph museum which is good.
• we stay near the beach and go surfing/rock pooling in the morning or evening rather than as a day out

otherwise flexible, if there is a bad weather day we’ll do something indoors - Eden project or aircraft museum at Newquay. Not been to Bodmin jail but might do in future! We prefer to be outdoors if the weather allows!

Oh, if you are down that way then you might enjoy the seal sanctuary near Gweek.