Located on the coast of Cornwall, St Ives is a popular tourist hotspot packed with activities from surfing to coastal walks and fine dining. But don’t let the business put you off. St Ives has something for everyone and there are plenty of hidden gems to discover even in the busiest months.
Below, we’ve compiled some reasons St Ives should be on anyone’s bucket list of holiday destinations. Read on to discover why St Ives is perfect for you.
1. Coasteering Expeditions
With the St Ives Surf School, you can book a coasteering adventure at sea. This is the perfect activity for adventure seekers who love the sea.
The coasteering expeditions start from Porthmeor Beach and Porthminster Beach and grant you access to some of the most stunning coastal vistas in Cornwall, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will prove to be rewarding and leave you itching for the next great adventure.
The coasteering experience will include:
- Cave exploration
- Swimming through gullies
- Traversing rocks
- Leaping off rocks into the ocean
The coasteering tours are suitable for beginners and intermediates. It’s important that you can swim 50 metres unaided and be fit enough for the more difficult stretches of the experience.
St Ives Surf School opening times: Monday-Sunday 9 am-5:30 pm
Cost: £45 for one person, £40 per person for four people, £35 per person for 10 people, £32 per person for 15 or more people. The maximum number of people in a group coasteering session is 16.
You can also hire private group coasteering experiences that last from 90 minutes to 2 hours.
2. St Ives Mermaid Pools
For a quieter experience with the sea, check out one of St Ives’ mermaid pools, large sheltered rock pools that are great for a secluded dip away from the crowded beaches.
One such pool can be accessed from the coastal path on The Island between Porthmeor and Porthgwidden and you’ll come across others on the way. The pool can be found from the steps below the Coastwatch tower.
Make sure to visit on sunny days and when the tide is low as the rocks will be less slippery and the area will be easier to traverse. You can bring your dog with you as well so long as you’re careful.
As the mermaid pools are less safe for children to access, this activity is perfect for a romantic getaway from the hustle and bustle of town. Relax and spend some quality time in the water together while you drink in the enchanting ocean views.
Opening times: the rock pools are open every day with the best access found 2 hours before and after low tide. Check the tide timetable before your visit.
Cost: free
3. Godrevy Lighthouse
Godrevy Lighthouse is an iconic part of the St Ives landscape, being the inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s acclaimed book The Lighthouse.
You can admire the lighthouse from a distance with great views from Porthminster Beach. For a closer look at the historic monument, you can either walk along the South West coast path or drive up to Godrevy Head, a National Trust site with free parking for members.
It will take just under four hours to walk there or 19 minutes if you’re driving. When you do get there, head down to Gwithian or Godrevy Beach where you can enjoy some surfing and swimming to go along with the view.
Alternatively, you can book a spot on a boat trip out of St Ives. Some of the trips go around the Lighthouse, allowing you to get much more up close and personal with the monument.
Some of these boat trips include:
- St Ives Boats – head to Seal Island or Godrevy Lighthouse to catch sight of some of the local wildlife.
- Tiger Lilly – sail around Godrevy and witness the lighthouse’s own colony of grey seals.
- Nemo Glass Bottom Boat Trips – an underwater sea safari experience that will take you west to Seal Island or east to Godrevy depending on weather conditions
- Coast Boat Trips – explore the dramatic coastline encompassing Godrevy Lighthouse and Hell’s Mouth.
Hiring a boat trip comes with a number of other perks as well. You may very well be able to catch a glimpse of seals or dolphins with a sea safari, and with Tiger Lilly boat trips, you can even participate in some mackerel fishing.
St Ives Boats Costs: adults: £25, under 12’s: £15
Tiger Lilly Costs: adults: £25, children 14 and under: £15
Nemo Glass Bottom Boat Trips: adults: £35, children: £25
Coast Boat Trips: adults: £30.25, children: £24.75
Opening times:
St Ives Boats – tours generally take off between 9am-8pm though this can vary from day to day. Check their timetables on their website before your visit to plan accordingly.
Tiger Lilly – daily tours run from 9:30am-sunset.
Nemo Glass Bottom Boat Trips – they run morning, afternoon, and evening tours from 10 am-7 pm.
Coast Boat Trips – tours run from 10 am and finish at 6 pm, 4:15 pm or 4:45 pm depending on the day. Check their booking times ahead of your trip.
4. Coastal Walks in St Ives
St Ives is perfectly situated along the South West Coast Path, making it the perfect spot to head out to drink in the stunning views and get more familiar with the flora and fauna found in the area.
There’s plenty of local wildlife to be spotted for animal enthusiasts, whether it be seals or dolphins off the coast or cormorants flying around the bay. If you visit St Ives in the winter or early spring, you might also catch a glimpse of puffins in the area.
The coastal walks are also the best way to explore some of the local history of the St Ives area. The coast is dotted with ancient ruins from old Stone Age or Bronze Age settlements to historic churches such as St Nicholas Chapel on The Island.
Some of the coastal walks you can enjoy include:
- St Ives to Zennor – 12 miles round trip. Head from Porthmeor Beach along the cliff. Make sure you’re wearing sturdy and comfortable shoes as the terrain can be tricky.
- St Ives to Carbis Bay – 2 miles. An easy walk from Porthminster to Carbis Bay Beach with plenty of gorgeous views to catch along the cliff.
- The Island round walk – 1 mile. A beautiful walk that takes you through the beautiful beaches of St Ives. Head along Bamaluz and Porthgwidden to come around the Island and end up at Porthmeor.
- St Ives to Lelant – 5 miles. A full day’s walk that takes you from Porthminster Beach, past Carbis Bay, and down to Porthkidney Sands. You can also continue on to Godrevy and Hell’s Mouth if you want.
- St Michael’s Way – 10 miles. a long walk that takes you all the way up to St Michael’s Mount in Marazion. Be prepared for this to be a full day’s adventure.
All the walks are dog-friendly as well, so be sure to bring along some four-legged company whether you’re walking solo or with friends or family.
5. Arts and Crafts Workshops
Back in town, you can make the most of St Ives’ creative reputation by heading to one of the many workshops and classes on offer to have a go at making something beautiful to take home with you at the end of your trip.
There’s no shortage of activities to try including jewellery-making and pottery classes. There’s something for everyone and having a fun day learning a new craft or skill is always a good way to spend time with the family.
Some workshops you can get involved in during your visit include:
- St Ives School of Painting – Painting courses. Perfect for artists interested in still life, seascapes, landscapes, and abstract art. There are courses for beginners as well.
- Tarquin’s Gin School – Make your own bottle of gin. You can even bring your own botanicals or spices to make the gin unique to you. Due to the nature of the masterclass, you have to be over 18 years old.
- Leach Pottery – Pottery workshops that teach you all the best techniques for making jugs, bottles, plates, and teapots. They have a range of courses for adults, families, and kids.
- I Should Coco – Chocolate making. Learn how to mould chocolate, produce truffles and ganaches and decorate your treats with any toppings you want.
Arts and crafts workshops are perfect for making a unique gift for a loved one, whether it be a birthday, Christmas, or Valentine’s celebration.
Opening times and costs:
St Ives School of Painting: Monday-Sunday 9 am-5 pm. Classes are online and onsite. 3-day weekend courses start from £425.
Tarquin’s Gin School: Monday-Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm. Sunday 10 am-5 pm. The masterclass costs £85 per person.
Leach Pottery: Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm. Family courses are free with museum admission. Taster sessions cost £60, adult courses cost £295 for two-day courses, £450 for three-day courses, and £690 for five-day courses.
I Should Coco: Monday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm. Courses can cost anything from £25-£300.
6. Shanty Baba St Ives Tours
A quirky and unique activity to St Ives, the Shanty Baba tours offer an exciting and often spooky perspective on the town that is sure to create some inspiring and lasting memories.
Shanty Baba is a professional storyteller specialising in the history of St Ives including tales on spooky hauntings and ghosts and legends about local folklore. Some of the walks take place at night to allow guests to experience the full atmospheric impact of his stories.
Walks and routes depend on the time of year and the weather conditions. Make sure you wear suitable and comfortable footwear as there will be a lot of walking and some of the tours will be taking you up and down hills.
Shanty Baba’s story walks include:
- Lantern Ghost Storywalk – Walks start at 8:30 pm. Visitors can enjoy a macabre insight into St Ives’s history that isn’t for the faint of heart.
- St Ives Storywalk – Walks start at 6 pm. Learn about the storied history of St Ives in a different light.
- St Ives Pirate Walk – Walks start at 2 pm. Learn the Code, Piratespeak, and listen to stories about buried treasure from long ago.
- Cornish Folklore Storywalk – Walks start at 11 am. Witches, giants, and mermaids are among the many magical stars of Shanty Baba’s folklore tales.
All of Shanty Baba’s walks cost £8 for adults and £6 for children under the age of 16.
St Ives has a lot of charm and excitement on offer for the adventurous and artistic with each day of your trip guaranteed to be memorable and wildly different from the day before.
To find out more about activities to try in St Ives, check out our guides on the best water activities in St Ives and the best ways to spend a day with your family in St Ives. Head on over to our property pages to book a holiday home and begin your dream adventure exploring St Ives’ best-kept secrets and hidden treasures.
