Porthmeor Beach, St Ives

When it comes to West Cornwall beach holidays, West Porthmeor Beach in St Ives has it all. With white sand and clear seas this beach has the look of somewhere on the continent, and it has fantastic surfing conditions too.

The beautiful Porthmeor Beach is just outside the Tate St Ives, and one thing to bear in mind is that it can be difficult to park in the town, so it’s best not to bring a car if you’re just visiting for the day. There is a dog ban on this beach between Easter and October.

Longrock Beach, Penzance

The most easily accessible sandy beach in Penzance, Longrock Beach is another one for the list of family beaches in West Cornwall. The beach is a mixture of sand and pebbles, and its favoured by those with young children as it’s a very safe beach.

The beach is an especially safe one for swimming, as you have to walk quite far out into the sea before the water even reached wait height! Longrock Beach is found around 2 miles from the centre of Penzance, and there is a seasonal dog ban here too.

Gyllngvase Beach, Falmouth

Gyllngvase Beach is the largest in Falmouth, and is ideal for all kinds of West Cornwall beach holidays.

This Blue Flag beach offers golden sands, lively rock pools and a lifeguard service during the summer.

There’s a beach cafe, toilet facilities and a sand chair available for hire. Children love to explore the rock pools when the tide goes out, and they often house sea life such as shrimps and crabs. The beach is just off the cliff road in Falmouth.

Poldhu Cove, The Lizard

Found on The Lizard Peninsula, Poldhu Cove is an interesting West Cornwall beach since it was the site of the first wireless signal. You’ll see a monument to Marconi, the inventor, on the beach and it stands in the very spot where it happened. This aside, Poldhu Cove is a great family beach too.

The beach is spacey, sandy and well-equipped, and it’s also pretty good for swimming and surfing. There is a car park just across the road from the beach, and a seasonal dog ban is enforced – so it’s not a recommended beach for those on summer beach holidays in West Cornwall with their dogs along.

Portreath Beach, Portreath

Another beautiful spot for those on beach holidays in West Cornwall is Portreath Beach in Portreath. Portreath Beach is a sandy beach, sheltered by a picturesque valley at one end and the harbour wall to the other.

This beach is the Cornwall coastline at its best, and summer sees its sands fill with families enjoying the sunshine and views, as well as the many surfers who flock to enjoy its waves.

There’s even a new surf life saving club right on the beach. The beach is close to the town too, so you’re near any amenities you may need.