Whether you’re searching for adrenaline-fuelled activities for older kids or things to keep pre-schoolers happy on rainy days, you’ll find plenty of inspiration here. From farms and gardens to escape rooms and treasure trails, see what’s waiting for you in West Cornwall this winter.
Fun with the family
West Cornwall
Cornwall is known for being a family-friendly destination in the summer, but there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained in the off-season too.
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- Fun with the family
- Activity level: Easy
- Duration: 6-7 days
You can mix and match from the suggested activities to create a great day out during your stay. If you were to do all the activities on this itinerary, the estimated duration is given above.
Please note: You will need to contact the venue or experience provider directly to book.
Click on each individual experience and find out more about its accessibility and public transport connections, along with an eco tip.
Create your own inspiring itinerary
If you would like to build your own itinerary, head to the Experience page. You can add your favourite experiences to a bespoke itinerary, which can be downloaded or sent to your email address. Please note: This is for inspiration purposes only and does not create a booking. You will need to contact the venue or provider directly to book.
Things to do
Marazion treasure trail
What will you find in Marazion this winter? A treasure trail is an exciting way to get your bearings in a new town or to rediscover your favourite places. Simply order the treasure trail by post or download it to your phone. You’ll follow the route from St Michael’s Mount into town, heading a little off the beaten track and solving clues linked to the buildings and monuments along the way. This experience is suitable for the entire family. Find your adventure here.
Carriage and cream tea
A carriage ride through the Marazion area is a unique way to explore the Cornish countryside and celebrate a special occasion. This experience from Cornwall Swimming Horses takes approximately two hours and can include a stop at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens for a cream tea (seasonal opening dates apply). Contact the provider for more information.
Gwelen
If you’ve ever visited Mount’s Bay, home of St Michael’s Mount, it might surprise you to learn that beneath the waves lies the remains of an ancient forest. To bring this secret landscape to life, local artist Emma Smith has created a site-specific artwork, ‘Gwelen’. To find her wooden ‘seeing sticks’, join the section of the South West Coast Path that connects Marazion and Penzance. This unique installation is accompanied by a podcast, which will introduce you to Emma Smith and her work.
Little artists
Experience the joy of colour in this fun (and messy!) weekly workshop held at Newlyn Art Gallery. Led by experienced teacher Annie Vigar, the Little Artists sessions have been designed to nurture the creativity of babies and toddlers. Annie uses safe materials, so it doesn’t matter if more paint ends up on your toddler than the page. Booking is essential, find out more here.
The mining experience
Get your hands dirty and delve into Cornwall’s tin and copper mining history. Geevor Tin Mine is the largest preserved mining site in the country. Nestled in the St Just mining district, Geevor was the last mine in the area to close its doors. It reopened to enable locals and tourists to experience what life was like for Cornish miners – you can even travel down into the tunnels of Wheal Mexico Mine. Plan your visit here.
Public gardens
Did you know that there is a subtropical garden hidden in the middle of Penzance? Morrab Gardens is a free-to-enter public park that was created with plants gifted from estates in the local area. With a palm grove, fountain and rare subtropical plants, it’s the perfect place to unwind after a busy day of sightseeing. Find out more here.
Discover West Penwith
Experience the beauty of West Penwith with a bus journey that takes you from Penzance station to Zennor, Sennen Cove, Land’s End and Porthcurno. It’s the ideal route if you’re keen to check off Geevor Tin Mine and PK Porthcurno (the Telegraph Museum). See the Land’s End bus route (LAND) and more here.
Explore Penzance
If you’re keen to get out there and explore by bike, let Penzance Bike Hire bring your wheels to you. With electric bikes, mountain bikes, tandems and guided tours available, you can create a day out that suits you and your family. Find out more and book your bike here.
Meet the animals
This Penzance farm has an incredible story. Two young farmers with no family background in farming have transformed the land into a small holding, campsite and countryside classroom. Now they host open days, during which you can meet some of the animals and learn more about how they are looked after. Follow the farm on Instagram to find out more about their events.
Places to Eat
Homemade Cornish food
Refuel after a morning exploring Geevor Tin Mine with breakfast or lunch at the Count House Café. This family-run café enjoys stunning views of the Atlantic coast, and they are passionate about serving locally sourced Cornish ingredients. You’ll find sample menus and opening times on the café’s website.
Essential Information
Places to Stay
Retreat to a cosy self-catering cottage or book a stylish hotel in the heart of town. Discover the perfect seaside stay for your winter in Cornwall.
More inspiration?
Visit out of season and step into an adventure. Explore our entire collection of inspiring itineraries and plan a great day out.
Accessibility
Many of the activities in our itineraries are accessible. Click on each individual experience to find out more about its accessibility. We advise that you contact the venue or experience provider in advance to confirm. You can also find information about accessible venues through Access Cornwall.
Local knowledge
Enjoy updates from local experts and find information about upcoming events.
Getting around
Discover the many ways you can get out there and explore without relying on your car.
Positive impact
We’re hoping to make every stay as sustainable as possible. Find out more here.
Itinerary last updated on
This listing has been curated by the EXPERIENCE West Cornwall team and was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We advise that you contact the venue or provider directly to confirm any seasonal opening details and to book the experience.
