City
7 Best Activities In St Ives
Seven listings, three of them beaches. That tells you how a family day in St Ives actually goes.
Porthminster Beach and Porthmeor Beach are the two most families head for, with St Ives Bay on the same list. St Ives Surf School turns the sea into an activity for children old enough to hold a board. Everything else amounts to a short list of indoor options for when the sand loses its appeal.
Showing 1–7 of 7
WaterSt Ives Surf School
SightseeingEscape Time - St Ives
BeachesPorthminster Beach
BeachesPorthmeor Beach
MuseumsTate St Ives
SightseeingThe St Ives Cornwall Mystery Treasure Trail
BeachesSt Ives Bay
12 more within 10 miles of St Ives
Carbis Bay Beach
Splattenridden Farm
Hayle Swimming Pool
The Clay Corner Pottery Painting
Paradise Park and JungleBarn
Coast 2 Coast Karting
Loggans Moor Brewers Fayre
Godrevy Head
Cornwall Swimming Horses
Trevaskis Farm
Jubillee Pool
Long Rock Beach
Sand does most of the work here, and there is no shame in a day that is only that. Keep Escape Time - St Ives and Tate St Ives in reserve for the afternoon the wind picks up.
Visiting St Ives with kids: FAQs
Beyond the sand, what else is on the list?
Not a great deal, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. Tate St Ives and Escape Time - St Ives are the two indoor listings we hold, covering art and an escape room. The St Ives Cornwall Mystery Treasure Trail gives you a reason to walk the town with children who need a purpose. Seven listings is a short list for a place this well known.
Which beach suits younger children?
We hold three beach listings, Porthminster Beach, Porthmeor Beach and St Ives Bay, and the right one on the day comes down to wind and tide rather than any fixed ranking. Surf conditions vary a great deal along this stretch of Cornwall, so ask locally in the morning rather than committing to one the night before.
Is an escape room a sensible family activity?
Escape Time - St Ives suits families with children old enough to contribute rather than watch, roughly the age at which they enjoy being told they are clever. It is one of only two indoor listings in the town, which makes it valuable on a wet day. Check age guidance with the venue before you book a slot for the whole family.
Would children get anything out of the gallery?
Tate St Ives is a modern art gallery rather than a children's attraction, so manage expectations. It works as an hour rather than a morning, and it works best with children who like to talk about what they are looking at. On a bad-weather day it is one of very few indoor options here, which counts for a lot.