Porthmeor Beach

The moment you crest the top of the slipway at Porthmeor, the Atlantic opens up in front of you and it's properly arresting. This is St Ives' working beach - the one the surfers actually use, not the postcard-perfect Porthgwidden tucked away round the headland. You'll see wetsuit-clad figures bobbing in the swell most days, and the sand itself is honest stuff: golden, wide at low tide, backed by that distinctive curve of pastel-painted studios and galleries.

The beach works brilliantly for families who don't mind a bit of energy. There's proper swimming when conditions allow, a gentle slope in, and enough space that you won't feel wedged between a thousand deck chairs come August. If you're here with teenagers, the surf vibe is genuinely cool - they might actually want to spend more than two hours here. Walking the length of the sand to the rocks at either end takes twenty minutes, and the light changes constantly, which explains why the artists love it.

It's free and always open, naturally. Go early morning if you value peace, or late afternoon when the day-trippers from Polmanter Touring Park head back for tea. The nearby cafes are decent enough - grab a coffee, settle on the sand, watch the light hit the water for a bit. If you're staying at Haven Riviere Sands, this is an easy drive over. Winter brings the best Atlantic swells and far fewer people. Worth an entire afternoon of your holiday.