27 Unmissable Stops on a Cornwall Road Trip
Difficult planning a Cornwall road trip, as there’s just so much to see in this holiday county. I don’t want to give you a regimented ‘do this, then this, and at this time be here’ kinda itinerary because one of the beauties of road tripping in Cornwall is the surprises and delights you see along the way.
Instead, I’ll highlight some of the best spots to check out on any Cornwall road trip. With the current state of the world Brits will be taking a lot more road trips this summer, and Cornwall is one of the most popular counties in the UK to do it.
Make the trip really special and try renting a campervan to make the most of your road trip.
It’s best to be prepared and gather all the Cornwall knowledge you can so you’ve got one up on the next Cornwall road tripper. You don’t want to go all the way to the most southerly point in England and then miss the tops sites, do you?
Missed the Minnack Theatre? Oh, you are NOT road tripping in Cornwall right my friend.
Here are the top spots on a Cornwall road trip to make sure to include in your itinerary.
Cornwall Road Trip Map
Click to see the map of Cornwall and make your own edits.
Your Cornwall road trip itinerary
This Cornwall road trip itinerary will show you the best spots to visit, and where to spend your time. Think of it like an A-List and a B-List, depending on how long you have for your Cornwall holiday.
1. Tintagel Castle and Merlin’s Cave
You can’t do a Cornwall road trip without visiting Tintagel Castle and Merlin’s Cave – seriously. Every good Cornwall road trip goes by these top Cornwall attractions, just to get in with the whole King Arthur vibe supporting the Cornish economy.
There’s a cool bridge here, with a plunging drop between the mainland and the outcrop the castle is perched on – good luck walking across that!
2. St Micheal’s Mount
St Micheal’s Mount is probably the top place to see in Cornwall. Hit it up in the right kind of weather and it’s seriously majestic.
St Michael’s Mount is an island with thousand years of history, this day out destination promises legends, myths and isolated beauty. What’s more magical than a cobbled causeway that zigzags its way to the base of island, a path hidden once the tide comes in?
The crowning piece is the castle, which sits atop the wealth of greenery covering the sloping mount. Surrounding it are more intimate and curated gardens, maintained by the St Aubyn family and the small community of islanders.
Check the tide times to really make the most of your visit.
Tips for your Cornwall road trip
- The roads in Cornwall can be very tight, especially if you’re coming over from the US and you’re used to the roads there.
- Be polite and courteous to other drivers and accept that sometimes the Cornish locals aren’t the friendliest to tourists. Also, they have somewhere to be, you’re just on holiday. Let it go.
- Getting stuck behind a tractor is pretty standard, there are potholes and speed cameras everywhere and you need to watch out for cyclists at all times.
- But, you’ll be fine. All part of the fun!
3. The Minack Theatre
The Minack Theatre is a stunning theatre built into the cliffs. The open-air amphitheater is carved out of a cliff-side at Porthcurno Bay, and the stage is directly backed by open sea. You can see the entrance on the pic above.
The views are amazing – your eye-line extends from the bay to Logan Rock. Imagine seeing a show here – like my friend Steve did. He’s written about how to watch a play at the Minack Theatre here.
4. Land’s End
Land’s End is famous as the end of mainland England. It’s the most southerly point which is why people who want to punish themselves cycle / walk / run from John O’Groats up in Scotland – the most northerly point – to Land’s End. I have strong memories of going to Land’s End to see mum and dad’s friend finish a run there.
Despite the whole ‘end of the UK’ claim to fame Land’s End is a lovely place to visit on your Cornwall road trip anyway.
5. Chill out in St Ives
