Motorhome sites in Cornwall
Good to know
Can you park a motorhome overnight for free in Cornwall?+
Which Cornwall car parks allow overnight motorhome stays?+
Do Cornish campsites take large motorhomes?+
Are there motorhome service points in Cornwall?+
Can you stay one night at motorhome sites in Cornwall?+
When should you book a motorhome pitch in Cornwall?+
Motorhome sites in Cornwall
Touring Cornwall by motorhome or campervan
Motorhome and campervan sites in Cornwall put two coastlines, one moor and the end of England within a short drive of any pitch. The A30 carries vans comfortably as dual carriageway from Exeter deep into the county; the character changes in the final miles, where high-hedged lanes reward following the site's own approach directions rather than the shortest satnav route.
Pitches and services
Electric hook-ups at 10A or 16A are standard at Cornish touring parks, and the larger parks add motorhome service points for waste disposal and fresh water. Cornwall runs no public aires network like France, so on-site services do the work between stops. Pitch length limits vary more than facilities do: over 7m, confirm access and pitch size with the site before booking, particularly where the approach is single-track.
Overnight parking: the rules in Cornwall
Sleeping overnight in a motorhome is banned in most Cornwall Council car parks. Eleven car parks permit self-contained motorhomes (onboard toilet required) to park overnight between 11pm and 8am for a maximum of two consecutive nights, with charges applying: Bodmin, Bude, Falmouth (Gyllyngvase), Fowey, Launceston, Marazion, Newquay (Watergate Bay), Padstow, Perranporth, Seaton and St Ives.
None offers facilities, and wild camping anywhere in Cornwall needs the landowner's permission. Treat the eleven as one-night stopovers and the county's touring sites as the base.
Where to base a van tour
Newquay, St Agnes and Bude anchor the north coast for surf and cliff walking, with St Ives and the Penwith moors beyond for the far west. The south coast harbours (Looe, Fowey and Mevagissey) suit slower touring on quieter roads. Inland sites around Bodmin Moor cost less and reach either coast easily.
Town parking is tight for vans in high season, so pick a site within walking or bus distance of the places you want and leave the van pitched. Towing instead, see the 48 caravan parks in Cornwall; the full county picture across every style sits on campsites in Cornwall.