You have the ‘7 Bays’ beaches all within 10 minutes which gives you chance to try surfing with Harlyn Surf School as well as paddle boarding, kayaking and coasteering from there or with Trevone Bay Adventures. The South West Coast Path is accessible from all seven beaches and passes through the National Trust land at Trevose Head.
If you want to stay fairly close by and have a break from the beach you have the Tide Climbing Centre which also has café on site, Retallack Aqua Park has Flow Rider, Cornwall’s only surf simulator plus an Inflatable Aqua Park, Wake Boarding, Paddling Boarding (SUP’s) and a beach café/bar. St Eval Karting is an outdoor go kart track, which features an adult only, family, 7-11 year old and 3-6 year old dedicated circuits.
You can enjoy flying displays at Cornish Birds of Prey which looks after injured and unwanted birds of prey as well as offering educational activities. Springfields Fun Park and Pony Centre is the place to go if you want to see animals including goats, miniature pigs, llamas, alpacas, ponies and horses plus enjoy tractor rides, rowing boats, pedal go carts, some vintage fairground rides and indoor play area. For more animals, indoor play, outdoor adventure/play park, exciting theme park rides for young and old you can head to Camel Creek Family Adventure Park.
There is plenty for you to see and do around Padstow – you can walk or cycle the Camel Trail to Wadebridge (or on to Bodmin if feeling very fit!) – bikes can be hired from either Padstow Cycle Hire or Trail Bike Hire which are both based at the end of the Camel Trail near the railway car park. Also near this car park is the National Lobster Hatchery, marine conservation, education and research charity where you can see the work undertaken to protect and increase lobster stocks.
Padstow has been made famous by chef Rick Stein and you can visit one of his many eateries including The Seafood Restaurant, Rick Stein’s Cafe, St Petroc’s Bistro and Stein’s Fish & Chips plus there is also his Cookery School. There are plenty of other cafes and pubs as well as unique shops and galleries. You will also find Tarquins Gin School and Shop tucked a couple of streets back from the Harbour. Their distillery and tours can be found just outside Padstow, within 10 minutes of your holiday location.
When you are in Padstow harbour you can choose to take the ferry over to Rock (where the rich and famous stay!), enjoy the thrill of a Speed Boat ride or a leisurely cruise out to sea aboard the Jubilee Queen which has been offering trips from Padstow for over 40 years.
Prideaux Place is a Grade 1 listed Elizabethan Country House, which has been the home of the Prideaux family for over 400 years and where they still reside. You can walk around the gardens, see the deer and enjoy a visit to the café. Some of the Estate land was used for filming Poldark.