If you’re wondering where to go in Cornwall for free, then wonder no more. We locals are full of ideas and inspiration for budget-friendly days out in Cornwall. Whether you’re after family-friendly afternoons or historic attractions bursting with culture, Cornwall has plenty to offer those looking for fun and memorable days out without the price tag.
Things to do in Cornwall for free
We’ve put together a list of just some of the free activities, attractions, and locations across this beautiful county for you to enjoy.
Free museums and attractions
Cornwall boasts many free, interesting museums and attractions to be discovered.
Falmouth Art Gallery
This award-winning, family-friendly gallery is home to over 2000 pieces of artwork, including contemporary prints, photography, impressionist paintings, and a children’s illustration archive. Its unique exhibitions change throughout the year, giving you the chance to experience something new each time you visit. Better yet, the gallery offers events and workshops for all ages, completely free!
Where: Falmouth, South Cornwall
Museum of Cornish Life
This beautiful space is the perfect place for learning about Cornwall’s history and way of life. Absolutely full of objects, artefacts, and curiosities, this museum is a true feast for the eyes as you stroll through its vibrant rooms. Learn about farming, see working-class costumes and clothing, view 10th-century social photography, discover folk art, performance and crafts, and explore so much more that helped shape Cornwall and its culture.
Where: Helston, South Cornwall
Tintagel Toy Museum
Ready to step into the past? This one’s for the whole family! Shelves and cabinets fit to bursting with old, colourful toys are on display, just waiting to either launch you into nostalgia or delight kids and spark their imagination. Once you’ve had your fill of retro cars and vintage dolls, step into the gift shop and discover walls covered in incredible old toys and trinkets for sale.
Where: Tintagel, North Cornwall
Roskilly’s Farm
Ready to explore a real working dairy farm? Roskilly’s is a must for both animal lovers and ice cream fiends. Walk around the beautiful farm and visit the well-cared-for pigs, goats, and cows that live there, and stroll by the duck ponds on pathways through flowers and trees. Next, stop by the ice cream parlour at the heart of the farm. Here, you can buy a scoop or several of their incredible frosty dessert, made using the milk from the farm’s own herd of Jersey cows. The farm also houses a farm shop and restaurant to make it a real day out.
Where: St Keverne, South Cornwall
Free festivals and events
Who says festivals have to cost an arm and a leg? Cornwall believes everyone should get to experience the fun with many free festivals on offer.
Falmouth Oyster Festival
One of Cornwall’s biggest and most popular food events, the Falmouth Oyster Festival welcomes people of all ages year after year to enjoy four days of foodie fun. With live cooking demonstrations, tasty samples, plenty of food trucks and stalls, live music, an oyster shucking competition, and a working boat race, there is so much to see, do, and eat at this festival. Entry during the day is free, but evening events are ticketed.
Where: Falmouth, South Cornwall
Flora Day
This spring festival, typically around 8th May, is a wonderful day event held in Helston. Starting at 7am, after the first beat of a big bass drum, a day full of tradition begins. Beautifully dressed couples dance through the streets to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring, even dancing into some houses and shops to chase away the dark of winter. Next, a pageant known as Hal an Tow tells the story of Helston through singing and dancing, and after, over 1,200 children from local schools dance through the streets and gardens. The day continues with even more dancing, and it’s all completely free to enjoy.
Where: Helston, North Cornwall
St Ives Food and Drink Festival
The best event for foodies, this free festival has an endless list of chef demos and masterclasses to tantalise your tastebuds. This vibrant festival is held every May on Porthminster Beach, offering visitors three days of fantastic local food, drink, music, live cooking, and culture. While day entry is free, the live music evening events are ticketed.
Where: St Ives, South-West Cornwall
Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival
The largest nautical music and song festival in Europe takes place right here in Cornwall! The International Sea Shanty Festival is a safe, friendly, and exciting event, taking place every year in June in various locations throughout Falmouth. Shanty performances take place across the weekend in numerous public spots, introducing you to the wonderful world of shanty. This festival is a fantastic opportunity to explore everything Falmouth has to offer and embodies the true spirit of Cornwall.
Where: Falmouth, South Cornwall
Free walks and nature attractions
Sometimes, nothing beats a stroll. Whether you wander through nature or see historic sites, Cornwall is the best county for unbeatable walks and views.
Golitha Falls
For a truly stunning stroll through the woods, visit Golitha Falls. This mixed oak and ash woodland (some of which dates back to 1086) provides beautiful and dramatic scenery for your walk, along with the River Fowey that runs through it. Golitha Falls has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to its woodland flora, as well as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Discover the amazing waterfalls here, and keep an eye out for otters frolicking in the water!
Where: Liskeard, South-East Cornwall
RSPB Hayle Estuary
From expert twitchers to active families, the Hayle Estuary is sure to entertain everyone looking for a beautiful Cornwall walk. No matter what time of year you visit, you’re bound to see rare birds as well as many local species thriving in the wetlands. Explore the reserve and tidal pools and soak in the scenery, then nip into Hayle for a well-deserved meal and drink.
Where: Hayle, South Cornwall
Camel Trail
This beautiful walk follows an old railway line, spanning 18 miles from start to finish, but easy to break down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This stroll is perfect for those wanting to take in the stunning sites of North Cornwall, from the River Camel to woodlands to the Cornish countryside. Because it runs along an old railroad, this walk is relatively flat, making it fairly accessible compared to others in the county, and an ideal trail for families.
Where: Starts in Padstow, goes through Wadebridge, and ends in Wendfordbridge, North Cornwall
South West Coast Path
This colossal walk, spanning all of Cornwall’s and Devon’s coastlines and dipping into Somerset at one end and Dorset at the other, is the South West Coast Path. At 630 miles long, it’s maybe the ultimate long-distance hiking challenge in the UK, but it can be very easily broken down into afternoon strolls, day walks, and weekend treks if you don’t plan on hiking the entire thing in one long visit! Experience all of the stunning scenery Cornwall has to offer on this hike, with sea sights on one side and Cornish countryside on the other. There are plenty of places to eat and rest on the route, so make a day of it.
Where: Anywhere along the Cornish coastline
Bude Sea Pool
Up for some wild swimming with added safety? Bude Sea Pool is a semi-natural tidal pool, completely free to swim and play in, set within the rocks of Summerleaze Beach in Bude. For over 90 years now, this pool has been enjoyed by everyone, managed by a local charity. The salt water is topped up each day during high tide when the waves come in, so ensure you plan your visit around 1 and a half hours either side of high tide time! This truly is a scenic space to pass the day, with the sandy beach just feet away.
Where: Bude, North Cornwall
Free gardens and parks
Take a sunny walk and spend some time in one of Cornwall’s many free parks and gardens.
Mount Edgcumbe Country Park
This picturesque, Grade 1 listed landscape is just waiting to be explored. Set around the beautiful and historic Mount Edgcumbe House, the gardens and land are free to enjoy. Take a walk through the well-kept gardens and discover flowers from across the world grown with care, then step out to one of several stunning trails in the surrounding area, dotted with historic buildings, herds of deer, and dramatic cliffs. The gardens and landscape are free to roam, but entrance to Mount Edgcumbe House is ticketed.
Where: Torpoint, South-East Cornwall
Trenance Gardens
Pop down to Trenance Gardens for a few hours of park fun. With several playgrounds, a large boating lake full of wildlife and pedal boats, and well-maintained flower gardens and rose bushes, this beautiful area is a must for a lazy morning or afternoon. Pack a picnic, grab a blanket, and set up in the sun on the luscious green grass.
Where: Newquay, North Cornwall
Boscawen Park
Alongside the Truro River sits Boscawen Park. Stroll through the traditional floral bedding displays in lovely landscaped gardens, then let the kids run free in the incredible natural play area full of swings, climbing equipment, slides and sandpits. When you’re done, head into the city or extend your walk along the river.
Where: Truro, West Cornwall
Fox Rosehill Gardens
Visit this sub-tropical garden and discover its bright and vibrant plant species from Australia, New Zealand, and South America thriving in the Cornish climate. Though this park is small, it simply can’t be missed by plant-lovers and nature photographers looking for something special.
Where: Falmouth, South Cornwall
Free history attractions
Learn about Cornwall’s past in these free, culture-rich locations.
Merlin’s Cave at Tintagel Castle
While Tintagel’s castle and bridge are ticketed, Merlin’s Cave and the surrounding landscape are free to explore! Head down to the beach and enter the mystical cave, believed to be where Merlin the wizard lived, beneath Tintagel Castle, home to King Arthur. While it’s speculated whether or not King Arthur and other characters even existed, they are an important part of Cornwall’s lore.
Where: Tintagel, North Cornwall
Truro Cathedral
This awe-inspiring cathedral of incredible architecture is nestled right in the centre of Truro. Take in the sights of this stunning building, built between 1880 and 1910, and enjoy its Gothic Revival design. The cathedral often hosts a range of events, some free, so make sure to visit their website around the time of your visit to see what’s available.
Where: Truro, West Cornwall
Carn Euny
Do you love ancient history? Then head to Carn Euny, an incredibly well-preserved ancient village near Brane. The ruins here are what’s left of a prehistoric village, lived in from the Iron Age to late Roman times. You’ll explore stone house foundations and, most interestingly, a stone-walled underground tunnel called a ‘fogou’ – far west Cornwall is the only place where this type of structure has been found.
Where: Brane, South-West Cornwall.
If in doubt, head to the beach
Finally, one of the best free experiences Cornwall has to offer… the beach! With the longest stretch of coastline in England at 422 miles, we have an endless list of beaches ready to be enjoyed for free. While facilities like cafes and bars will cost money, spending time on the beaches and in our famous waters is completely free. Pack a picnic and hit the sand, shingles, rocks or pebbles, and soak up the sun in some of the best scenic spaces Endland has.
Where to stay in Cornwall
Cornwall is very easy to navigate, with everything only a bus, train, or drive away, so you can stay wherever takes your fancy and still have access to what the county provides. For holiday homes based in North Cornwall, by the Camel Trail, the Bude Sea Pool, Merlin’s Cave and many picturesque beaches, we’ve got you covered. Take a look through our many beautiful Cornwall holiday properties in various stunning locations and suited to all groups, and get started with your Cornwall trip.
