Beaches can be the perfect place for a family day out, especially when seeking an outdoor activity to keep the kids entertained. However, when visiting a new place for a family getaway, it can be stressful picking a beach that is suitable for your little ones.
When you have young kids in tow, there is plenty to consider such as accessibility for prams and little legs, the availability of toilet facilities and the safety of the beach. Explore some of our favourite sandy spots to enjoy with the whole family.
Luckily, we’ve put together this guide for you to discover the best beaches for families to visit in Cornwall.
Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth
Gyllyngvase Beach – or Gylly, as the locals call it – is one of the best beaches for families in Cornwall. For child-friendly holidays in Falmouth, it has all the important points ticked off, such as accessibility and facilities.
Accessibility and Facilities
Located only a ten-minute walk from Falmouth town, you could easily stroll over to enjoy the beach, or make use of the car park that is right next to the beach if you are coming from out of town. Access to the beach is flat, making it suitable for pushchairs.
At Gyllyngvase, you’ll find public toilets with facilities for baby changing, allowing you to stay at the beach all day long without having to worry about toilet breaks!
On the beach, you’ll also find Gylly Beach Café, which offers an assortment of nibbles and drinks to keep you refreshed throughout the day.
Things to Do
The beach itself is also ideal for families, with soft sand perfect for building sandcastles and water conditions ideal for a range of watersports. Older kids will love to try out paddle boarding, and this sport is often on offer at the beach.
At low tide, you may be able to find some interesting marine life in the rock pools that appear. Glancing across the water, you’ll be able to see views of Pendennis Castle; something that is bound to make the kids’ imaginations run wild!
Plenty of other fun activities can be found at Gyllyngvase during the summer months, including beach volleyball and even bouncy castles set up by the sand!
Safe for Families
As one of the seven beaches in Cornwall to receive the Blue Flag Award 2022, the beach is recognised as being clean and safe, with the highest quality of water.
Between May and September, there is often RNLI Lifeguard cover at this beach. Between May and September, dogs are banned on the beach between 10am and 6pm, so you can rest assured that your children are safe to play.
Gwithian Towans Beach, Hayle
On the North Coast, about 20 minutes from St Ives, you’ll find Gwithian Beach. While the water is popular with surfers, the sandy stretches are perfect for building sandcastles and digging around.
Accessibility and Facilities
The beach has its own car park, allowing for easy visiting. To access the beach, you simply need to follow the path through the sand dunes from the car park.
There are a couple of options when it comes to refreshments too. The Sunset Surf beach café, where you can find meals made from local ingredients, or the Jam Pot Café, where you can get snacks from a former coastguard lookout hut!
Things to Do
Framed by sand dunes, the beach is perfect for exploring. At low tide, there is a vast expanse of sand to play on, as well as exposing rock pools to peek into. Around the beach are a number of caves, offering an exciting adventure for families.
At the beach you may also be able to spot a range of marine life, including seals, guillemots and cormorants.
Safe for Families
Gwithian Beach has lifeguard cover on weekends during April and October and full-time from May to September.
A seasonal dog ban is in place during July and August between 10am and 6pm.
Chapel Porth Beach, St Agnes
A National Trust owned beach, Chapel Porth is a well-maintained spot perfect for a family visit.
Accessibility and Facilities
The beach is accompanied by a National Trust car park and café. If you are a member of the National Trust, then you can park for free at the beach. The beach also has toilet facilities.
Things to Do
It is best to visit when the tide is out, as, at this time, the beach reveals a big sandy stretch to play on, as well as an assortment of rock pools and caves to explore.
There is a rich mining heritage here, and the landscape is incredible, with the ruins of the Wheal Coates tin mine sitting atop the cliffs surrounding the beach.
One of the biggest draws to this beach is the café, who are famous for their ‘hedgehog ice creams’ – a delicious combination of Cornish ice cream, clotted cream and caramelised hazelnuts which are made to resemble a hedgehog!
Safe for Families
The beach is protected by RNLI Lifeguards each day between May and September. While it is safe to play at the beach, becoming cut off can be an issue with the tides here, so be sure to check the tide times.
There is a seasonal dog ban in place at Chapel Porth, with dogs banned in July and August between 10am and 6pm.
4. Perranporth Beach, Perranporth
With huge surf, miles of golden sand and sand dunes, Perranporth beach is a great place to visit with your family, not to mention the quality of this beach being awarded the seaside award 2022.
At times you can even feel like you have the whole beach to yourself because of how huge it is – the sandy beach is over 2 miles in length.
Accessibility And Facilities at Perranporth Beach
The beach is easily accessible from the village, with car parking and toilet facilities close by, which is great for little legs and prams.
If you get hungry or need a refreshment, there are various cafes and bars nearby, serving snacks and drinks throughout the main holiday seasons.
Things To Do at Perranporth Beach
Perranporth beach is perfect for all ages. From swimming, to surfing and building sandcastles on the shore, there is a guarantee that everyone will enjoy their time spent at this well-loved beach.
If you enjoy wildlife and exploring somewhere new, take a walk around the extensive sand dunes where you will find a selection of butterflies and lizards to take pictures of as you wander through the golden sand. You may also see horses and their owners riding along the beach and paddling in the sea early in the morning.
During your time at Perranporth beach, you could also visit and support the range of friendly, local village shops and discover everything that they have to offer.
Is Perranporth Beach Safe for Families?
There is lifeguard cover from Easter until the end of October. Currently dogs are allowed on Perranporth beach all year round. However, during July and August they are required to be kept on a lead between 10am and 5pm on the main beach area.
5. Carne Beach, Veryan
This popular beach is a great spot for those who enjoy a stroll along a picturesque seaside, it sits on the beautiful Roseland Peninsula, which creates the perfect place for sunbathing.
Carne Beach is another National Trust beach and is perfect for families to enjoy and relax.
Accessibility And Facilities At Carne Beach
If you are up for taking on the countryside lanes, the access to this beach is down some very narrow roads, but it’s all worth it to spend time on this beautiful beach.
There is a car park nearby which is free for National Trust members. Toilet facilities are also located in the car park.
Things To Do At Carne Beach
Being a particularly sunny spot, it is the perfect place for sunbathing, rock pooling and swimming. There are delicious Cornwall ice cream vans to cool you down, regularly found at the beachfront.
The beach is overlooked by the luxury Nare Hotel, the perfect place to sit down and enjoy a cream tea and refreshment.
Is Carne Beach Safe For Families?
This beach is great for families, but be weary of the tide times as at high tide there is little beach to play and sunbathe on.
Dogs are welcome all year round at Carne beach, as long as they are kept under close control and on a lead.
It really is no mystery why Cornwall is famed for its beautiful beaches, and there is much fun to be had at any one of the spots we’ve mentioned here! If you want to explore the many family-friendly beaches that Cornwall has to offer, why not make the 5 star luxury accommodation at The Valley your base?
Image Credit: Visit Cornwall