Our favourite St Ives beaches

Located in far West Cornwall, St Ives has everything a visitor could want, from independent shops, world-class art galleries and an array of things to do to a fabulous food scene and quaint cobbled streets you can wander for hours. Best of all, though, are its superb beaches.

Whether you’re looking for miles of golden sand, great surfing waves, rock pools or a secluded cove, St Ives beaches have something for everyone. When the sun shines and the water turns turquoise, you could easily feel like you’re in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean.

To help you plan your unforgettable holiday, our guide highlights the best beaches in St Ives and tells you everything you need to know about them. We’ve also got the lowdown on essential details including where to park, facilities such as surf schools and toilets, whether the beaches are dog friendly and which beaches have lifeguards. Be sure to check out our guide to the best restaurants and pubs in St Ives before you visit too! 

Skip to:

• Porthmeor Beach
• Porthminster Beach
• Porthgwidden Beach
• St Ives Harbour Beach
• Bamaluz Beach
• Carbis Bay Beach

Porthmeor Beach - best for surfing

Considered one of the best beaches in Cornwall, Porthmeor is the largest beach in St Ives, tucked between two rugged headlands on the western side of town, facing the Atlantic.

Porthmeor’s vast stretch of pale-gold sand never disappears entirely, even at high tide, and it’s a hugely popular beach – both with families who appreciate its lifeguard service and clear waters, and surfers who head there for lessons from St Ives Surf School. This is a brilliant spot for learning to surf, as the beach gets swells while being protected from the prevailing wind. There are rock pools where little ones can search for marine life, and the sunsets (for those who linger long enough) are to die for. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a seal or a dolphin in the water.

Right above the beach is the Porthmeor Beach Cafe, serving breakfast, lunch, tapas and evening meals. Sit indoors, in a heated pod or on the terrace, all with great views of the beach. Also directly above Porthmeor is the iconic Tate St Ives, so if you fancy a dose of world-class modern art after your dip, you can easily dry off and head inside to peruse some paintings or sculptures.

Porthminster Beach - best for families 

Head 0.5 miles out of St Ives towards Carbis Bay, strolling the coast path or along the beach at low tide, and you’ll find the staggeringly beautiful Porthminster Beach. Its long run of soft sand and clear azure waves is fringed by palm trees and backed by a wooded hillside dotted with Edwardian houses. From here you’ll have incredible views towards St Ives Harbour.

Thanks to its east-facing position, Porthminster has calm waters, making it an excellent choice for families, especially as it’s lifeguarded in the summer. It’s also a great base for getting out on a paddleboard or a sea kayak, which you can book with St Ives Surf School. Porthminster Beach is also home to the celebrated St Ives Food & Drink Festival, held every May.

Above Porthminster Beach is an 18-hole mini golf course, which has a ‘19th hole’ in the form of a bar, outdoor kitchen and BBQ. At the town end of the beach, by the railway station, there’s a takeaway serving traditional beach snacks, a licensed bar and an ice-cream parlour. And at the other end is the renowned Porthminster Beach Cafe, an exceptional restaurant where you can tuck into fresh seafood, produce from the kitchen garden and foraged coastal ingredients, sitting either indoors or on their enclosed, heated terrace.

Porthgwidden Beach - best for relaxing

This sheltered, sandy beach is tucked below the grassy slopes of The Island (it’s actually a headland) and can be quieter than the other beaches in St Ives – some even call it ‘the locals’ beach’. Families love coming here for swimming, snorkelling, rock pooling and sandcastle building, and if you have lots of gear you can hire one of the colourful beach pods that line the back of the beach for the duration of your stay.

Above this little gem of a beach you’ll find the Porthgwidden Beach Cafe, where you can take in the gorgeous views from the enclosed terrace or sun-soaked deck as you sip a coffee or enjoy a crab sandwich. The cafe is dog friendly, but requests that you notify them in advance if you would like to bring your canine companion. Below the main restaurant there’s a takeaway and shop, handy for a cooling ice cream or some extra buckets and spades.

St Ives Harbour Beach - best for boat trips

This sheltered town-centre beach, backed by harbour walls and protected by Smeaton’s Pier, is tiny at high tide but enormous at low tide – stretching out to join up with Porthminster Beach to the east. It’s busy, with rows of cafes and restaurants just metres away, and in summer the area can feel quite crowded. It’s shared with working fishing boats and their moorings, and there are often plenty of dogs having fun on this beach, though not during the daytime in July and August.

At St Ives Harbour Beach you can swim, sunbathe or hire a deckchair and watch the world go by with an ice cream or a Cornish pasty. From here you can also book a boat trip, taking you out on a sea safari to spot seals, dolphins and even whales.

Bamaluz Beach - best for dogs

This sheltered, sandy cove, which disappears entirely at high tide, is the most dog-friendly beach in St Ives, welcoming your furry friend all year round. Located between Porthgwidden and the harbour, and overlooked by the remains of the Wheal Dream tin mine, it’s reached by a set of steep stone steps, and is not particularly well known, so you probably won’t find too many people on it. There aren’t any facilities here, but you’re just moments away from all the shops, cafes and pubs of the town, and there are toilets nearby.

Carbis Bay Beach - best for beauty

Around 1 mile outside St Ives, Carbis Bay Beach comprises 25-acres of soft, white sand and feels like a tropical paradise. Backed by a dramatic headland (and a large, luxury resort), it has calm waters and little surf, making it perfect for families and anyone who loves wild swimming. 

Carbis Bay Beach is privately owned, and there’s a lot on offer here. Directly on the beach is a restaurant, cocktail bar and day spa, and Lower Deck (seasonal) which sells snacks, drinks and ice creams, as well as a beach gear. In the middle of the beach, Ocean Sports hires kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards and wetsuits. 

St Ives beaches map

Find all the best beaches in St Ives mentioned above with the help of our handy map.

Explore a different St Ives beach every day when you stay with us

People come to St Ives year after year to spend their days relaxing on the golden sands and enjoy water sports or scenic dog walks. If you can’t resist the allure of the beautiful beaches in St Ives, take a look at our extensive collection of cottages, including romantic retreats, large properties for groups and dog-friendly holiday lets. Click the link below to find out more.