Explore Cornwall's Dog Friendly Days Out

Eden Project – St Austell

The Eden Project is one of the UK’s top gardens and eco tourist attractions. They can provide a fun family day out for the whole family, including the dog! The Eden Project is a dog friendly attraction in Cornwall. You can visit their beautiful gardens, with miles of outdoor pathways and good dog walks for your dog to enjoy. There are also dedicated dog friendly facilities, including waste bins, water for dogs, and an undercover dining area where dogs are welcome.

Please note that dogs are not allowed in the Biomes or in other undercover areas, apart from the Visitor Centre. For more info see their website

Lappa Valley Steam Railway – Newquay

Lappa Valley Steam Railway welcomes well behaved dogs on leads throughout the site including the cafe and trains (charges may apply).

Set in the Lappa Valley this looks a fun place to visit. There are three separate miniature railways, protected areas where wildlife thrives, boating lake, maze, crazy golf, play areas, woodland walks and nature trials and 9 hole golf course.

Cornish Sea Sanctuary – Gweek

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary allows dogs on a lead. Set in the pretty village of Gweek, Cornwall in the picturesque Helford Estuary, the Gweek Seal Sanctuary is a great place to visit, giving the opportunity to see the seals and other animals up close.

Excellent for children with a quiz trail running through the sanctuary. The original purpose of the Seal Sanctuary was to rescue seals particularly those found in need around Cornwall.

They still do this and rescue, rehabilitate, and release many seals each year. Some seals can’t be released and stay on at the centre where they can be seen, as well as grey and common seals they also have Fur Seals, Californian & Patagonian Sea Lions plus otters, penguins,sheep, ponies and goats.

The Lizard Peninsula

The Lizard Peninsula Cornwall is a great place to visit and a fantastic area for a day out. There are lots of dog friendly things to do and dog friendly places to visit such as long cliff walks with magnificent views, a visit to Lizard Point and the excellent and very dog friendly cafe there, the pretty harbour village of Coverack with the dog friendly Coverack Beach.

Trelowarren Estate – a superb country estate with beautiful walks and for you, a look around the village of Lizard with shops selling products made from serpentine, a special rock the area is famous for. You can also visit the viewing point for RNAS Culdrose the Royal Naval Base and see what is flying.

St Mawes Castle

St Mawes Castle is among the best-preserved of Henry VIII’s coastal artillery fortresses and the most elaborately decorated of them all. One of the chains of forts built between 1539 and 1545 to counter an invasion threat from Catholic France and Spain, it guarded the important anchorage of Carrick Roads, sharing the task with Pendennis Castle on the other side of the Fal estuary.

It is still bedecked with carved Latin inscriptions in praise of King’s Henry VIII and his son Edward VI. Easily falling to a landward attack by Civil War Parliamentarian forces in 1646, it remained neglected until partial re-arming during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Dogs welcome on leads.

Mount’s Bay – Penzance

Mount’s Bay Cornwall is a beautiful bay with magnificent views out to sea and of St Michael’s Mount.

This day follows Mount’s Bay from Marazion Cornwall to Mousehole, Cornwall passing through Penzance and Newlyn – allowing you to explore whilst at the same time giving your dog a good walk – an ideal day out with a dog in Cornwall.

Holywell Bay – Newquay

Holywell Bay is situated just 5 miles outside Newquay and is a glorious stretch of golden sands which is dog friendly all year and was voted 4th best view in England and No1 for the best beach in England by the National Trust.

Above the beach is the Pirans Inn Pub which is a very dog friendly pub for a drink or food or the Treguth a lovely thatched roof pub very quaint, good food and dog friendly.

Healey’s Cornish Cider Farm – Penhallow

Healey’s Cornish Cyder farm allow dogs at the Cyder Farm providing they are kept on leads but they are not allowed in the jam kitchen or the Restaurant.

The Cyder Farm is home to Cornish Rattler and the Cornish Scrumpy Co Ltd. Offers free entry, free parking, free tasting, chance to ‘watch us work’, farm animals and tractor rides.

Pendennis Castle – Falmouth

Pendennis Castle , Falmouth, is one of the finest of the mighty fortresses built by Henry VIII to defend the country against invasion and is a dog friendly attraction in Cornwall. The castle has seen action in many conflicts and was one of the last royalist strongholds to fall during the English Civil War.

You can witness a Tudor gun deck in action here and see how the Guardhouse was equipped during the First World War. This award-winning visitor attraction in the south west also boasts an exciting interactive exhibition where you can experience the sights and sounds of battle and relive an enemy attack on a Second World War observation post. Dogs welcome on leads.

Tintagel Castle

For a magical day out, visit Tintagel Castle. Set high on the rugged North Cornwall coast, Tintagel Castle offers dramatic views, fascinating ruins and beach cafe making it a perfect day trip, ideal for those on holiday in Cornwall. Tintagel Castle is steeped in legend and mystery; said to be the birthplace of King Arthur, you can still visit the nearby Merlin’s Cave.

The castle also features in the tale of Tristan and Isolde. With a history stretching as far back as the Romans, Tintagel Castle is one of the most iconic visitor attractions in the south west. Dogs welcome on leads.

Watergate Bay – near Newquay

Watergate Bay beach, about 3 miles from Newquay on the North Cornwall coast, boasts two miles of golden sand at low tide, and out to sea enormous waves come in from the Atlantic providing a spectacular sight. Plenty of space for your fury friend to have a good run around.

Porthkidney Beach – Lelant

A north-facing beach at the mouth of the Hayle Estuary that lies just two miles from the picturesque harbour town of St Ives. Porthkidney is a vast expanse of sands, facing Hayle Towans to the east of the estuary. At low tide the beach can stretch almost a mile out to sea.

The beach is backed by picturesque sand dunes and West Cornwall Golf Club overlooks the beach.

Gorran Haven – Mevagissey

An east-facing sandy beach popular with families beside the very pretty South Coast village and harbour of Gorran Haven near St Austell. This beach is dog friendly, however they must be kept on leads.

Pedn Vounder – Porthcurno

One of Cornwall’s best beaches with stunning cliffs of Treryn Dinas, crystal clear water and a beautiful sandy beach. On a spring low tide one can walk to Pedn Vounder from neighbouring Porthcurno beach. Please be careful as the tide comes in fast. Dogs allowed all year and the car park is a 10 minute walk.

Fistral beach – Newquay

This beautiful beach is west facing, long and sandy and backed by rocks and cliffs. Fistral is the perfect family beach offering simple pleasures of sea and surf combined with first class beach and seafront facilities including surf equipment hire, lessons and boutiques, showers, toilets, car parking, restaurants and cafes. A natural playground for the all including the family dog.

Mexico Towans – Hayle

Mexico Towans forms part of a glorious four miles of sand that starts from the mouth of the Hayle estuary and reaches out to the lighthouse at Godrevy Point. Situated between Hayle Towans and Upton Towans, the beach is backed by magnificent sand dunes.

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