This sounds just like something I would have posted!! We have been to St. Ives many times, first when our children were small and we spent most of the time on the fantastic beaches. When they were teenagers we stopped going and started to go abroad for them. We now just have our adult son who has Downs Syndrome with us and we have started going back to St. Ives and can't believe we left it so long to go back but have been going for the past 4 years and will be back next year and now we walk, eat at the fantastic restaurants and people watch whilst having a coffee
We have tried to find somewhere that we like as much but haven't found it yet but I would say that Padstow is very nice though it will always be second to St. Ives for us.
I would be very interested to hear of anywhere else that is similar. We are lucky now because we can manage a holiday abroad and one in St. Ives and then another one exploring other parts of the UK.
We also went to Looe a long time ago and, again, it's very nice but it's not St. Ives!!

I know it's much smaller, but Port Isaac is absolutely beautiful. We used to holiday there in a cottage when the kids were small, and, come to think of it, before they were born. We still love it and are going there in September, which will be our first stay there in many years.

You just cant beat st Ives sorry but i agree with the others wish i was going down may go in oct as i am getting withdrawal symptoms


Pip
x

Mevagisey is nice. Good harbour, shops, pubs.

Heligan gardens is nearby

We love Looe. It has character and charm with lots of places to eat and drink. There are also some lovely walks - particularly in West Looe.

You also have Polperro which is only a few miles away.

Pippa

Thanks for all your replies.

I once stayed in Port Issac for a few days - although it is probably the most picturesque town there is, it is a bit small for a whole week. I've not been to Mevagisey or Polperro - I'll do a bit of reseach and see what I can find out about both of those.

I have to agree with others St Ives is the most gorgeous place in Cornwall, we went to Padstow for a day once to visit some friends and I have to say we thought it was really awful in comparison to St Ives, it was extremely overcrowded, and over commercialised, I am mainly referring to the beach, when you compare the beautiful beaches and scenery around St Ives, Carbis Bay etc there is just no comparison.

I have heard that Looe is nice though, maybe do a couple of days somewhere else to see what it's like and then a couple of days in St Ives too just in case it's not as nice in the other place!............

I would say that Looe doesn't compare as far as beaches are concerned but the town is charming, not as big as St. Ives though.

We've decieded to give Looe a go, so we've booked to stay for a week in mid September. I'll report back afterwards and let you know what I think!

You can always have a day out at Meva to see what you think.

Pop into Fowey on the way too. Top place.

I do hope you like Looe. Probably the best thing is to not compare it too much with St Ives. It is a lovely resort in its own right. I think the reason we like it so much is because it is not too touristy (that is reserved for Polperro).

If you do fancy a day out then visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan. They are very peaceful and you can very easily spend a whole day there. It would take perhaps a little over an hour to get there from Looe.

We have booked our favourite holiday cottage in St. Keyne - about 4 miles inland from Looe for next May - it will be our third visit!

Pippa

The Helford River is lovely at that time of year - tourists have gone and its natural beauty shines through.

For a day out try some of these places on the South Coast - Charlestown - a lovely picturesque harbour just outside of St Austell - if you're lucky the Tall Ships might be in. Try the Pier House for an excellent evening meal - and a table overlooking the harbour.
Gorran Haven - nice little beach - try an evening visit - ideal after a trip to Helligan gardens - park in the field car park - 2 minutes walk to the beach - pick up some fresh cooked fish and chips and people watch from the old stone quay that shelters the little harbour.
Polkerris - Alovely sandy cove with a pub right on the beach - perfect for sitting outside to watch the sun go down!!

Polkerris DuMaurier country

We love Mevagissey and Boscastle, and have also a bit of a soft spot for Porthleven, lovely grub at the Harbour Inn.

Cornwall is our "second home" lol. We`ve booked a cottage in Marazion in September. You can`t beat the South of Cornwall in our opinion. It`s so laid back there it`s almost horizontal.

It`s getting very expensive though, as we found out in the last couple of weeks.

We`ve never found it expensive, but we have no children to take. It`s like any holiday though & depends what you do lol.

We don`t have children to take either. We are a couple in our 60s, and by expensive I meant mainly the cost of eating in cafes and restaurants, some were exorbitant.