Things to do in Cornwall with the family
Cornwall is one of the easiest places in Britain to keep a whole family happy, because the big-hitters are genuinely good and most of them sit within an hour of each other. The Eden Project, Newquay's aquarium and zoo, a working cider farm, two steam railways and some of the best surf beaches in the country all pack into one long thin county, and the beaches in between are free.
This is the rundown of the best family days out, grouped by what they are and where they are, with real prices and seasons so you can plan around the weather and the ages you are travelling with. It sits under our full guide to things to do in Cornwall, and if you are here to book a base, Camping Sites in Britain lists campsites across Cornwall to pitch up near the coast.
Travelling with under-fives, or watching the forecast turn? We have separate guides to things to do in Cornwall with toddlers and things to do in Cornwall when it is raining, and a shortlist of the best campsites in Cornwall if you want the location sorted first.
The big days out at a glance
These are the attractions worth building a day around, with the practical detail up front. Prices are typical 2026 gate prices and are usually cheaper booked online in advance, so always check the official site before you set off.
| Attraction | Where | Best for | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Project | Bodelva, near St Austell | All ages | From around £40 adult, under-5s free |
| Newquay Zoo | Newquay | Toddlers to teens | From around £18 adult |
| Blue Reef Aquarium | Newquay seafront | All ages, wet days | From around £15 adult |
| Camel Creek Adventure Park | Near Wadebridge | Ages 4 to 12 | From around £20, under-90cm free |
| Lappa Valley Steam Railway | St Newlyn East | Toddlers to age 10 | From around £15 per person |
| Paradise Park | Hayle | Toddlers to age 10 | From around £18 adult |
| Screech Owl Sanctuary | Near St Columb | All ages | From around £13 adult |
| Healey's Cornish Cyder Farm | Penhallow, near Truro | All ages | Free entry, pay for rides and tours |
The Eden Project
The Eden Project is the one unmissable day out, and it earns it. Two giant biomes sit in a reclaimed china clay pit near St Austell: the Rainforest Biome is hot, humid and full of canopy walkways, and the cooler Mediterranean Biome smells of citrus and herbs. Outdoor gardens fill the rest of the crater, so it works in most weather.
For children, the pull is the huge outdoor play area with its climbing nets and the giant Gaia sculpture, plus the interactive Invisible Worlds zone. From late November to February the plaza becomes a proper outdoor ice rink, which turns a summer garden into a full winter day out. Tickets usually let you return free for a year if you Gift Aid your entry, so it pays back fast if you are staying a week. Check the official Eden Project admission prices before you go.
Newquay: zoo, aquarium and surf
Newquay is the best single base for family days out, with three good options within a few minutes of each other. Newquay Zoo sits in tropical gardens and keeps lemurs, red pandas, penguins and meerkats, with a dragon maze and play areas to break up the walking. On the seafront, the Blue Reef Aquarium runs an underwater tunnel through its tropical ocean tank and has a rock pool touch area, which makes it a reliable rainy-afternoon fix.
Fistral Beach is where most families take their first surf lesson. Several accredited schools run group sessions for children from around age 7, with wetsuits and soft foam boards included, and the wide sandy beach means plenty of room to fall off safely. Lessons run through the main season from Easter to October, and beginner-friendly waves also break at nearby Watergate Bay and at Polzeath up the coast.
Adventure parks and rides
Camel Creek Adventure Park, near Wadebridge, is the county's main rides park, with roller coasters, water rides, indoor soft play and daily shows aimed squarely at families with children aged four to twelve. It is open through the main season and school holidays, and under-90cm go free, so it suits mixed-age groups. Book ahead on the Camel Creek site for the cheapest tickets.
One to know before you plan: Flambards at Helston, a Cornish institution for 50 years, closed permanently in November 2024, so do not build a trip around it despite older guides still listing it. If you are coming from the east and want a bigger rides park, Crealy Adventure Park now sits just over the Tamar in Devon, near Exeter, rather than in Cornwall.
Animals, birds and farm days
Cornwall has a strong run of smaller animal attractions that suit toddlers and primary-age children better than a full theme park. Paradise Park in Hayle is a wildlife park and bird sanctuary with parrots, penguins, otters and red squirrels, plus a large indoor JungleBarn play centre that is worth its weight when the rain sets in. It is calm, walkable and rarely overwhelming for little ones.
The Screech Owl Sanctuary near St Columb rescues and rehomes owls and other birds of prey, with flying displays and handling sessions through the day, and a good indoor play barn. Healey's Cornish Cyder Farm at Penhallow, near Truro, is free to enter: you pay only for the tractor and trailer tours of the orchards, the distillery tour and the farm animals, and there is a big café for a long lunch. It is one of the better-value days out in the county.
Steam trains for small children
Two heritage railways run gentle rides that toddlers love. Lappa Valley Steam Railway at St Newlyn East, near Newquay, is built around a narrow-gauge steam train that carries you into a woodland site with a boating lake, a maze, crazy golf and two more miniature railways, so the train is the start of the day rather than the whole of it. It runs from spring through October and the school holidays.
Over on the south coast, the Bodmin and Wenford Railway runs full-size steam trains through the countryside from Bodmin, and connects to the Camel Trail for families combining a train ride with a cycle. Both are half-day outings that pair well with a beach afternoon. Confirm running days on the Lappa Valley opening times and prices page, as steam schedules change with the seasons.
Beaches, rock pooling and the free days
The best family days in Cornwall cost nothing. For rock pooling you want a low, calm tide and a rocky beach: Wembury-style reefs are matched here by spots like Castle Beach at Falmouth, Kynance Cove on the Lizard, Polkerris near Fowey and the flat reefs at Trevone near Padstow. Take a bucket, go an hour before low water, and put everything back where you found it.
For lifeguarded family swimming and sandcastles, Gyllyngvase in Falmouth, Summerleaze at Bude, Porthmeor in St Ives and Daymer Bay near Rock are all sheltered and sandy. Check the RNLI lifeguard cover and flags before you swim, and stick to the area between the red and yellow flags with children.
The Camel Trail for family cycling
The Camel Trail is the easiest proper bike ride in Cornwall with children, because it is flat, traffic-free and follows an old railway line. The most popular stretch runs the roughly 5.5 miles from Padstow to Wadebridge along the estuary, and the trail continues on to Bodmin and Wenfordbridge for a longer 18-mile route. Bike hire shops cluster at both Padstow and Wadebridge, with trailers, tag-alongs and child seats for the youngest riders.
Start at Padstow for the sea views and the chance of a chip lunch on the harbour, ride out as far as attention lasts, then turn back. There are cafés and a nature hide along the way, and the estuary section is genuinely level, so even small legs manage it.
A rough plan by age
| Ages | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Under 5 | Lappa Valley, Paradise Park, Healey's, sheltered sandy beaches |
| 5 to 8 | Camel Creek, Newquay Zoo, Blue Reef, rock pooling, first surf lesson |
| 9 to 12 | Eden Project, surf schools, the Camel Trail, Screech Owl flying displays |
| Teens | Fistral surf lessons, coasteering, the Camel Trail, coast path walks |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best family attraction in Cornwall?
The Eden Project near St Austell is the standout, with two giant biomes, a large outdoor play area and winter ice skating. Tickets often include free return visits for a year, which makes it strong value if you are staying a week.
Is Flambards still open?
No. Flambards theme park at Helston closed permanently in November 2024 after 50 years, so ignore older guides that still list it. For a rides park in Cornwall, head to Camel Creek near Wadebridge instead.
Where can children learn to surf in Cornwall?
Fistral Beach in Newquay is the main spot, with accredited schools running lessons for children from around age 7. Watergate Bay and Polzeath also have beginner-friendly waves and good schools, with wetsuits and boards included in the price.
What can you do in Cornwall with the family for free?
Rock pooling and beach days cost nothing. Try Castle Beach at Falmouth or Trevone near Padstow at low tide, cycle the traffic-free Camel Trail, or walk a stretch of the coast path. Healey's Cider Farm is also free to enter.
What is there to do in Cornwall when it rains?
Head indoors to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, the JungleBarn at Paradise Park, or the Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project, which stays warm whatever the weather. Our rainy-day guide has the full list.
The short version
Base yourself near Newquay or Wadebridge and you can reach the Eden Project, the zoo, the aquarium, Camel Creek and the Camel Trail within an hour, with free beaches and rock pooling filling the gaps. Watch the tides and the lifeguard flags, book the big attractions online, and keep a wet-weather option in your back pocket.
Ready to pitch up? Browse campsites across Cornwall or read the full things to do in Cornwall guide to plan the rest of the trip.
