There’s a host of things to do in St Ives with family attractions set in and around the town, excellent eateries serving up fresh local fare, things to do when the weather isn't so good, and of course, glistening Cornish beaches lining the coast.
Beginning life as fishing village, St Ives is today famed as a thriving arts community, home to a host of galleries and artists – and this is just the beginning of what this beautiful town has to offer. Our handy guide includes key St Ives attractions, as well as places to visit in St Ives, free things to do and some of our favourite things to see in St Ives. It's a one-stop shop when planning your days out in St Ives.
Once you've finished reading about the best things to do in St Ives, head over to our collection of St Ives cottages to find your perfect Cornish base.
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Art and culture in St Ives
If you’re searching for places to visit in St Ives, begin with the galleries! It’s said that the quality of the light in St Ives is unique due to the way the sun bounces off the horseshoe bay and turquoise waters that surround the town, and this quirk of the landscape has drawn great artists and writers for centuries.
Image credit: Instagram @sue_jones_sculptor (left) and @burge.chris (right)
Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden
In 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War, Barbara Hepworth and her husband first moved down to St Ives before acquiring this peaceful house, studio and garden in 1949. This is where she lived and worked for the rest of her life, and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden is still full of her magnificent abstract bronze sculptures for visitors to see up close.
Tate St Ives
Down by the waterfront, the renowned Tate St Ives hosts exhibitions showcasing the world’s best artists, past and present. The building itself is one of the most iconic things to see in St Ives. Keep an eye on the Tate St Ives' timetable and plan your holiday around an exhibition or, if you’re travelling with kids, there are often family-friendly workshops to inspire little ones. A visit should be high on your list of things to do when planning days out in St Ives.
Image credit: Instagram @leachpottery
The Leach Pottery
Bernard Leach was a ceramicist who set up a studio in St Ives and many believe he pioneered British studio pottery, inspiring countless artists who followed him. Today, Leach Pottery has a museum and runs regular exhibitions, workshops and classes too.
More galleries in St Ives
St Ives is bursting with creative talent and a multitude of small, independent craft shops and galleries have popped up throughout the cobbled streets over time. A few others worth a mention include The Penwith Gallery, The Blue Bramble Gallery and New Craftsman Gallery.
Animal attractions, wildlife and nature around St Ives
Cornwall hosts an abundance of wildlife-rich habitats, from the heights of windswept Bodmin Moor to the depths of the coastal waters, and St Ives is no different. See the local British wildlife or visit attractions to get close to animals from around the world. It's a great way to spend one of your days out in St Ives.
Boat trips to Seal Island St Ives
Seal Island in St Ives is a little outcrop 3.5 miles west of the main town and gets its name from the large colony of Atlantic grey seals that call it home. You may also be in with a chance of spotting sharks, dolphins and even whales during a St Ives boat trip to Seal Island, making it one of the best wildlife-spotting trips in the UK, and a fantastic way to see the marine life around St Ives.
Paradise Park and JungleBarn Cornwall
This exciting attraction holds over 130 species of birds – from characterful and colourful macaws to tall, elegant flamingos. On a visit to Paradise Park and JungleBarn, your children might get the chance to hand feed the penguins, the whole family can hop aboard the Jungle Express Train, and an indoor play barn ensures energy-filled little ones can finish the day on a high.
Horse riding in St Ives
In and around St Ives, horse riding is popular and a great way to discover the beautiful coastline. Why not enjoy a horse ride on the beach surrounded by unbeatable views or join a hack into the scenic countryside? It's one of the best things to do in St Ives if you enjoy seeing your surroundings from a different perspective. A couple of stables to look into include Penhalwyn Trekking Centre & School and Old Mill Stables.
RSPB Hayle Estuary
If you are keen to catch a glimpse of the multitude of migrating wildfowl that visit the beautiful RSPB Hayle Estuary, winter is the time of year to see them. Enjoy a ramble with sea views and you might spot teal, wigeons and even an osprey on your visit. As natural St Ives attractions go, it's a special one!
Free things to do in St Ives
Many of the galleries and nature reserves are free to visit so you’re sure to have plenty of lovely places to visit during your break. In fact, some of the best things to do in St Ives are absolutely free! Here we’ve listed a couple of ideas to inspire your Cornwall holiday.
Hit the beach
Heading to the beach is among our top St Ives things to do. Nothing beats the feel of sand between your toes and the spray of the waves as you make the most of a beautiful beach – and Cornwall boasts some of the top beaches in the UK. St Ives has a great choice of enchanting Cornish beaches to pick from, with Porthmeor Beach, Porthgwidden Beach and Bamaluz Beach being some of our favourite St Ives beaches. If you stay near Carbis Bay, there’s a host of lovely things to do in this part of town and the beach is fantastic.
Walk the South West Coast Path
When it comes to free things to do in St Ives, it's hard to beat a bracing walk to take in the stunning scenery. The area around Carbis Bay, just east, offers some of the best coastal walks in St Ives. One of the most beautiful walks you might want to take is from St Ives to Zennor, where you can admire the dramatic cliffs and sparkling sea that make this area so alluring, as well as spot seals and maybe even whales.
Trencrom Hill Iron Age hill fort
You may need to bring along your walking shoes for this one as the best way to reach this National Trust site near St Ives is by following the marked, moderate walking trail. The Iron Age hill fort sits at the very top of Trencrom Hill and boasts fabulous views north to Godrevy and west to Rosewall Hill. Discover more top National Trust places throughout Cornwall by clicking the button below.
Top National Trust places in Cornwall
Things to do in St Ives for families
We’ve already mentioned the wonderful child-friendly workshops offered by the Tate and the enchanting Paradise Park family attraction, but there’s so much more for youngsters to get involved with in this corner of Cornwall.
Surfing in St Ives
Cornwall is famous as the surf capital of the UK, and the coastline around St Ives and Carbis Bay is blessed with some of the best surfing beaches in Cornwall, including Porthminster, Porthmeor and Carbis Bay itself! So, what better way to get to know this stunning landscape than by surfing the waves?
Trevaskis Farm
The charming Trevaskis Farm is a fantastic place to visit with kids during the spring and summer, where they can find out first-hand where their food comes from. Go fruit and vegetable picking – options include strawberries, peas, beans, sweetcorn and a variety of cooking and eating apples too, all entirely reliant on the seasons. You can't go wrong with Trevaskis when looking for family-friendly places to visit in St Ives.
Image credit: Instagram @coast2coastkarting
Coast 2 Coast Karting
For a burst of speed and adrenaline, head to this fantastic outdoor karting track just a couple of miles out of town. It’s perfect for teenagers and if you’re looking for things to do in St Ives for couples, this may just be the way to go as it’s a great trip out for adults too!
Unusual things to do in St Ives
We’ve been through some of the most popular St Ives attractions available to visitors, but what about some of the more unusual days out? Plan something entirely unique for a holiday to St Ives that’s like no other. Here are a couple of suggestions for quirky St Ives things to do.
Helicopter flights
If you fancy splashing the cash during your break, see the whole exquisite town from a bird’s eye view with a helicopter ride. If you’re planning on asking a certain important question, this may be just the way to do it, or book a family adventure in the air for an unforgettable holiday and take in Godrevy Lighthouse, Carbis Bay and the Hayle Estuary from the sky. It's up there with the most exhilarating unusual things to do in St Ives.
St Ives Skate Park
Got a keen skateboarder in the family? Or did you take up the sport yourself? St Ives is home to a fantastic skate park where you can test your skills during your holiday – try an acid drop, tail slide or Casper flick, and try not to snake or wipe out!
Day trips from St Ives
If St Ives doesn’t have enough things to do to keep you satisfied, you might be thinking of venturing further afield and making the most of your time in the South West. There are so many wonderful things to do near St Ives, so you can see some of the very best of Cornwall without venturing too far from your base.
St Michael’s Mount
This iconic National Trust site near St Ives is an especially scenic place to escape to during your Cornish holiday. Even though it’s on Cornwall’s south coast, St Michael’s Mount is just an 8-mile trip from St Ives and boasts a magnificent, ancient stronghold reached via a tidal causeway – just the place for pretty photos and beach days.
Godrevy Nature Reserve
While just at the other end of St Ives Bay, at a 12-mile drive, Godrevy is further away than St Michael’s Mount on the south coast! It’s another enchanting National Trust site near St Ives, this time with coves, a headland, a surfing beach and views across to Godrevy Lighthouse – made famous by Virginia Woolf’s novel, To the Lighthouse. You may see seals hauled up on the beaches along this reserve too.
Land’s End
This attraction is 20 miles west of St Ives and is one end of the famous Land’s End to John O’Groats trail. We aren’t recommending you take on that immense challenge though! Simply pop by for fun, child-friendly attractions, to see the iconic signpost and meet the animals at Greeb Farm.
St Ives holidays
If you’re thinking of visiting St Ives this year, find even more great places to visit and things to do in Cornwall, or click the button below to browse our collection of beautiful Cornish cottages.
St Ives cottages