A road trip around Cornwall this summer will be one you won’t forget. Cornwall has it all when it comes to beautiful beaches, scenic coastal walks, history and good food. We have put together a 2 week road trip itinerary around Cornwall which includes all of the above. Sand between your toes and the smell of fresh sea air - what more could you want!

Please note travel times and miles given are estimates and could be longer depending on traffic, road works etc.

Total road trip mile counter: 195 miles

Day 1 - Lost Gardens of Heligan
Start of trip from home
It is no surprise the The Lost Gardens of Heligan won Best UK Leisure and Heritage Attraction for 3 years in a row. Located in St Austell, these unique gardens will have plenty to keep you entertained with over 200 acres of gardens with many gems including a suspension bridge across the jungle, intricate victorian glass houses and a kitchen garden which produces seasonal fruit and veg.

There is so much to explore and see here and there is plenty to keep you and the family entertained. We loved the sculptures that were being reclaimed by nature that were hidden throughout the gardens. There is plenty to see and do in the gardens, one of our favourite parts was the field of wildflowers which was a sea of yellow and covered in bees.

Day 2 - Falmouth & St Mawes
50 mins, 25 miles to Falmouth

The harbour town of Falmouth is a university town with great high street for shopping, food and is well known for it’s creative scene. You will find plenty of history around the harbour and Pendennis castle on the hill. Catch a boat across to St Mawes and if you have time, catch another across the Percuil river to St Just along the Roseland heritage coast for some incredible walks. We would recommend a stop at Gylly beach cafe for a bite to eat overlooking the Gyllyngvase beach. There are some rock pools here that are great for spotting crabs as the tide goes out.

Day 3 - Helford & Coverack, Lizard Peninsula
45 mins, 20 miles to Helford

The area is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is one of the few places you can some of the Britain’s rarest plants. Bosahan cove overlooks the Helford estuary and is a scenic spot for a picnic. After exploring the coastal coves of Helford head to Coverack. Coverack is a quaint, picturesque fishing village located within the Lizard peninsula. The area is a hub for watersports, particularly wind surfing, sailing and diving. There is a car park in the village with toilet facilities.

Day 4 - Lizard point & Kynance Cove, Lizard peninsula
30 minutes, 14 miles to Lizard point

In the morning, we would recommend that you walk towards Lizard point first and explore the old Lifeboat station, this is a great spot to look out of seals and birds. We were amazed by the amount of succulents clinging onto the vertical rock and the colour of the clear blue sea. You will find a cafe and some ice cream shops at this point and the Lizard Point is the most southerly point of Mainland UK. You can go on a tour inside the lighthouse which is being run at a reduced capacity due to covid.

After all that exploring, make your way to Kynance Cove (15 minute drive) for a chilled afternoon on the beach. This beach has a unique landscape, with a large pinnacle which reminds us of beaches in Thailand. The coastline is made of green and red stone unique to the Lizard peninsula. Please note that the tide comes in quick on this beach and you can easily get cut off, make a note of the tide times to ensure this doesn’t happen to you. We also recommend once the tide comes in to climb up past the cafe to see the beach from the cliffs above which is one of our favourite viewpoints. The Lizard coast is scattered with numerous coves and Kynance is king.

Day 5 - Mullion Cove
25 minutes, 7 miles to Mullion cove

Mullion cove which was originally built in the 1890’s where now a small fishing fleet reside. You can occasionally spot seals in the harbour and you will be able to see Mullion island which is home to many breeding birds and is a designation Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI). If you fancy a treat after the walk there is Porthmellin cafe located near the harbour which sells ice cream and food. There are two privately owned car parks in Mullion cove so you could start your walk from this end and do the walk opposite to what we did! If you are looking to do walks along the South West Coast path then you can read about our favourite ones here. The views along this walk are incredible and coupled with some fantastic beaches along the way you are in for a treat. If you are looking for a bit more adventure then head out into the water with Lizard Adventure who offer coasteering and kayaking trips from Mullion Cove.

Day 6 - Praa Sands & St Michaels Mount
30 minutes, 14 miles to Praa Sands

Head along the coast to the white sandy beach of Praa sands which is formed from lots of crushed seashells. The beach extends for over a mile and is surrounded by rolling sand dunes. Hire a paddle board, surf board or body board at Praa Sands for the morning and explore the coastline. In the afternoon head to the infamous St Michaels Mount, a castle on a hill just located off the coast of Marazion which you can walk across the cobbled stone path at low tide and venture back across by boat at high tide. Explore the ancient market town of Marazion for quaint shops and a hearty pub meal.

Day 7 - Penzance & Mousehole
10 minutes, 4 miles to Penzance

Wander around the old streets of Penzance and explore the harbour. Penzance is home to Britain’s largest outdoor lido the Jubilee Pool which is an Art Deco pool and withstands the storms from the sea. You can catch the ferry from here to the Isle of Scilly, which is a two hour journey. Then head over to Mousehole which is full of character with winding narrow streets and charming cottages. The sheltered harbour is a great bathing spot and also has a couple of tiny beaches within the harbour. There are some great places to get some good food including Jessie’s Dairy which is a tea room or if you’re looking for something a bit more comforting head to the Ship Inn for some pub food.

Day 8 - Porthcurno & Minack Theatre
24 minutes, 9 miles to Porthcurno

Cornwalls crown jewel, Porthcurno is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world let alone Cornwall. It is perfect for families, easy to get to and safe. Spend the day enjoying the warm golden sand and dramatic cliffs loom over the turquoise water. Ever dreamed to watch a play under the stars then head over to the incredible Minack theatre, which you can read more about here. You can also just visit the theatre and gardens during the day and tickets cost around £6.50 per person. The views from the top are worth it. You can either drive to the car park or hike to the top from Porthcurno. For the more adventurous, hike down the cliffs to Pedn Vounder the next door neighbour of Porthcurno and you will feel like you’re in the Caribbean. You will need to wait for the tide to start retreating before you can get to the beach. Low tide is what makes this place special as sand bars magically appear from beneath the oceans waves.

Day 9 - Sennen Cove & Gwynver beach
13 minutes, 5 miles to Sennen

If you’re looking for a great place to surf or body board then Sennen Cove is the place! Sennen is well known for great surfing conditions and is a popular family destination. Home also to the UK’s first ever canine lifeguard, named Bilbo who raised awareness of the swimming safely in the sea. There is a large car park above Sennen with wonderful views overlooking the beach and a great place to watch the sunset. There are surfing hire shops located on the beachfront and a cafe to keep you fuelled up for your adrenalin filled day. Gwynver is the next beach along from Sennen and has a steep walk down to it and is a quieter alternative to Sennen. This beach doesn’t have any facilities on it so be prepared and bring all you need if you plan on staying here for the day, also a great place to watch the sunset.

Day 10 - Cape Cornwall & Mines
16 minutes, 6 miles to Cape Cornwall

The distinctive headland of Cape Cornwall juts out into the ocean where two great bodies of water meet. This area is part of the Tin Coast and Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. Park in the Cape Cornwall national trust car park and wonder along the coastline for some incredible views. There are numerous tin mines dotted along this stretch of coastline north of Cape Cornwall these include, Bottalack, West Wheal Owles and Levant Mine.

Day 11 - St Ives & Gwithian beach
40 minutes, 14 miles to St Ives

A favourite holiday destination for many which does make St Ives a popular spot. If you have an appreciation for art then visit the St Ives Tate gallery and Barbara Hepworth museum (pre-booked tickets only). The town is surrounded by many beautiful beaches. The many bakeries scattered along the high street will not disappoint!

Head east along the coast to the national trust Godrevy car park which also has toilets. The Towans/Gwithian beach is your destination and a perfect place to learn to surf, Gwithian surf academy offer lessons for beginners. You will find lots of kite surfing here too and a great spot for bodyboarding. There are hidden beaches that you can get to in high tide to avoid the crowds of the more accessible stretch of beach. Head towards the lighthouse and tip toe along the coast line to Mutton cove and see if you can find the sleeping seals on their own private beach.

Day 12 - St Agnes Heritage Coast
30 minutes, 24 miles to St Agnes

Wheal Coates mine is over 200 years old and some of the sites are now designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are set within a beautiful heathland landscape with purple heather and yellow gorse. From the top you can see across to Porthtowan Beach and at low tide the beach stretches all the way along which is an iconic view. You can look down the mine shaft which drops down 180m through solid rock and runs out a long distance beneath the sea.

If you plan your walk for low tide you could go along the beach from Wheal Coates mine down to Chapel Porth beach to Porthtowan beach. We have written about this walk in more detail here. If it is high tide continue past the car park and back up the hill take a bearing to the right and up the hill towards Wheal Charlotte. You will continue along the path till you reach Porthtowan. This is a lovely little town which is a popular surfing beach and has a tidal pool which is accessible at low tide as it is completely covered during high tide and be prepared to clamber over some rocks. There are bars, beach cafe’s and fish and chips if you fancy! Spend the late afternoon exploring the streets of St Agnes, grab some fish and chips and walk down to the beach to watch the sunset.

Day 13 - Polly Joke & Holywell Bay
25 minutes, 12 miles to Polly joke beach

If you’re looking for a spot to camp, then we would recommend Treago campsite and from there you explore the beautiful coastline from Polly Joke beach and if you’re feeling adventurous all the way to Holywell Bay. This was possibly our favourite piece of coastline. There are so many incredible coves to explore that look they have been transported from a more exotic climate. If you are lucky you might spot seals sunbathing in small coves nearby.

Holywell Bay is a large beach a short walk from Pollyjoke with sand dunes and fascinating rock formations as you make your way down to the beach are breathtaking. Made famous as a popular filming location in the Poldark series. Go on a hunt to find the hidden Holy Well in one of the caves on the west side of the beach at low tide where you can make a wish.

Day 14 - Watergate Bay & Bedruthan Steps
19 minutes, 8 miles to Watergate Bay

Watergate bay is a large beach with great facilities for surfing, bodyboarding and kitesurfing with golden sand. There are some great places to eat nearby including; the beach hut and the hangout. The last stop of the road trip is England's answer to Australia's famous 12 Apostles. Bedruthan Steps is an absolute must visit when in Cornwall. This north Cornwall beach is spectacular and lives up to every expectation. Bedruthan Steps is not far from Newquay and you can park in the Bedruthan national trust car park and will be the perfect end to an incredible Cornish adventure. Cornwall is packed full of incredible coves and beaches and Bedruthan certainly makes it into our list of favourites.