Most families come to Cornwall for the superb beaches and sunny weather, and no county in England packs more attractions into such a small area than Cornwall! Easy to reach by car or train, and with a great choice of self-catering accommodation, Cornwall is the perfect place to holiday with youngsters. With so much to see and do, one thing you will never hear them say is “I'm bored!”
Flambards Experience
Flambards has been entertaining families for decades at its great location near Helston. It is centred around a recreated Victorian Village with more than 50 shops and homes to take a peek into. It neatly balances history with plenty of 21st century thrills and rides.
Holywell Bay Fun Park
Holywell Bay is the perfect place to let the kids run off all their energy. Bumper boats, go-karts, laser shooting, a maze and a climbing wall are just some of the great activities. For Dad, there is the largest 18-hole pitch and putt course in the southwest!
Land's End Visitor Centre
There is something magical about the Land's End landmark and the Visitor Centre does it full justice. Along with the well-photographed signpost (New York is 3147 miles away!) it brings vividly to life stories of Cornish shipwrecks, smugglers and the legend of King Arthur, with superb special effects. The West Country Shopping Village is also a great place to browse whatever the weather.
Newquay Blue Reef Aquarium
You may be staying by the seaside but you will not see seahorses, sharks and stingrays without a visit to Bluereef Aquarium. The underwater tunnel never fails to leave children wide-eyed as they walk beneath colourful corals and see wonderful aquatic wildlife. Blue Reef Aquarium also has a nursery and breeding program for clownfish, sharks and other species.
Monkey Sanctuary
Kids of all ages find monkeys endearing and the dedicated Monkey Sanctuary at Looe Bay is no exception. This charity is dedicated to the protection of cute woolly monkeys, capuchin monkeys, Barbary macaques and rescued Patas monkeys. See them interact, feed and play and watch your own “little monkeys” enjoy their memorable visit.
Newquay Waterworld
With two indoor pools and plenty of wet fun, Newquay's Waterworld has plenty of flumes, slides and water cannons. There is also a more traditional swimming pool for practicing swimming and diving skills. It offers a cheap day out for kids and is close to Newquay Zoo and several other attractions.
The Play Zone
St Ives has recently opened a great adventure playground for children with a corkscrew slide, swing-over chasm, nets, crawl spaces, bouncy castles, ball pools and more. This is exceptionally good for youngsters and tiny tots and admission for the whole day is very reasonable.
Tintagel Castle
Stories of castles and King Arthur light up most children's imagination. Explore the ruins of Tintagel Castle on the headland overlooking the rugged north coast of Cornwall. Built over 700 years ago, the site includes walks, seabirds, flora and fauna, plenty of walls to scramble over and a great café for ice cream afterwards.
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.