Wandering along St Ives seafront is beautiful but very busy (Image: Phoebe Cornish/Reach Plc)
St Ives is a jewel of the British coast, its honeyed cottages wrapped around turquoise shallows and five sandy beaches. However, popularity comes at a price during peak season. The town has a year-round population of just over 11,000 residents, yet it attracts more than 503,000 day visitors and 227,000 overnight visitors annually, according to a 2023 strategic plan from St Ives Town Council. Porthmeor, the town’s star stretch, is framed by art galleries and narrow lanes lined with fish kitchens and bakeries, while Carbis Bay and Bamaluz are calmer for swimming. Seasonal lifeguard patrols, deck chair hire and water sports rentals make it an easy sell when the sun is out.
On peak days, that convenience concentrates thousands on a compact footprint, with the familiar Cornish soundtrack of laughter, gull calls and queue chatter. As a childless visitor, I could see the appeal of St Ives for young families, but it failed to draw me in the same way as other Cornish beaches – namely Pedn Vounder, Porthcurno and Constantine Bay. Open food is a beacon for brazen seagulls, and litter left on busy afternoons only emboldens them. For some, an attempted pasty-on-the-beach becomes a defensive exercise.
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St Ives is beautiful and bustling – though it’s best visited in spring or autumn with fewer crowds (Image: Getty)
The sea itself can feel worked over. After swims at jewel-like coves elsewhere in west Cornwall, St Ives’ water is visibly cloudier, likely unsettled by heavy footfall and boat traffic close to shore.
There is no denying the postcard looks of the Cornish town; in fact, its hilly terrain makes it a marvel to look at even from a busy car park at the top.
The town also boasts a rich artistic heritage, being famously home to the Tate St Ives gallery, and is full of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants.
A stroll down St Andrew’s Street reveals a variety of independent businesses, from art galleries like Milieu Studios and Longships Gallery to unique shops like Em Jems and Hazel & Twine.
Food and drink options are also plentiful, with spots like Porthmeor Beach Cafe and Talay Thai Kitchen offering stunning views and locally sourced ingredients.
But all it took was a few hours spent on the bustling beach on a summer’s day to persuade me against returning. Instead, I’d visit Gwithian Towans and neighbouring Godrevy, which offer a calmer beach experience just across the bay.
Gwithian Towans and Godrevy has spectacular sunsets (Image: Phoebe Cornish/ Reach Plc)
Follow the coast towards Hayle and the bay widens into Gwithian Towans, backed by rolling dunes and long, level sands. Even on lively days, there is ample space to spread a towel or set up a family base without bumping elbows.
At lower tides, Gwithian blends seamlessly into Godrevy, forming a sweeping arc of walkable beach. When the tide pushes high, Godrevy becomes a distinct cove beneath a National Trust headland crowned by its lighthouse.
From clifftop paths, patient walkers sometimes spot seals hauled out on distant rocks; keep distance, use binoculars and stick to marked trails.
Water clarity often improves on this stretch. Greater exposure to Atlantic swell helps disperse suspended sand, lending the shoreline that glassier, blue-green look many travellers chase further west.
You can see St Ives from Gwithian as the beaches are in the same bay (Image: Phoebe Cornish/ Reach Plc)
Sunsets, meanwhile, light the dunes and lighthouse with cinematic colour.
Practicalities tilt the balance further for some travellers. You can park on the headland in National Trust car parks and follow signed paths to the sand, a short stroll to big views and, in warm weather, a bracing swim. It is arguably simpler than parking above St Ives and navigating the steep return climb after a day on the beach.
Facilities are limited — a small cafe and surf shop serve Gwithian, with a National Trust cafe located near Godrevy — and toilets and showers are available only in the parking areas. Plan ahead, bring water and food, and pack out rubbish to keep gulls wary and beaches pristine
Two places share one bay, but they offer very different moods when summer is in full swing. For a family that wants everything at arm’s length, St Ives still delivers. For anyone chasing clearer water, wind-brushed dunes and a patch of sand that feels all your own, the smarter move can be just 20 minutes up the road.