We spent the summer road-tripping around Cornwall and have put together a guide to 7 things to do in Penzance, Cornwall.
Penzance is the largest westerly town in the Penwith district of Cornwall. Surrounded by sandy beaches, a castle on a tidal island, and quite possibly the best outdoor theatre in the UK. Not to mention lots of great surf locations. 28 miles off the coast of Penzance are the Isles of Scilly. You can take a ferry from Penzance harbour to reach the islands. With so much to do and see, it’s obvious why you need to visit this beautiful part of the UK.
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🗺️ 7 Things To Do In Penzance
On our road trip through Devon and Cornwall, one of our main goals was to find and relax on a beach with white sand and clear blue water. In the UK we hear you ask?
We know it is not the place that comes to mind when you think of a tranquil oasis, but we are here to tell you we bloody well found some! Well after spending 4 days exploring this region we have put together a list of 7 things to do in Penzance that you can’t miss out on.
1. Saint Michael’s Mount
A stone’s throw from the Penzance harbour is the town of Marazion. Take a walk down to the beachfront and you will see the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount. The island houses a medieval castle, gardens terraces, and a church. The castle has been owned by the Aubyn family since 1670 and is now part of the National Trust, though some family members do still living in the castle.
St Michaels Mount can be accessed via a boat at high tide or you can walk across the causeway at low tide. You need to book your Saint Michaels Mount tickets online at the National Trust website. Be sure to book in advance as there are only limited numbers allowed on the mount. Don’t forget to check the times on the tickets as your entrance and exit times will depend on the current tide times.
Don’t forget to check out the small town of Marazion after. There are some great places to stop for lunch or The Copper Spoon for great cream teas.
Tip: – There are several car parks along the beachfront, head to the National Trust car park which will cost you £4 for the whole day.
2. Lizard Point
A 40-minute drive east of Penzance you can find the Lizard peninsula. On the very tip is the small village of Lizard. This is where you can find amazing places to eat, before taking a walk down to the Lizard Point Lighthouse and RNLI lifeboat station. The lighthouse is the most southerly land lighthouse in the UK.
We recommend parking on the green in the centre of the village which is free. We recommend that you leave a small donation in the box next to the toilets to help with the upkeep of the village. If you are looking for food, head to Ann’s Pasties to get an authentic taste of the Cornish life, they sell out quickly so get there early. Alternatively, check out The Witchball which serves great fish and chips.
Cornwall is known for its outstanding coastal walks along the cliff edge. From Lizard, you continue the southwest coastal path towards Kynance Cove and beyond. The walk from Lizard Point to Kynace Cove will take you 1 hour.
3. Kynance Cove
At Kynance Cove you can expect to find clear blue water and white sandy beaches. Still part of the Lizard peninsula and the National Trust, it has become one of the most popular things to do in Penzance. We recommend getting here early especially if the weather is good. From the car park which often gets full by 11 am, walk down to the beach which will take you 15 minutes. Kynance Cove is even more spectacular at low tide where you can explore the rockpools or walk out to the large rock formations one of which is called asparagus island (it looks nothing like asparagus).
There is a small cafe next to the beach where you can grab a coffee or ice cream. If hiking is more your thing follow the southwest coast path towards the town of Lizard where there is more to do and see.
4. Jubilee Pool Penzance – Art Deco Geothermal Seawater Lido
Close to Penzance Harbour, you will find the Jubilee swimming pool. This enormous outdoor lido is the UK’s largest Art Deco seawater swimming pool. The pool overlooks the ocean with St Michael’s Mount and the town of Marazion in the distance. There is also a learner pool which is great for teaching the kids to swim in the ocean.
A new addition to our 7 Things to do in Penzance is the United Kingdom’s first geothermal pool. The water is heated to between 30-35 degrees through a natural geothermal well, which means you feel like you are swimming in tropical warm water even if it is snowing outside. The idea came after the owner visited the hot spring pools in the winter in New Zealand.
The opening times for the jubilee pool are generally 10 am – 5 pm daily, apart from Monday when all the pools and cafes are closed. The geothermal pool does stay open slightly later on some days, for full opening times you can check out the Jubilee Pool website.
Budget Tips!
Grab a Monzo card to recieve free cash withdrawls and card payments anywhere in the world. When you sign up today you will also recieve £5 free into your account.5. Lands End Cornwall
One of the more iconic spots on our things to do in Penzance’s list is Lands End. Although it is one of the more well-known places to visit, we feel it’s more of a place to say you have visited, rather than needing to visit.
For those of you who are confused by this, Lands End is at the bottom of the United Kingdom. Whilst on clear days you can get amazing views of the cliffs, coves, and lighthouse, that is all there is really to do there. There is no entrance fee but you will have to pay £7 to park your vehicle. If you are in the area we recommend visiting, but it is not a full day out.
6. Pedn Vounder Beach
The Pedn Vounder Beach could easily be number 1 on our list of things to do in Penzance. Looking out from the cliffs high up above the beach you get to see how amazing this place is. It is hard to believe that this beach is in England, it looks more like Australia.
One of the reasons this beach is so pristine is that it is hard to get to. The walk from the car park will take you around 45 mins, with the last section more of a rock climb rather than a walk. But don’t let that put you off, we saw people of all ages and abilities get down. The car park can get busy, especially in the summer months, there is also a small fee to park here.
The best time to visit Pedn Vounder Beach is at low tide. As the ocean retreats, it exposes pools of white sand and clear blue water. From the beach, you can see the Minack Theatre built into the side of the cliffs. In the next bay, you will find Porthcurno Beach. This beach has amazing white sand like Pedn Vounder, but the access down to Porthcurno beach is quick and easy. This makes it very popular and for this reason, this is why we recommend visiting Pedn Vounder.
TIP: – Pedn Vounder Beach is one of the many nudist beaches in Cornwall. When we visited there were plenty of people of all ages walking around in their birthday suits. Don’t worry it isn’t compulsory to take your clothes off.
7. The Minack Theatre
Carved into the Cornwall cliffs, overlooking two of the best beaches in the UK (Porthcurno and Pedn Vounder beach) is the Minack Theatre. This open-air theatre was built in 1929 by Rowena Cade and her gardener. Meticulously crafted by hand rather than machinery, this seriously impressive theatre is somewhere you have to visit on our list of 7 things to do in Penzance.
The Minack Theatre and gardens are open in the daytime for you to take a stroll around and admire the architecture. In the evenings is when things start to get exciting. You can book an open-air performance to watch with the sun setting in the background. For more information on up-to-date shows and opening times check out The Minack Theatre Website.
7 Things to do in Penzance continued
Looking further afield, there is so much more to see and do near Penzance. Here are some of our recommendations.
Places to visit near Penzance
Trengwainton Garden – National Trust
If you are a regular reader here. You will know we love visiting National Trusts all around the United Kingdom. Trengwainton Garden can be found just outside the centre of Penzance. Here you will find an award-winning garden, plenty of space for the kids to run around and a cafe to stop at for a coffee.
Cape Cornwall – National Trust
Part of the many coastal walks around the UK is Cape Cornwall. A headland that jets out into the ocean with large buildings and towers left over from the tin mining days. You can explore the rugged cliff landscape of Cornwall. The walk is only 1 mile long. there are also toilets and a cafe that serves takeaway hot drinks.
How to get to & around Penzance 🚗
The best way to travel around Penzance and the rest of Cornwall is by car. The drive from London is 5 hours passing some iconic landmarks such as Stonehenge. Alternatively, you can catch a direct train from Paddington station and hire a car once you arrive. To reach some of these beautiful spots, you have to take the routes the local transport cannot reach.
Getting around
You can easily reach a few places on our things to do in Penzance lists, such as the Penzance outdoor swimming pool and St Micheal Mount. You can get here by walking around the town. But if you are looking to hit up the remote beaches then you will need a car. You can check out the hire car prices, most of which will have to be collected in London.
Where to stay in Penzance 🏠
All around Penzance are amazing campsites and hotels. Whilst we were travelling around the area, we opted for a mixture of camping and hotel. Here are a few of our favourites or see all hotels in Penzance.
If you are looking to stay somewhere a bit more private and remote, then maybe booking a cottage for the weekend in Cornwall is the way forward. Scattered all through the area of Penzance are beautiful cottages in towns or along the sea cliffs.
Book your holiday cottage now.
More things to do and road trip locations around the UK 🚌
Stay tuned for more great places to visit around the UK.
Pin our 7 Things to do in Penzance Guide for later
What Camera Gear Do We Use
- Main Camera: Panasonic G80
- Go To Lens: Panasonic 12-60mm
- Tripod: Manfrotto Adventure Tripod
- Camera Bag: Manfrotto Backpack
- Underwater Camera: GoPro Hero 8
- Drone: DJI Mavic Pro 2
- Power Bank: Anker Power Bank
- Hard drive: WD 1TB hard drive
