With a subtropical microclimate, world-famous pasties and pretty seaside towns, a staycation in Cornwall is hard to beat.
But it’s the gorgeous beaches that are the biggest draw for many.
Cornwall has Britain’s longest coastline – a whopping 697km/433 miles in length – and over 400 beaches. So it might be a challenge to choose just one.
There’s no need to feel overwhelmed, though, because here we’ve picked out eight gems, from wild and secluded beauty spots to family-friendly sandy stretches.
Which one would you most like to visit? Vote in our poll…
Porthtowan Beach
Cornwall has Britain’s longest coastline and over 400 beaches. So it might be a challenge to choose just one – here are eight of the best as chosen by MailOnline. Porthtowan Beach, seen here, is one of North Cornwall’s best family-friendly beaches
Described by Visit Cornwall as a ‘soft sandy beach, surrounded by sheer cliffs’, Porthtowan is one of North Cornwall’s best family-friendly beaches.
There’s a children’s play park and families will also find a wealth of rock pools to explore along the coastline.
Porthtowan has lifeguards from May 4 until September 29 and it’s considered one of the region’s best surfing beaches.
Even better – it’s been awarded Blue Flag status for the 2024 season, which means it meets the highest standards of seaside water quality.
Gyllyngvase Beach
Gyllyngvase (above) holds Blue Flag status and it’s situated just 10 minutes from Falmouth town centre, making the beach a short jaunt from ice-cream vendors.
Hard to pronounce (it’s Gillingvayz according to locals) but incredibly beautiful – this is Falmouth’s ‘largest and most popular’ beach, says Visit Cornwall.
The tourism board celebrates its ‘soft pale sands’ which are ‘ideal for sandcastles’ while families can head to the south end of the beach for rock pools and lobster spotting.
Gyllyngvase holds Blue Flag status and it’s situated just 10 minutes from Falmouth town centre, making the beach a short jaunt from ice-cream vendors.
Lifeguards are on patrol from mid-May to the end of September while dogs are banned throughout the same period.
Sennen Cove
Visit Cornwall says: ‘Sennen Cove (above) offers everything you need for a beach holiday, sand, sea and surf’
Just 10 minutes’ drive from Land’s End, Sennen Cove is an expansive sandy beach that’s close to shops and cafes.
Visit Cornwall says: ‘Sennen Cove offers everything you need for a beach holiday, sand, sea and surf! Head down the hill from Sennen village and it’s not long before your view is full of sea and sunshine.’
Sennen Cove is a Seaside Award winner for 2024 which means it’s one of the best beaches in the country for water quality, safety and environment.
Pedn Vounder Beach
Pedn Vounder, seen here, is a ‘secluded slice of paradise’ with ‘an abundance of natural beauty’, according to Cornwall Beaches
Pedn Vounder is a ‘secluded slice of paradise’, according to Cornwall-beaches.co.uk which says this is ‘arguably the best beach in Cornwall’.
The team adds: ‘Once a hidden gem, Pedn Vounder is now something of an Instagram darling but with such an abundance of natural beauty it isn’t hard to see why.’
Located near Land’s End, the beach is famous for its crystal-clear water and gorgeous white sand shore.
It’s close to Cornwall’s famous Minack Theatre and is also considered an unofficial naturist beach.
Daymer Bay
In Cornwall’s Camel Estuary, Daymer Bay (pictured) is a popular kitesurfing spot within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
A sheltered bay in Cornwall’s Camel Estuary, Daymer Bay is a popular kitesurfing spot offering good conditions for beginners.
Visit Cornwall says: ‘A stunning beach that at low tide forms long stretches of golden sand backed by dunes all the way around to Rock, with superb views across the Camel Estuary.’
The Camel is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and despite the name, it doesn’t have anything to do with humpbacked animals. It earned its name from the Cornish ‘Dowr Kammel’ which means ‘crooked river’.
If you’d like to add a spot of sightseeing to your day, Daymer Bay is also home to a Saxon heritage chapel.
Rushy Bay
In the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast, Rushy Bay, seen here, is the largest beach on Bryher Island – it has powdery sand and, for keen historians, the remains of a Civil War-era gun battery
Located on the Caribbean-like Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast, Rushy Bay is the largest beach on idyllic Bryher Island.
Lonely Planet says: ‘Bryher is fringed by fabulous beaches but many would say [Rushy Bay] is the loveliest.
‘South-facing and sheltered by the hummock of Watch Hill, it has powder-soft sand and super swimming’.
Keep an eye out for the remains of a Civil War-era gun battery that can be seen from Rushy Bay’s eastern end.
Polridmouth Cove
Shown here, Polridmouth Cove is located on the South West Coast Path and includes a seawater bath built into the rocks, but you can only reach it on foot
Despite Cornwall’s popularity, Polridmouth remains a ‘quiet and sheltered cove’, according to Visit Cornwall. That’s because the only way to reach this beach is on foot.
Visit Cornwall says: ‘The beach is shrouded in history, from its intriguing seawater bath built into the rocks by the Rashleigh family to the 1920s ornamental lakes that back the beach.’
Polridmouth Cove is located on the South West Coast Path so it could be the ideal spot for a short beach break if you’re attempting the walk. The beach also served as inspiration for the setting of Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 gothic novel, Rebecca.
Hemmick Bay
Hemmick Bay (above) is located on Cornwall’s south coast and it’s described as a ‘secret beach’ by Visit Cornwall
A small west-facing cove, Hemmick Bay is located on the county’s south coast and is described as a ‘secret beach’ by Visit Cornwall as it’s only accessible by a ‘steep narrow road’.
The team says: ‘A peaceful and secluded bay, Hemmick is a beautiful sandy beach surrounded by rolling pasture and dramatic rocky headlands. It’s wild and untamed, with plenty of tiny coves and rock pools to explore at low tide.’
Hemmick Bay is less than a mile from The Dodman, one of south Cornwall’s highest headlands, known for its spectacular views.