The 19 best free things to do in Cornwall with kids

Family holidays aren’t always cheap, even if you stay in the UK. But even one of the most popular parts of the country for family holidays, you can find plenty of free things to do in Cornwall with kids.

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Whether you’re heading to the coast or exploring inland, Cornwall is one of my favourite places to holiday – and even better, you can find a string of places to visit in Cornwall for free, all across the county.

From the Camel Valley to Falmouth and Penzance, here are my top things to do in Cornwall with kids which won’t cost a penny.

Check out my complete guide to Cornwall with kids, as well as my downloadable ebook version of the guide

Hit the beach

You can’t go to Cornwall and not go to the beach. Well, you can but you shouldn’t. I love the wilder north coast but there are beautiful stretches of sand along the south as well, whether you’re making sandcastles and paddling with toddlers or bringing your own surfboards and heading into the waves.

Whichever coast you’re staying on, you’ll be close to a great family-friendly beach in Cornwall, but I’ve picked out a few of the best.

In North Cornwall, head to the wide open sands of Crantock Beach, backed by dunes, and previously voted Britain’s best beach.

Both Fistral Beach and Polzeath Beach are great for surfers, including young beginners, but there’s plenty to keep families happy even if you’re not picking up a board.

Or enjoy a whopping three miles of sand at Perranporth beach, or your pick of seven different coves at The Seven Bays, linked by coastal paths so it’s possible to fit in a couple of beaches into a single day.

If you’re staying around St Ives, there’s a choice of gorgeous beaches in and around the town – Porthmeor beach is one of my favourites but there’s Porthminster and Porthgwidden and nearby Carbis Bay as well.

Porthcurno beach is easily one of the most unusual with the Minack Theatre perched high above it and some glorious turquoise water.

Or Whitesands Bay, not far from Sennen Cove, the most westerly point in England, has some wonderful white sands (as the name suggests!) with more of those incredible turquoise waters.

Praa Sands is another good option if you’re mixing attractions and seaside, not far from Penzance, St Michael’s Mount, and the Lizard Peninsula, with 1.5 miles of beach and water that’s shallow enough even for little ones.

On the south coast, Kynance Cove has been voted the best in the world, famous for its rock stacks, wildlife and caves as well as the chance to paddle.

Falmouth has its own choice of beaches too. Gyllyngvase (aka Gylly) Beach is just 10 minutes from the town centre, with rock pools as well as watersports and plenty of space to make sandcastles.

Or if you’re staying around Looe, East Looe beach has more calm, shallow water for younger kids as well as rockpools too.

But that’s only a taste of some of the best, with around 400 beaches in Cornwall to try.

Check out my post on some of the best beaches in Cornwall for more ideas, including dog-friendly beaches in Cornwall

Bude Sea Pool

If you’re not a fan of swimming in the sea, the sea pool at Summerleaze Beach is fantastic for families, with some shallow water – plus Bude Sea Pool is also free (though donations welcome)!

It’s open year-round, although most families will want to stick to the summer months when the water temperature reaches around 18C, and you’re recommended to swim at low tide.

Do bear in mind there are limited facilities here as well – it’s better for confident swimmers and older kids rather than toddlers.

Go rockpooling

It’s not all about buckets and spades either – the coastline has some great rock pools to investigate, with crabs and lobsters among the winkles and anemones and heading out to peer into the pools is always among the most fun things to do for free in Cornwall.

Keep an eye out for long thin pipefish, transparent prawns and cushion stars – coin-sized sea stars (or starfish) which often hide amongst the weeds. If you do move stones, always replace them, and don’t touch the creatures.

Treyarnon Bay between Newquay and Padstow has some large shallow rocks pools, which is a great child-friendly option if you want ideas of free things to do near Newquay, while further up the coast, Greenaway Beach near Polzeath is perfect for older kids.

On the south coast, there are some great rockpooling options near Falmouth, including Castle Beach and Hannafore Beach near Looe. If you get the bug, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust also runs rockpool safaris and rockpool rambles throughout the year, as well as beach clean ups.

Check out these tips on rockpooling from the Natural History Museum, with advice on everything you need as well as how not to damage the marine life

The Camel trail

The disused railway line is now a great cycle track or walking route taking you through the Camel Valley, from Padstow on the coast past lovely little villages (and to the area’s vineyard if you have a few pennies to spend).

There’s around 18 miles to explore if you want a proper adventure but for an easier day out in Cornwall with toddlers, try the five mile section from Wadebridge to Padstow, or venture further on to Bodmin for a 12 mile stretch of the route.

There are also places to park along the trail (and bike hire, including kids bikes if you haven’t packed your own.)

Lanhydrock cycle trails

The trails around the National Trust property of Lanhydrock are free (if you bring your own bikes) with different difficulty levels, including ones suitable for trailers and tagalongs.

The green trail is easiest for younger kids, only a mile and a half long and suitable for trailers and tagalongs – perfect if you just want a half hour cycle before hitting the adventure playground.

There are also four different blue trails (moderate difficulty) for a bit more of a test, while older kids and teens will love the red trail and the skills area, to boost your confidence and practise some of the trickier off-road trail skills you’ll need.

If you’re a National Trust member, you can stop in at Lanhydrock without spending an extra penny – as well as the other National Trust properties in Cornwall.

Walk the coast

The South West Coast Path stretches for 300 miles around this part of the UK – more than enough to find a few good free places to visit in Cornwall, from dramatic cliffs to traditional fishing villages and wandering past some more of those wonderful beaches.

If you’re not sure where to start, the website lets you refine your search by difficulty and theme, as well as location, so if you’re looking for an easy, family walking route, it’ll show you the best places to amble.

How about a beach walk at Crantock, a walk to Pendennis Castle or even heading from Penzance to Marazion, not to mention lots of options that are less than a mile long.

If you’re already an English Heritage member, you can stop in at Pendennis castle without an extra charge – or any of the other English Heritage properties in Cornwall.

You can also walk from Sennen Cove to Lands End (or from the village of Sennen itself) to see the views here – although it’s worth knowing you have to pay to have a photo taken with the famous signpost. Lizard Point is the most southerly point of mainland Britain (though Lands End is furthest from John O’Groats) and there’s a great trail around the cliffs here too.

Cardinham Woods

Home to the Forestry Commission’s family-friendly activities, such some of the activity trails inspired by Julia Donaldsonbooks, there are also four walking trails to explore at Cardinham Woods along with three cycle trails.

If you’re visiting Cornwall with a baby or toddler, one of the walking trails is buggy friendly, plus there’s a play area and cafe.

There is a charge for parking unless you’re a discovery pass holder, at £4.50 for two hours or £7.50 for the whole day (paybyphone is available if you didn’t bring coins).

Not 100% free admittedly (unless you have membership for either the site or national membership for Forestry Commission sites), but still great if you’re looking for cheap days out in Cornwall.

See the mines at Botallack

Before tourism, Cornwall’s wealth came from mining, and the coast and countryside is still littered with the remains of these mines.

And while you can’t go down into Botallack mine unlike those at Geevor nearby (paid!), it’s a great place to learn a little more about this side of Cornish history as well as enjoying the dramatic clifftop scenery.

The mine’s tunnels extend half a mile under the sea, and it’s thought that around 20,000 tonnes of copper were mined, along with tin and (unexpectedly) arsenic.

Today, you can still see the Crownds engine house, which pumped water out of the shafts, and which has been used for filming of the TV series Poldark. The old mine office has more information and houses the visitor centre and cafe.

Sadly you can no longer learn more about Cornwall’s mining heritage at Heartlands, which was one of the best free days out in Cornwall with kids, closed in 2024

Mount Edgcumbe Country Park

The former home of Earls, the house and formal gardens do cost to enter, but there’s 865 acres of country park with plenty of walks to explore.

Try the tree trail or the landscape walk which takes you to some of the best viewpoints around the grounds.

If you don’t fancy following a specific route, you can simply wander by the river and spot wild deer too.

Discover Merlin’s cave

Tintagel’s stunning setting and legendary history makes it one of my favourite places to visit in Cornwall, but you needn’t fork out for the castle ruins to get a taste of King Arthur.

Head down to the beach (at low tide) and you can explore Merlin’s cave – there’s scrambling involved, so this one is better with older kids than babies or toddlers.

Check the tide tables before you go, as you can’t get in while the tide is in. And do pack a torch…

Walk to St Michael’s Mount

You’ll need a strong will and a tight budget not to explore the whole of St Michael’s Mount, but if you’re determined not to spend any money, the walk across the causeway (check the tides!) is fantastic as you reach this island community.

If you visit between September 14 and April 30, access to the harbour and village is free for everyone during opening hours, but there’s usually a charge at other times (unless you’re a National Trust member).

You can wander around the village and imagine what life is like for the 30 islanders who still call it home – join one of the free guided tours to discover more of the history as well as the families who live on the Mount.

Bodmin Moor

The wildest part of Cornwall, Bodmin Moor is a fascinating place to roam, with Bronze Age and Neolithic cairns and stone circles and its own store of ghost tales and legends, as well as once being a haunt of smugglers.

For a less spooky option, you can go geocaching on the moor as well as following part of the Copper Trail, a 60-mile walking route.

Look out for the granite rock formations including the Cheesewring, climb some of the tors (hills topped with rocks) and for kids who love tales of King Arthur, don’t miss a visit to Dozmary Pool where the Lady of the Lake supposedly gave Excalibur to Merlin.

If you do want to find out more about Cornwall’s smuggling history, including how Bodmin Moor was at the heart of it, head to Jamaica Inn which has a small smuggling museum inside – not free but it’s only a few pounds per person, so fun with older kids (or fans of Daphne Du Maurier’s novel Jamaica Inn).

As a fun bonus, you can also visit the village of Minions while you’re at Bodmin Moor – not named for the little yellow characters from Despicable Me, but the village has definitely embraced them!

Golitha Falls

The Golitha Falls Nature Reserve is another magical spot that’s part of Bodmin Moor, with footpaths leading through the valley along the riverside.

One trail is buggy-friendly, but older kids will love stepping stones and clambering over tree trunks on the way to the falls. Don’t forget to watch out for the piskies which live there…

There’s free parking and you’ll often find a trailer selling BBQ food, although if you do bring your own provisions, it’s one to add to the list of completely free days out in Cornwall.

Falmouth Art Gallery

This gallery has won an award for its family-friendliness, with options for all ages including craft sessions, baby painting and sensory play – ideal for free activities in Cornwall with younger kids.

There are also regularly changing exhibitions, including ones which will appeal to kids, such as Alice in Wonderland.

But whatever else is on, you’ll find more than 1,700 artworks in the collection to discover, so it’s also one to remember if you need ideas of free things to do in Cornwall on a rainy day.

Museum of Cornish Life, Helston

A great option for a free days out in Cornwall with kids if it’s raining, the Museum of Cornish Life is a fun way to learn more about the county’s history.

You’ll find all kinds of objects on display to illustrate different sides of Cornish culture, as well as a big social history collection, displays on inventor Henry Trengrouse, not to mention everything from farming to toys to gardening to musical instruments.

There are activity sheets and dressing up for families as well as occasional activity trails.

There are more free museums to visit in Cornwall with kids, including the Tintagel Toy Museum and little Penryn Museum. The Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro is also free for kids, but adults to have to pay £10 for an annual pass.

Flicka Foundation Donkey Sanctuary

If your kids love animals, they’ll be in heaven at Flicka Foundation Donkey Sanctuary just outside Falmouth, home to more than 100 rescued donkeys (and a few ponies).

It’s free to enter and look around, although donations are welcome to help look after the donkeys – plus there’s a very tempting cafe to visit as well.

During the summer, they’ll be out in the paddocks with paths to take you past, while during the winter months you can visit them in their barn. The sanctuary isn’t open every day, so do check before you visit.

Spot camels

It’s not just the Camel valley that you can explore, there’s even a herd of the humped beasts to find at Cornish Camels.

Home to Bactrian camels as well as cows and sheep, follow the free farm trail that lets you wander past and camel spot.

The Camel Centre is actually a wedding venue, but has holiday accommodation as well, and you can park to explore Goonhilly Downs Nature Reserve as well as eyeing up the animals.

Try some cider

Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm is a great place to visit if you’re interested in how some of the county’s traditional food and drink is made – and there’s plenty for kids.

You can look some areas around for free, including a chance to see the animals and spot the six new tanks which each hold a huge 100,000 litres of freshly pressed apple juice just waiting to be fermented. Look out for the cider tanks too, including with a giant rattle snake on.

If you do want the full experience, there are family-friendly guided tours to learn more, although these are paid – only under fives are free.

The shop itself is free to enter… but realistically, you’ll want to take home some of the jam and cider!

Have an ice cream

Visiting Roskilly’s Ice Cream Farm is another on the list of the things to do in Cornwall for free – you can wander around the farm to meet the animals, watch cows being milked, enjoy some lovely walks and see the ice cream (plus yoghurt and fudge) being made. And try a few samples.

Although if do you escape without buying a single ice cream, I salute you! Even with a cone all round, a visit here still qualifies when you’re after cheap things to do in Cornwall.

For even more ideas of where to visit during a family holiday to Cornwall and things to do with kids in Cornwall, check out my ultimate guide to Cornwall with kids, plus my top things to do in Cornwall with kids and things to do in Cornwall in the rain

*First published 2016. Updated 2026*

PIN FOR LATER: FREE THINGS TO DO IN CORNWALL WITH KIDS

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Falmouth image courtesy Visit Cornwall, all other images courtesy of Depositphotos

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