12 Things To See And Do In Cornwall

Where Is Cornwall?

Cornwall is the most south-westerly county in England. In fact, by default, it’s also therefore the most south-westerly county in Great Britain and the UK. It juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by water on three sides. It’s beautiful and absolutely jam-packed full of things to see and do!

Visiting Cornwall

If you think all of England is like London, think again. This small county is an emerald-green gem made up of tropical gardens, hidden coves and tiny harbours. I’ve visited twice in the past two years (2019 and 2020) and covered almost the whole of Cornwall across those two trips. According to my Mum, I was also in Cornwall as a young child, but as I was under three I naturally have no recollection!

In 2019, I stayed in a few different places: Falmouth, St Ives and Padstow. If you want to see different things across the entire county, I’d definitely recommend moving around and staying in multiple spots!

For example, if you want to stay down near Land’s End but also want to visit Tintagel Castle, you’ll be driving for just under two hours each way. Or if you’re staying in Padstow and want to visit Penzance, you’ve got an hour’s drive to get there.

It makes sense, therefore, to split your trip up and stay for part of your trip nearer Land’s End and the other part nearer Devon (or any other combination!).

Alternatively, you could do what I chose to do in September 2020 and base yourself in one spot for the whole trip, focusing only on seeing places in that general region. This definitely made for a more relaxed week and was perfect considering I’d already visited Cornwall the year before. I chose St Ives (as it was my favourite place previously!) but sadly the accommodation cancelled our stay three weeks prior to arrival. So instead, we rebooked to stay near Newlyn and Penzance.

12 Things To See And Do In Cornwall

This list of 12 things to see and do in Cornwall should help you to plan your trip and I’ve personally visited/done all of these, so I can recommend them all! Oh and I should add, these aren’t in any particular order!

So, without further ado…

1. Eden Project

The Eden Project is probably the best-known attraction in Cornwall. It opened its two huge biomes back in 2001: the Rainforest Biome and the Mediterranean Biome. Each contains a variety of plants from those two habitats and are designed to promote conservation and sustainability.

There are outdoor gardens, indoor walking trails, a canopy walkway through the rainforest, restaurants and cafes and even England’s longest zipline! Gutted I didn’t do the zipline but it’s a pretty good excuse to go back, right?!

It’s open almost all year round and you can travel there by car, bus, train, bike, etc. but travelling by car is probably the easiest! The best part, if you live in the UK or are planning to visit more than once is that buying an Annual Pass costs exactly the same as a single-entry ticket. It’s a no-brainer!

2. Take the train from St Erth to St Ives

If you’re already staying in St Ives then of course this isn’t necessary to do; although you can take the train from St Ives out! On my latest trip, rather than attempting to park in St Ives itself (a challenge at the best of times) we parked at St Erth station and took the 12 minute train to St Ives.

Adult return tickets cost £4.20 (October 2020, for reference) and the view en route is incredible! It takes you right along the coast, directly alongside the River Hayle and Carbis Bay. It couldn’t get closer to the water if it tried.

Although admittedly it was a slight novelty train ride just to sea the view (get it? Sorry.) it was definitely worth it.

3. Kynance Cove to Lizard Point 

Ahhh Kynance Cove. Such a stunning spot. If you’ve ever googled photos of Cornwall you’ve probably stumbled upon picture after picture of Kynance Cove, possibly without even realising. You can view the cove from above at any time, but if you plan to go down onto the beach, be sure you don’t get caught out by the tide!

Lizard Point is the most southerly point in Cornwall and therefore also mainland UK. The walk from Kynance to Lizard is just over 2 miles. You can park in the National Trust car park at either Kynance or Lizard, so if you do plan to park at one and walk to the other, just remember you’ll need to walk back! The route is quite up and down, with a few steps at different points, but isn’t too challenging and the views are incredible.

4. Eat at The Hidden Hut 

If you can get to the Roseland Peninsula during your stay, be sure to head to The Hidden Hut, tucked just behind Porthcurnick Beach, near Portscatho. It quite literally is a hut, with outdoor benches to sit at. All food is cooked fresh daily by their chefs, using local ingredients, and is all packed as takeaway food for you to enjoy there or on the beach. Think Cornish pasties, soups, seafood feasts, hummus and flatbreads… Don’t miss it!

5. Godrevy

Godrevy is east of St Ives Bay and is an amazing surfing beach (not that I’ve tried, but it looked amazing), with cliff top walks alongside it. From the cliffs, you’re supposedly able to look down into the hidden rocky coves and see lots of seals hanging out on the rocks or in the shallow water.

When I visited, I actually only saw one seal, but I must have just been unlucky that day as everyone I’ve told who’s also been hasn’t believed me due to the numbers of seals that they’ve seen there! Even without the seals though, the walk along the cliff tops was lovely and a very easy, relatively flat walk.

6. St Just’s Church

I am SO glad I found out about St Just in Roseland church prior to visiting Cornwall. I hadn’t heard of it before, but apparently, it’s one of Cornwall’s most visited churches. It’s set right on the edge of the water, in the most peaceful, quiet bay. The gardens are mostly tropical, with palm trees, bamboo, ferns and flowers of all kinds.

The path winds through the graves, around the church and alongside the waterfront. It’s genuinely one of the most beautiful churches I’ve seen, anywhere. There are also tea rooms up near the car park, so you can grab a cuppa and a cake before heading down the hill to the church.

7. St Ives to Zennor

This is another coastal walk. I actually only walked the first couple of miles or so from the St Ives end, so haven’t made it all the way to Zennor yet. But, it’s supposed to be a lovely little historic village, so one day I’ll definitely walk the whole way!

The walk itself is 6 miles one way, or 12 miles (duh) for the circular walk. It’s a very rugged, wild coastline there, with crashing waves and steep drops down to the sea. It’s one of the more challenging walks around the Cornish coast and can involve a little bit of clambering over rocks, but if you’re up for a good hike, then go for it!

8. Trewidden Garden

Trewidden House and Garden in Penzance is somewhere that I discovered completely by accident. They were right across the road from where I stayed and a walk in the rain took us there by chance. The gardens are expansive, with lots of different areas to explore, showcasing flora from all over the world.

I was a tad obsessed with the fern garden; giant metre high ferns made me feel as though I was a child again on the set of Fern Gully (90s kids will remember that film!). There were also bamboo and redwoods and an actual whale* diving into the pond!

*Ok fine, it wasn’t a real whale, but it was the only one I saw in Cornwall so I’m taking it.

9. Sennen Cove to Land’s End

If you’re a surfer or hoping to learn, Sennen Cove is supposedly where it’s at. It’s a huge stretch of sandy beach and there are multiple surf schools to choose from there.

It’s also a great option for somewhere to park if you want to visit Land’s End, as it’s cheaper and you’re (slightly) more likely to find a space. I visited in October 2020 when the lockdown restrictions had been eased and it was very busy, so I can imagine in the summer months it does get rather packed.

The walk from Sennen Cove to Land’s End is just over a mile and the initial section of the walk is reasonably steep. While the coastal path did somewhat resemble a dual carriageway of people and whilst Land’s End itself was super crowded, it was still worth it to have been and seen what the fuss is all about. Also, we saw lots and lots of dolphins playing in the sea there, so that was definitely worth it in itself!

Note: they charge an obscene amount of money (about £15!!) to get a photo taken of you with the Land’s End sign, so if you’re going purely for the photo of the sign, maybe reconsider!

10. The Minack Theatre

One of my personal favourite spots in Cornwall is The Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, right down on the very tip of Cornwall. It’s an open-air amphitheatre overlooking a huge expanse of ocean. They run performances in almost any weather, which you can book to visit, but they’re also open outside of performance times for you to just visit the site, take in the views and gawp at the spectacle that is a cliff-side amphitheatre.

Due to the nature of the location, there are lots and lots of steep steps, so bare that in mind when visiting.

11. St Michael’s Mount

Another favourite spot is St. Michael’s Mount. It’s a tidal island linked to the town of Marazion by a cobblestoned causeway. Visiting must be pre-planned to ensure that you can walk across to the island and back while the tide is out. The novelty of walking across the causeway alone is worth it in my opinion, even if you don’t plan to visit the gardens and castle on the island.

Fun fact: 30 people actually call St. Michael’s Mount home! The first time I visited I only wandered around the houses and small harbour, but the second time I bought tickets to visit the gardens and the castle and it was definitely worth it. The gardens are stunning and wind up and down the side of the mount, and the castle has spectacular 360 degrees views from the top.

12. Boscastle

Boscastle is a teeny tiny village set in a narrow valley, with pretty, quintessentially Cornish houses and a surprising attraction: The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic.

Weren’t expecting that, were you?

I actually didn’t go inside the museum as I was very short on time when I stopped at Boscastle, so I can’t give any first-hand opinions on it, but it definitely seemed popular! It’s one of Britain’s most unique museums, so if you’re looking for something a little different to do in Cornwall, put this on your list!

There you have it. A list of 12 things to see and do the next time you’re in Cornwall.

If you visit any of these places, be sure to come back and let me know what you thought! I’d love to hear about your trip to this beautiful county.

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