Holidays in Padstow

More around Padstow

Padstow makes a good base for the kind of holiday where nobody has to be anywhere by a particular hour. You can spend a morning pottering, decide over coffee what the weather is doing, and shape the day around it. Cornwall is generous with days out, but they're spread across the county, so a little planning saves you doubling back. Here's how the options fall into place, and how to string them together without spending the whole week in the car.

Best for families

Camel Creek Adventure Park is the obvious first port of call with children in tow — a theme park that swallows a full day rather than an hour or two, so don't try to pair it with anything ambitious. Spingfields Fun Park and Pony Centre is the gentler alternative for younger children, mixing rides with pony contact, and it tends to suit families who'd rather not queue.

For animal days, the Screech Owl Sanctuary is a reliable choice and usually works well for children who like a talk and a close look rather than a long walk. The Monkey Sanctuary over at Looe is the bigger expedition, but it pairs neatly with the rest of that coastline if you're heading that way anyway.

If you've got confident swimmers or older children after something more active, Kernow Adventure Park at Falmouth and the Upper Tamar Water Sports Centre near Bude both give you a water-based day out rather than a beach day — handy when the sea is having one of its moods.

Rainy-day standbys

Cornwall does rain properly, so it's worth having two or three indoor options held in reserve. The Shipwreck Treasure Museum at St Austell is the easiest sell to a mixed-age group — wrecks, salvage and plenty to look at. Nearby, Mevagissey Museum is a smaller, quieter stop if you want an hour rather than an afternoon.

Art-minded visitors have Tate St Ives and Penlee House, Gallery & Museum, both over towards Penzance, with St Ives Museum and Marizion Museum filling out a day in that corner if the showers set in. For something more offbeat, the Polperro Model Village & Land of Legend keeps children occupied under cover, and the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling & Fishing next door gives the adults their story.

Heritage and the outdoors

Tintagel Castle is the headline heritage visit in this part of Cornwall — clifftop, weather-exposed and best tackled on a dry day with proper footwear. It's a walking sort of visit, so allow more time than you think, and don't schedule anything tight afterwards.

Cornwall's mining history is easy to overlook and well worth a look. King Edward Mine and Michell's Engine House, both in the Falmouth area, explain how the county actually made its living. Towards Bude, the Cornwall at War Museum and the RAF Davidstow Moor Memorial Museum cover twentieth-century history instead, and the Davidstow Creamery Museum makes an unexpectedly good third stop on the same run.

Sensible ways to group a day

Family day: Camel Creek Adventure Park on its own, with an ice cream stop on the way home.
Bude and moorland day: RAF Davidstow Moor Memorial Museum, Davidstow Creamery Museum and Cornwall at War Museum, with Upper Tamar Water Sports Centre if the children need burning off.
Looe and Polperro day: The Monkey Sanctuary in the morning, then Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling & Fishing and the Polperro Model Village & Land of Legend.
Far west day: Tate St Ives, St Ives Museum and Penlee House, Gallery & Museum — a long day, so start early.
Heritage day: Tintagel Castle in the morning, keeping the afternoon loose in case the weather turns.

Where to eat

Malcolm Barnecutt is the sensible breakfast and picnic solution — pick up pasties and bakes before you set off and you'll save both time and money on the road. For a proper sit-down meal, the St. Kew Inn is the pub to aim for, and it works well as a reward at the end of a long driving day rather than a rushed lunch stop.

Ice cream is taken seriously here. Game Of Cones, Ruby's and Parade Stores all hold five-star hygiene ratings and all do the job after a windy afternoon on the coast path.

Turning it into a short break

Three or four nights is about right: one big attraction day, one heritage day, one day kept deliberately empty for beaches, walking or a second go at whatever you enjoyed most. There are 211 places to stay on BritStays around Padstow, so you've room to choose between somewhere in the thick of things and somewhere quieter with parking.

Practical notes: book the bigger attractions ahead in school holidays, check seasonal opening before you drive anywhere, take waterproofs even in August, and keep one indoor option unbooked so a wet morning doesn't waste a day.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best day out near Padstow with young children?

Camel Creek Adventure Park is the main theme park option and easily fills a day. For younger children, Spingfields Fun Park and Pony Centre is gentler, and the Screech Owl Sanctuary suits children who enjoy getting close to animals without a lot of walking.

Where can we go if it rains?

The Shipwreck Treasure Museum and Mevagissey Museum at St Austell are good indoor options. Towards Penzance you have Tate St Ives, Penlee House, Gallery & Museum, St Ives Museum and Marizion Museum. Over at Looe, the Polperro Model Village & Land of Legend and the Polperro Heritage Museum of Smuggling & Fishing both work well under cover.

What is the main heritage attraction in the area?

Tintagel Castle is the headline castle and heritage visit. It's clifftop and exposed, so it's best saved for a dry day and sturdy footwear. For industrial heritage, King Edward Mine and Michell's Engine House near Falmouth cover Cornwall's mining past.

Are there good places to eat around Padstow?

Malcolm Barnecutt is a bakery, handy for breakfast and picnic supplies before a day out. The St. Kew Inn is the pub to aim for if you want a sit-down meal. For ice cream, Game Of Cones, Ruby's and Parade Stores all hold five-star hygiene ratings.

What can we do on the water?

Kernow Adventure Park at Falmouth and the Upper Tamar Water Sports Centre near Bude are both water-based days out, useful when the sea is too rough for a beach day.

How many nights should we book, and how many places are there to stay?

Three or four nights works well: one big attraction day, one heritage day and one day left deliberately free. There are 211 places to stay on BritStays in the Padstow region, so you can choose between being in the middle of things or somewhere quieter with easier parking.

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