St Ives offers a huge selection of activities and attractions for people of all ages and tastes. The variety that St Ives provides is the main reason why people visit the town time and time again.
Some of the town's best features are its fabulous beaches in fact, because of its position on its own little peninsula. St Ives is almost surrounded by the sea and has three golden sandy beaches facing different directions within a few hundred yards of each other. This makes it a paradise for sun bathers and surfers alike. The most popular beach being, Porthmeor Beach where surfing lessons are available throughout the summer.
A major attraction for tourists and art lovers alike are the many galleries, gift shops and potteries in the town. The main gallery is the Tate St Ives which offers talks, tours and education programmes all year round. St Ives was famously the home of the sculptor Barbara Hepworth whose house and gardens are also open to the public.
Conveniently, there are many sporting activities for you to involve yourself during your stay in St Ives including surfing, fishing, golf, horse riding, sailing and snooker clubs.
Other activities for you to enjoy might include a visit to St Ives Leisure Centre with a range of different activities including a gym, swimming pool and café.
Another great way to enjoy St Ives is to take a walk on the South West Coast Path which runs through St Ives and is a good way to see the North Cornwall coast.
The harbour is also used as a beach at low tide, and you can find boat trips and fishing trips here also. The Lifeboat Station is normally open to the public from April until late September.
St Ives also offers you an outstanding mixture of bars, restaurants and cafés giving you different flavours from all around the world as well as the finest in local sea food cuisine.
St Ives has a range of hotels, bed & breakfasts and campsites to accommodate visitors throughout the year. Its hotels posses a range of features to suit your every need, ranging from beautiful coastal views, fantastic beauty salons and spectacular golf courses.
St Ives also hosts a range of well equipped campsites each in a beautiful, unique location. Royal Buses offers convenient, frequent bus services from these campsites right into the heart of St Ives.
This idyllic, 5 star family park is located only a short walk from the town and offers superb views of the Cornish coastline.
Tel: 01736 795640
Situated just outside St Ives, surrounded by open farmland, Trevalgan makes an ideal location from which to explore St Ives and West Cornwall.
Tel: 01736 791892
St Ives has a vast range of Restaurants, Pubs and Takeaways to suit all kinds of tastes. Be it Seafood, Italian, Mediterranean or Traditional Cornish Cuisine, St Ives will have a restaurant that caters for it. Many of the town's Pubs & Restaurants have spectacular views of the famous bay, adding extra charm when enjoying a nice meal with the family or that special someone.
With a warm and friendly welcome St Ives Visitor Information Centre, located in St Ives Library in the town centre, provides information about the town and local events.
Click here for information on opening times