5 fantastic family days out in Cornwall

Cornwall is one of the most popular counties for family holidays in the UK. It’s a hotspot for surfers, campers, sightseers, the young and the old, with a relaxed atmosphere that suits everyone.

Here’s we pick 5 of the best family days out in Cornwall that are guaranteed to keep you entertained on your Cornish adventure.

1 The Eden Project

Its huge biomes are one of the best-known sights of the Cornish landscape, and inside the Eden Project you’ll find lots of wonderful things to see and do. Kids will love the aerial Walkway in the Rainforest Biome, where they can look over the tops of the tropical trees. In Summer 2013, 19 species of tropical butterfly were introduced which you can see fluttering around the dome. The project has seasonal events such as den building in the summer and ice skating in the winter. On special winter dates they also run early evening ice discos perfect for kids!

Tickets cost £23.50 per adult, £10.50 per child aged 5-16, with children aged 4 and under free. There are discounts if you book online in advance and in true eco-friendly style they also offer discounts for those who walk or take public transport to the site.

Browse our options for camping near the Eden Project.

2 Adrenaline Quarry

Adventurous families with older kids or teenagers should not miss the ultimate adrenaline activities on offer at the Adrenalin Quarry in South East Cornwall. Freshwater coasteering is on offer here to explore the flooded quarry via 2 or 3 hours of wild swimming, traversing and jumping.

Another main attraction is a 490 metre long zipwire which reaches speeds of 40mph. There is also the giant swing, where 3 of you perch on tenterhooks 150ft over water before being released to swing.

The Quarry is open for selected dates in the spring, weekends until Easter and most days in the summer holiday. It’s a pretty reasonable activity day – £30 for coasteering, £12.50 for the zipwire, or £25 to do the zip and the swing in one! Family tickets are also available.

And there are no excuses for parents thinking of chickening out – the first customer on the giant swing was only 5 years old, the youngest person to try the zip wire was 4 years old and the oldest was 94! 

3 Museum of Witchcraft

For those rainy days that sometimes happen in the British summertime, it’s worth having a few indoor days planned. The unusual Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle is one of Cornwall’s most popular attractions. It is home to lots of witchcraft related artefacts and objects – including some supposedly cursed items! The displays are rich and informative, full of fascinating items and interesting information.

The two-level museum has a stair lift for those that require access, and those who cannot access the upper floor may view the lower floor for free. The entrance tickets cost £5 for adults, £4 for children and ‘elders’, and £10 for naughty children and little monsters.

4 Screech Owl Sanctuary

People of all ages love the warm, homely atmosphere at the Screech Owl Sanctuary. The Sanctuary aims to help care for and rehabilitate ill and injured owls, with the end goal of releasing them back into the wild or providing a comfortable home for those that are permanently disabled. They home owls from all over the world – from the British Barn Owl to the New Zealand Boobook owl. You can learn a lot from the informative centre guides, particularly in the hand-tame area. Younger kids will also enjoy seeing the resident alpacas, pygmy goats and miniature Shetland ponies.

The sanctuary closes for the winter, reopening for weekends in February until it opens full-time in late March. The sanctuary visit costs £9.50 per adult and £7.50 for children 3 – 13, with children under 3 entering free.

5 Beach day!

What trip to Cornwall would be complete without a family day at the beach? Whether you want to relax, partake in water sports or just wander along the shore, the county has some truly stunning beaches to offer – it will be hard for you to narrow down your choice.

Kynance Cove on the Lizard is stunning and you can often see dolphins playing in the water. Porthminster in St Ives is another great choice, as a large sheltered beach it is great for little ones who just want to dip their toes and build sandcastles. Daymer, just up from Polzeath, has good facilities for families including a big carpark, toilets and a beach shop. Watergate Bay is known for its excellent surf school and has become fashionable in recent years.

There really is a great beach around every corner in Cornwall.

Have a look at our Ultimate Guide for more places to see in Cornwall.