
Praa Sands
Excellent waves, white sands and plenty of amenities on hand, Praa Sands is the perfect family friendly beach — and big enough to have room to yourself all year round. There’s easy access from the carpark and watersports are available from Boatshed Activity Centre, from coasteering and kayaking to surfing and paddleboarding. Gwithian-based Global Boarders also run surf lessons from here, and there are a number of good places to eat. There’s lifeguard cover from May to September, and dogs are welcome from September through till June.

Perranuthnoe
With its small car park and limited lifeguard cover, Perranuthnoe is a little hidden gem and stays mostly under the radar of visitors. It’s a lovely, soft sandy beach (which disappears almost entirely at high tide so check the tides before your visit!), with huge rocks to clamber at one end. There are a number of places to eat nearby, including the The Cabin Beach Cafe right on the beach, and the wonderful Peppercorn Cafe further up. Lifeguards man this beach from July till early September and dogs are welcome from September through till June.

Marazion and Long Rock
Marazion and Long Rock beach together make up the stretch of coast from St Michael’s Mount to Penzance. A safe beach, when the tide is out the waters are particularly shallow and great for paddling. When the wind picks up, this is a great spot for kitesurfers — watch them soar above the waves from the cafe above the beach with an ice cream (you can also do kitesurfing, paddleboarding and kayaking from here). Marazion has lifeguard cover from mid-July until early September and dogs are allowed on the beach all year except July and August (10am-6pm).