Beaches in St Ives

With your holiday cottage in St Ives, you’ll be perfectly placed within walking distance of several stunning beaches. With each beach boasting its own charm and appeal; you'll find something for everyone, with family-friendly beaches, popular watersports venues, wide-open flat sands and hidden rock pools.

Harbour Beach - You can't get much more central to St Ives than Harbour Beach, which sits proudly in front of the bustling shops of St Ives (meaning you have immediate access to all the ice cream and places to eat you could need). Build sandcastles and swim in the safety of the harbour for a perfectly placed beach day in St Ives. See what you can expect with our St Ives Harbour webcam here.

Porthmeor - With the impressive Tate St Ives as its backdrop, Porthmeor beach is easily recognisable. Favoured by surfers and swimmers alike, this sandy beach is great for every kind of beach day from relaxed to energetic – or a mix of the two! It’s also one of only eight beaches in Cornwall to holda Blue Flag Award, which positions it at the top for quality, safety and environmental management.

Porthminster - With a café practically on the beach for ice creams and any forgotten picnic essentials (like more ice cream), the golden sands of Porthminster are always beckoning for a beach day. Palm trees dot the outskirts of the beach, adding a tropical feel to the beach. Combine this with the balmy climate of St Ives and you’ve got a Mediterranean holiday without climbing on a plane.

Porthgwidden - This sheltered beach is a veritable sun trap in the summer months, creating another glorious spot for swimming in St Ives. Family friendly with a superb café overlooking the beach, Porthgwidden might not be the biggest beach but it’s certainly one of the best. Simply stretch out on the soft sand and let the sound of waves take you away.

Things to do in St Ives

St Ives holidays are a special kind of break as everything you could possibly need or want can be found down the winding streets, along the bustling harbour or on one of the many sandy beaches - you can even make your own gin! Planning your holiday itinerary couldn’t be easier… here are just some of the things you can fill your days with.

Art Galleries

With a huge art culture in St Ives, there are dozens of art galleries and artist studios lining the cobbled streets, you can even view local artists at work. Located on the site of the former gas works, the iconic Tate Gallery features international, modern and contemporary art exhibitions. The nearby Barbara Hepworth Museum showcases inspiring sculptures, paintings and drawings giving you a superb insight into the life and works of this famed artist. If you would prefer to get a more hands-on experience, you can book an art course with the St Ives School of Painting, or try one of their drop-in life drawing sessions.

Shopping

With an array of quirky, independent shops throughout the town, shopping in St Ives is unlike shopping anywhere else. Purchase local produce, handmade goods and local artwork, alongside perusing the more well-known shops such as Cath Kidson, Fatface and Superdry. Looking for a more unique take home to remember your holiday by? St Ives is home to shops that are more akin to a treasure trove, filled with antiques and hidden gems.

Boat Trips

Boat trips run regularly from the harbour throughout the summer, where you can enjoy the views from a different angle. If you're lucky you may even see one of the 'resident' seals or view the dolphins at play. Or, if you want to release your inner angler you can hop on one of the fishing charters, which will take you out to some of the best fishing grounds in the UK.

Surfing & Watersports

In Cornwall, one of the most popular pastimes is surfing and if you’re wondering if you can hit the waves in St Ives, you absolutely can… and should! You can learn to surf at the St Ives Surf School based at Porthmeor beach, unleashing a lifetime of surfing possibilities. Alternatively, you can try out paddleboarding or kayaking at Porthminster beach, where you can glide across the water and test your balance. If you’re already a keen surfer, grab your board, check the tide times and head off to enjoy the great surf Cornwall has to offer.

Walks

Lace up those walking boots because St Ives is full of some spectacular walks. Coastal excursions that deliver vista after vista of breath-taking views, detours through cobbled streets and quirky alleys, and rural treks that offer 360-degree views of Penwith… a walk around St Ives is always a good choice.

Dining out in St Ives

With so many eateries in St Ives, there’s plenty of choice for everyone whether you’re looking to celebrate over a meal or you fancy choosing from the selection of excellent pubs and bars for a refreshing drink and a chat.

Porthminster Beach Café 

Situated right next to the near-Mediterranean sands of Porthminster beach, this beachside restaurant matches its surroundings perfectly with an Asian/Med menu that brings flavour in every mouthful. Pop in for a drink to round off your beach day or soak in the sea views with an exquisite meal full of local ingredients.

Rum and Crab Shack

One of the top seafood restaurants in Cornwall and the birthplace of Dead Man’s Fingers rum, the Rum and Crab Shack delivers exactly what it says on the tin and more. Expect satisfying soul food inspired by the deep south and wash it all down with one of their many rums or cosmic cocktail. 

Beer & Bird

Whether you’re in the mood for a refreshing craft beer at one of the top bars in St Ives or you fancy dining on deep-fried chicken with your furry best friend beside you (yep, it’s dog-friendly), Beer & Bird welcomes all to its laid-back and uber-tempting restaurant on the harbour front.

The Loft Restaurant & Terrace

With sea views and heaters and blankets, it doesn’t matter what’s going on outside when you’re dining on the balcony at The Loft. Fresh seafood and local veg are the stars of the show on the menu, while the Sunday roast offers all the warmth and cosiness a winter visit needs. Dogs are welcome on the balcony, too!

Dog-friendly St Ives

Whether you’re exploring St Ives on two legs or four, you’ll find plenty of sights (and smells) that everyone can enjoy! Settle down in a classic pub in St Ives for a pint and bowl of water, explore the nearby coastpaths and dog friendly beaches, and enjoy a treat by the harbour as the sun sets at one of the many dog-friendly restaurants and pubs in St Ives.

Dog-friendly beaches

Bamaluz - Quiet, sandy, yet close to the action of St Ives, Bamaluz beach is a firm favourite with dogs and their humans. The best part is that this oasis of doggy heaven is completely dog-friendly all year round so you can run in the sand 365 days a year.

Lambeth Walk - Although it only exists at high tide, Lambeth Walk beach offers dogs the chance to run free right in the middle of St Ives. Just next to the lifeboat station, you’re a few seconds away from the joys of the harbour meaning you can enjoy an ice cream while the pup enjoys digging its way to the centre of the earth on this wonderfully quiet beach.

Dog-friendly pubs and restaurants

Hub St Ives - Burgers, dogs and beers is the mantra of the original Hub in St Ives so gather up the whole family and head inside to make the most of all three.

Scoff Troff Cafe - Well, the name says it all with this one - if you’re looking for somewhere you can tuck into a glorious array of good food in St Ives with the dog in tow then this is the cafe for you.

Sloop Inn - With its traditional facade and harbour views, the Sloop Inn is a well-known and much-loved fixture in St Ives. And yes, the best part is that they are totally dog-friendly.

Discover more reasons why St Ives is a paw-fect place for dog-friendly holidays here.

What's on in St Ives

Holidays in St Ives are popular all year round. Whether enjoying a family summer holiday or an out-of-season break, there's usually something happening in St Ives. See what’s coming up on the events calendar here.

Christmas & New Year's Eve in St Ives

Visit during the festive period and you can watch Santa arrive on an RNLI lifeboat, admire the magical lantern parade and join in with the big light switch on. Soak up the atmosphere on New Year's Eve in St Ives, where everyone dresses in fancy dress, and the evening ends with a spectacular firework display. Be warned though, it gets extremely busy so be sure to book tables in advance for pubs and restaurants to avoid disappointment. Read more about New Year's Eve in St Ives.

St Ives Food and Drink Festival

Held on Porthminster beach in the middle of May each year, the St Ives Food and Drink festival is the UK's only festival of this type to take place on a beach. Enjoy live music, a wide range of products from Cornwall's finest food producers, and demonstrations from some of the country's best chefs. Held across two days, this event attracts both locals and visitors alike.

St Ives September Festival

Running for two weeks each September, St Ives hosts the increasingly popular St Ives September Festival. The festival includes live music, theatrical performances and comedy sketches, with something suitable for the whole family. Browse the dozens of artist studios, take part in a theatrical workshop or just simply soak up the atmosphere on the harbour front.

Getting around

In St Ives the best way to get around is, of course, on foot. However, if you wish to explore more of West Cornwall, there’s a train station in St Ives, which takes you on the most beautiful coastal train journey to St Erth station, from which you can catch connecting trains to Penzance, Truro and further afield. Alternatively, by car, you could take the stunning coastal road from St Ives across to Penzance and onto Land’s End. Within St Ives itself, there are a variety of Council owned car parks you can use.