While St Ives offers many exciting attractions and activities, the beating heart of this much-loved seaside town has got to be its iconic beaches. Idyllic St Ives is famed for its beaches of white sand and turquoise waters, as well as its bustling harbour. Some of the best beaches in Cornwall can be found here.
Holidaymakers discovering Cornwall flock here to feel the sand between their toes by the bucket and spade load. From St Ives’ dog-friendly beaches where Rover can enjoy a doggy paddle all year round to sheltered coves perfect for families, there is a sandy shoreline in St Ives to suit all beachgoers.
With so much choice, we’ve curated a list of the best beaches in St Ives where you can swim, sunbathe enjoy an ice cream with a view, or even take a dip when it's raining – where will you lay your towel first?
Cottages in St Ives
Bamaluz Beach
Best St Ives beach for four-legged beach fans
Bamaluz Beach in St Ives is a hidden gem, often going unnoticed by visitors who flock to the better-known beaches nearby. Peace seekers in search of a more tranquil day out will fall hard for the sheltered location of Bamaluz.
Sitting beneath the Wheal Dream tin mine and St Ives Museum, this small, intertidal stretch of sand is great for rock pooling. But the biggest draw is that it is one of the most dog-friendly beaches in St Ives – in fact, we’d go as far as to say, one of the best dog-friendly beaches in all of Cornwall! Unlike some of the town’s other coves, Bamaluz Beach welcomes canine companions for a scamper along the sand all year round. So, if you’re staying in one of our dog-friendly holiday cottages in St Ives, you can pack up the pup along with the beach towels!
- Dogs: Allowed all year
- Lifeguards: No
- Local information: Access is via some fairly steep steps, and it’s good to know your tide times when visiting this St Ives dog-friendly beach as it almost disappears at high tide. There are eateries, car parking facilities, and WCs on nearby Smeaton’s Pier.
Porthgwidden Beach
Best St Ives beach for spectacular views
One for the Instagrammers, this stunning cove with soft golden sand and sparkling waters is one of the most beautiful St Ives beaches. Thanks to its sheltered nature near St Ives Island, this beach escapes most of the winds leaving behind a perfectly protected patch of sand where you can doze in the sun all day long (occasionally in the company of a napping seal).
As it’s one of the smallest beaches in St Ives, Porthgwidden tends to be popular with families as parents have the peace of mind that their children will be in full view wherever they pitch their towel. And you needn’t worry if you don’t fancy packing up a hamper of food, as Porthgwidden Beach Cafe sits directly on the sand and serves delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes, from morning until night.
- Dogs: Seasonal dog ban between 1 July and 31 August 10am-6pm
- Lifeguards: No
- Local information: There’s a beach cafe and WCs, plus a row of colourful two-storey beach huts which can be hired. The Island Car Park sits just behind the beach, but it does fill up early in the summer. There is easy access to the beach from the adjacent car park and down a slope.
Porthmeor Beach
Best St Ives beach for swimming and surfing
With the impressive Tate St Ives as its backdrop, a large expanse of soft sand, and superb waves, Porthmeor Beach is one of the best surfing beaches in Cornwall, let alone St Ives. If you fancy donning a wetsuit and having a go, several surf schools are operating from the beach for both beginners and those who wish to improve their technique. The St Ives Surf School tends to be a popular choice, running lessons for all ages and sizes of groups.
Of course, you don’t have to take to the surf. You can also enjoy a more laidback day, exploring rock pools, building sandcastles or catching a sunset – especially if you walk up to St Nicholas’ Chapel at the top of The Island. And when you’re feeling peckish, you can pop over to Porthmeor Beach Cafe for a cup of something warm and a plate of something filling.
- Dogs: Seasonal dog ban between Easter Sunday and 30 September 10am-6pm
- Lifeguards: Daily from May until September. Some weekends, bank holidays and school holidays also. See the RNLI website for more details.
- Local information: Easy access to the beach, including a slipway on the east side. There are surf schools, WCs, an outdoor shower, and a beach cafe. The nearest car park is Porthmeor Short Stay.
Porthminster Beach
Best St Ives beach for families
The largest, and some say the loveliest, of St Ives beaches, Porthminster is a big hit with families. This glittering swathe of sand is lined with palm trees and lapped by crystal-clear waters – and it boasts glorious views of Godrevy Lighthouse in the distance. On hot, sunny days, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d landed on Caribbean shores!
Porthminster Beach has so many ingredients for a family day at the seaside; shops that sell buckets and spades, kiosks with ice cream, and cafes offering paper-wrapped fish and chips… it even has lifeguard cover in the summer so you can all have a safe paddle in the sea. Spend the day wave jumping or playing a round of mini golf on the 18-hole course, before rounding off with something delicious at Porthminster Beach Cafe. Plus, if you time your visit right, you can enjoy the annual St Ives Food and Drink Festival right here on the sand. It’s also good to note, this is a top accessible beach in Cornwall, too.
- Dogs: Seasonal dog ban between Easter Sunday and 30 September 10am-6pm
- Lifeguards: Daily from May until September. See the RNLI website for more details.
- Local information: Brimming with facilities, there is a cafe, restaurant, shops, deckchair and windbreak hire, beach hut hire, water sports, children’s activities in the summer, putting green, WCs and a public car park above the beach. There is easy access to the beach with a sand chair available for hire.
Harbour Beach
Best St Ives beach for atmosphere
St Ives Harbour Beach is located, as the name implies, in the working harbour of the town. This is one of St Ives’ best beaches for enjoying exceptional Cornish ice cream while appreciating the ebb and flow of harbour life. At low tide, the beach stretches out beyond the harbour walls and the sand is shared with beached fishing boats and their moorings. Kick off your shoes and pad your way around to Porthminster Beach or jump over the rows of ropes and search for sea glass.
Visit the lighthouse at the end of the pier or take a look at the RNLI lifeboat station on the slipway – you might even be lucky enough to catch them on training days. And keep your eyes peeled for seals, which often follow the fishing boats in when they have a good catch.
- Dogs: Seasonal dog ban between Easter Sunday and 30 September 10am-6pm
- Lifeguards: No
- Local information: Cafes, pubs, shops and WCs close by along the harbour. The nearest car park is The Sloop which is a short stay. Access is via the lifeboat slope or steps near the car park.
Lambeth Walk Beach
Best St Ives beach for stone balancing
Great news for those bringing furry family members on their staycation, this is another top dog-friendly beach in St Ives. Lambeth Walk Beach, also known as Pier Beach in St Ives, is a small crescent of pebbles and sand, that is only accessible at low tide when it joins Harbour and Porthminster beaches.
Happy hounds can enjoy zoomies all year round here, and there are lots of rock pools to sniff out that are filled with curious sea critters. The beach is also known for its stone balancing where towers of pebbles are balanced on top of one another, often in a precarious but fascinating manner!
- Dogs: Allowed all year
- Lifeguards: No
- Local information: Cafes and shops close by in St Ives, WCs by the beach. The nearest car park is The Station Car Park, or The Stennack. The beach is only accessible at low tide and is reached via steps and a bit of a scramble over rocks.
Slightly further along the coast from St Ives…
Carbis Bay Beach
Best St Ives beach for water sports
Situated just 1 mile from St Ives, Cornwall's Carbis Bay is a mile-long white sand beach, lapped by cerulean waters and surrounded by sub-tropical plants. It’s another of those beaches you wouldn’t believe is in Cornwall! With little surf, this is also one of the best beaches near St Ives for swimming and water sports – the guys at the Ocean Sports Centre will have you standing up on a paddleboard in no time! They also offer equipment hire for kayaks, Hawaiian canoes and sailboats.
If water sports aren’t your thing, don’t worry - Carbis Bay Beach also has a lovely Beach Club Restaurant where you can grab anything from morning coffee to cocktails and dinner. Or, if you fancy an adventure on dry land, you can set out on the South West Coast Path and revel in breathtaking views over St Ives Bay.
- Dogs: Seasonal dog ban between 15 May and 30 September 10am-6pm
- Lifeguards: Daily from 9 July until 4 September. See the RNLI website for more details.
- Local information: There are WCs, a cafe, a beach shop and a water sports centre at the beach. There is a car park, however, it can be quite busy so it might be easier to park in St Ives and then get the branch line train to Carbis Bay instead, which only takes a couple of minutes. Access to the beach is easy from the car park but there is a steep hill if you’re unable to park by the beach.
Porthkidney Sands
Best St Ives beach for some peace and quiet
A short walk from Carbis Bay and only 2 miles from St Ives, Porthkidney Beach, or Porthkidney Sands as it is otherwise known, is a huge expanse of sand backed by rolling dunes and the West Cornwall Golf Club (duck if you hear the shout, “fore!”). It’s one of the top dog-friendly beaches near St Ives, where four-legged pals can make pawprints in the sand all year round.
Thanks to its unusual dune system and the nearby RSPB-managed reserve, this beach is also a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a great spot for those with a passion for birdwatching. Migrant terns can often be seen nesting on the beach. Best of all, because of its vast size – stretching to a mile at low tide – and lack of facilities, this beach is often very quiet. It’s the perfect place to escape the crowds and enjoy some solitude.
- Dogs: Allowed all year – though they should be kept on a lead on the footpath leading from St Uny’s Church to the beach
- Lifeguards: Daily from 9 July until 4 September. See the RNLI website for more details.
- Local information: There’s no parking close to the beach and no facilities. Access is on foot via the South West Coast Path from St Uny’s Church or Lelant Railway Station (1 mile), and does involve steps.
Upton Towans Beach
Best St Ives beach for nature lovers
Also known as Hayle Beach, Upton Towans is 9 miles up the coast from St Ives and forms part of Hayle’s 3-mile strip of golden sand. It is named after the extensive sand dune system that borders the beach, a haven for wildlife and plants. This incredible habitat is home to the internationally rare and obscure petalwort and the striking silver-studded blue butterfly – it is reputed that these dunes contain 20% of the entire flora found in Cornwall!
A footpath runs through the majority of the Upton Towans Nature Reserve and its dunes. And when you’re up high on these sandy peaks, you’ll be able to admire awe-inspiring views across the bay of St Ives town, and the beaches of Porthgwidden and Porthminster.
- Dogs: Allowed all year
- Lifeguards: Daily from 14 May until 25 September. See the RNLI website for more details.
- Local information: The nearest cafe, shop and WCs are at Gwithian Towans, 1 mile up the coast. There is a pay and display car park at the Bluff Inn where there is access to the beach via a concrete slope.
The best beaches in St Ives on a map
Stay with us in St Ives
Are you eager to explore the best beaches of St Ives, Cornwall? See how many of these glorious stretches of sand you can tick off during your next staycation – we’ve got a great selection of holiday cottages in St Ives to welcome you on your return.
From cosy coastal cottages for couples to big seaside sanctuaries for the whole family, we’ve got the perfect setting for your next fun-filled holiday in St Ives. Just click the button below to browse our full collection of self-catering accommodation.
St Ives cottages