Set on the West Cornwall coast five minutes southeast of St Ives, the seaside village of Carbis Bay is a magnet for ramblers, art lovers, and families on holiday. Artists flock here for the quality of light and laid-back vibe, and for generations, the St Ives School and Tate Gallery St Ives have nourished a creative community in the area. Above Carbis Bay Beach, you’ll find the South West Coast Path, which stretches more than 630 miles and runs through two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Dorset and East Devon coasts.

Bird lovers can enjoy spotting waterfowl in the wetlands of the Hayle Estuary Nature Reserve. Carbis Bay also rolls out a full menu of family-friendly attractions, such as outdoor karting tracks, lawn bowling, and escape rooms. Likewise, restaurants abound with fresh seafood and traditional Cornish dishes.

Trains from London Paddington to Carbis Bay take about 8 hours, with changes at Plymouth, Penzance, and St. Erth. National Express coaches run from London to St Ives, with night coaches from London Heathrow and London Victoria to Carbis Bay and West Cornwall. You can fly into Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) from a number of UK towns and then take a taxi or minibus for the one-hour drive to Carbis Bay. You can also rent a car when you arrive in Cornwall. Once you’re in Carbis, getting around the town on foot is easy; a local bus network connects to Penzance, St Ives, and other Cornwall destinations.

Summer is festival season and a great time to book Carbis Bay cottages to make the most of Cornwall’s renowned sunshine. The Golowan Festival in Penzance, just 20 minutes from Carbis Bay, celebrates the summer solstice with music, performing artists, parades, and fireworks. Also in June is the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, a three-day celebration of traditional music.

Spring and autumn are less busy times to visit Cornwall, and you’ll need to pack a waterproof jacket for the occasional downpour. The St Ives September Festival is two weeks of live music, art workshops, talks, comedy, and book readings. In the winter months, the streets are quieter and the beaches are peppered with only the hardiest surfers; you’ll need a warm coat and hat as protection against brisk winds on coastal walks. Penzance celebrates ancient Cornish customs at the winter solstice with street entertainers and a torchlit parade.

Hayle Estuary Nature Reserve

Run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Hayle Estuary is a biodiverse utopia for migrating birds and wintering wildlife seeking milder conditions. Its estuary, tide pools, and marshland are home to common gulls, waders, and waterfowl, and rarer birds, including teals and wigeons, in the colder months.

Tate St Ives

Overlooking the surfers on Porthmeor Beach, the Tate St Ives art gallery is a short bus ride and a leisurely wander from Carbis Bay. The main collection focuses on 20th-century art, and you’ll also find the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden on-site, home to bronzes the artist placed herself. When you need to refuel, the top-floor cafe boasts commanding views of the town and out to sea.

Trewidden Garden

Twenty minutes from Carbis Bay is one of the 12 Great Gardens of Cornwall, a horticultural haven of azaleas, magnolias, camellias, and one of the largest collections of tree ferns in Europe. Some of the plants in the gardens are believed to be 150 years old.