5 Day Cornwall Family Itinerary – Heligan, Eden Project, Boscastle & More

This is our complete 5 day Cornwall family itinerary, including where we stayed and where we visited.

Over five days in February we explored some of Cornwall’s most iconic and impressive destinations, including Castle Drogo, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Lusty Glaze Beach, The Eden Project, and Boscastle. From dramatic coastlines and hidden gardens to world-famous attractions and rainy cliffside walks, this guide shares exactly what our Cornwall trip was really like as a family.

We’ve also documented the full trip in a 5-part YouTube series so you can see each location, including the windy Boscastle finale (where I may or may not fall over…).

🎥 Watch the full 5-part Cornwall Family Adventure series below:

Why We Chose Cornwall for a Family Trip

We’ve visited Cornwall more times than we can count, and it remains one of our favourite UK destinations for a family holiday. It’s far enough from home to feel like a proper getaway, but close enough that you don’t lose an entire day travelling.

Cornwall offers the perfect mix of dramatic coastline, hidden beaches, family-friendly attractions and relaxed holiday park bases. Whether you’re exploring cliff paths, visiting places like the Eden Project, or discovering lesser-known coastal gems, there’s always something to fill your days without spending a fortune.

We planned this particular trip in February to cure the post-Christmas blues. Visiting Cornwall out of peak season meant quieter attractions, easier parking and a slower pace — but it also meant accepting typical British winter weather. We swapped our usual yellow campervan for a lakeside lodge at White Acres Holiday Park, knowing that the first few months of the year in the UK almost guarantee wind and rain.

The advantage of knowing Cornwall well is that there’s always something to do, whatever the weather. From indoor attractions and heated swimming pools to stormy coastal walks and sheltered garden trails, it’s a destination that works in sunshine or showers — especially when travelling with children.

Where We Stayed – White Acres Holiday Park Review

For our Cornwall family trip, we stayed at White Acres Holiday Park near Newquay, this was our first time visiting the site.

We chose White Acres primarily because of the lakes. Even though none of us are keen fishermen, the idea of having multiple lakes on site meant we could enjoy short walks between showers if the weather turned — which, in Cornwall, in February is almost guaranteed .

White Acres is a typical budget-friendly family holiday park with a good range of on-site facilities, including:

Indoor heated swimming pool
Showbar entertainment venue
Arts & Crafts Den
Restaurant (Polkerris)
Children’s play areas
Arcades
Multiple fishing lakes

During our stay, we used the indoor pool, the Showbar, the Arts & Crafts Den, the on-site restaurant, and took several walks around the lakes.

The Indoor Swimming Pool

The indoor heated swimming pool was one of the highlights for us. There’s a shallow baby/toddler section kept at a slightly warmer temperature, and the main pool is comfortably warm — no bracing yourself before dipping your head underwater.

It’s a small, no-frills rectangular pool. There are no slides, rapids or wave machines, but for a mixed-age family it worked perfectly. It felt relaxed and manageable rather than chaotic.

Showbar & Evening Entertainment

The Showbar reflects the overall size of the park. It’s smaller than some of the larger family holiday parks we’ve visited, but there didn’t seem to be a shortage of tables during our visit.

The main evening activities appeared to centre around nightly bingo and a short show aimed at younger children.

Drinks can be ordered through the Parkdean Resorts mobile app, which is convenient if you don’t want to leave your table once seated with children. However, we found table service slower than ordering at the bar — our drinks took around 15 minutes to arrive. As expected at a holiday park, prices are on the higher side.

Arts & Crafts Den – “Make a Bear”

We pre-booked a “Make a Bear” session at the Arts & Crafts Den.

The activity involves choosing from around 12 bear designs, stuffing it with filling, adding a heart-shaped wish, and receiving a certificate at the end.

In all honesty, we were finished in under 15 minutes. It was enjoyable, but we wouldn’t rush to do it again, especially as the booking time restricted what else we could fit into the day.

Polkerris Restaurant

Polkerris is the on-site restaurant, located in the main complex.

We ordered:

Chicken Tikka Masala
Scampi and Chips
Sausage, Chips and Beans from the children’s pick & mix menu

The food was acceptable — nothing exceptional, but also nothing problematic. If we were to revisit, we’d likely drive into Newquay for fresh fish and chips by the sea. Better food and a coastal view is hard to beat.

The Lakes

Even though we don’t fish, the lakes were one of the main reasons we chose White Acres.

They provided a peaceful way to spend time outdoors between activities and showers. We enjoyed short walks around the water and even saw some impressive catches from the fishermen braving the rain.

For families who enjoy gentle outdoor time without needing to leave the park, this is a strong feature.

Our Superior Lodge (2 Bedroom, Lakeside)

We upgraded to a Superior 2-bedroom lodge. While you can’t choose a specific lodge when booking, we were fortunate to receive a lakeside location.

The lodge included:

Spacious living area with dining table
Large TV
Two sofas (one a sofa bed)
Compact but functional kitchen (microwave, oven, tall fridge freezer, washing machine, gas hobs)
Two bedrooms (one double, one twin)
TV in both bedrooms
Separate toilet
Bathroom with shower over bath
Raised decking area overlooking the lake

The lodge was clean, cosy, and well suited for a family of three staying four nights. The park was quiet overnight, which meant we all slept well before busy days exploring Cornwall.

Overall Thoughts on White Acres

White Acres feels like a solid, budget-friendly family holiday park. Some areas are slightly dated and a few carpets showed signs of wear, but nothing that would prevent us returning.

If you’re looking for:

Affordable Cornwall accommodation
On-site activities for children
Easy access to Newquay
A relaxed base for exploring Cornwall

White Acres works well.

Day 1 – Castle Drogo & Arrival

Our first day of this 5-day Cornwall family itinerary was mostly about travelling down to White Acres Holiday Park. To break up the drive, we stopped at Castle Drogo, which turned out to be the perfect halfway point.

If you’re travelling to Cornwall with children, stopping somewhere interesting en route makes a huge difference — especially on a long drive.

Visiting Castle Drogo

Castle Drogo recently underwent significant external restoration, and it now looks spectacular both inside and out. Perched high above the Teign Gorge, the views alone are worth the stop.

Inside, there are multiple rooms open to the public, including:

Dining rooms
Drawing rooms
Bedrooms
Historic corridors and staircases

It feels grand without being overwhelming for kids.
Outside, the gardens provide plenty of space to explore. On our visit, large patches of crocuses were in bloom, which added a welcome splash of colour to what was otherwise a typical February day in Devon.

On a dry day, it would be a perfect spot for a packed lunch before continuing your journey.
If you’re planning a Cornwall road trip, Castle Drogo makes an ideal family-friendly stop-off location.

Arriving at White Acres Holiday Park

We arrived at White Acres Holiday Park right at the 4pm check-in time — which, if you’ve stayed at a holiday park before, you’ll know is peak arrival chaos.
Reception only has a handful of parking spaces, so we ended up looping around the site a few times before managing to collect our keys. If you’re travelling in a larger vehicle (we were in a small campervan), expect things to feel a little tight during busy periods.
We upgraded to a Superior Lodge for our stay. Although we didn’t have dedicated parking directly outside the lodge, we never struggled to find a space within a 1–2 minute walk.

First impressions? A smooth start to the trip — once we were parked.

Watch the video of day 1 featuring Castle Drogo and a lodge tour on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iEH-0pYPTLY

Day 2 – Lost Gardens of Heligan

If you love exploring outdoor spaces, woodland trails and hidden corners, The Lost Gardens of Heligan should be high on your Cornwall itinerary.

We visited in February, which they call the “Pick Your Own Admission Price” month. Instead of the standard ticket prices (usually around £28 per adult, £12.50 per child and free for under 5s), visitors can choose what they pay. This makes winter a particularly good time to visit if you’re traveling to Cornwall on a budget.

At first glance, the regular ticket prices may seem steep. However, once inside, you quickly realise just how vast the gardens are. This isn’t just a quick walk around a formal garden — it’s an entire day out.

The grounds are extensive, with well-maintained, tree-lined pathways that are mostly pram-friendly. Even in February, there was plenty to explore.

Highlights for families include:

🌉 The Rope Bridge (always a hit with kids)
🛝 A dedicated children’s play area
☕ On-site café facilities
🦊 The large fox sculpture
🐦 A bird hide for quieter wildlife moments
🌿 Jungle-style woodland walks
🗿 The famous “Mud Maid” sculpture

The mix of open gardens, wooded areas and hidden sculptures makes it feel more like an adventure than a traditional botanical garden. If you get a good day of weather then the Lost Gardens of Heligan are worth a visit.

Watch the video of day 2 featuring the Lost Gardents of Heligan on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lcD2-HoqAqU

Day 3 – White Acres & Lusty Glaze

When the weather isn’t on your side (and Cornwall in February almost guarantees at least some rain), staying on a well-equipped holiday park makes a big difference.

Rather than driving long distances in heavy showers, we made the most of the on-site facilities at White Acres Holiday Park. We used the indoor heated swimming pool, tried the “Make a Bear” activity in the Arts & Crafts Den, and waited for a break in the weather before heading out for the afternoon.

Once the rain eased, we set out to explore — and stumbled across one of Newquay’s hidden gems: Lusty Glaze Beach.

Lusty Glaze is a small, privately-owned cove accessed via a long flight of steep steps (not pushchair friendly). At the bottom, you’ll find a sandy beach, dramatic cliffs, and a beachside restaurant and bar.

Because we were visiting out of season, we had the entire cove to ourselves. The tide was coming in quickly, and the beach shrank dramatically as we watched — which only added to the atmosphere. The waves crashing against the cliffs made it feel wild and cinematic.

Even on a drab February evening, Lusty Glaze was incredibly picturesque. In warmer weather, with golden light and calmer seas, it would be absolutely stunning.

We’ll definitely be going back to see it in its prime.

Watch the video of day 3 featuring a walk around White Acres lakes and Lusty Glaze evening visit on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QmT8xoT6WeM

Day 4 – Eden Project

Everyone has heard of the Eden Project and it’s one of our favourite stops whenever we visit Cornwall.

When you purchase a day ticket online you actually receive a one-year return pass, which is exactly what we did. It’s a great way to get two days out of the visit and makes the price feel much more reasonable if you’re planning another trip to Cornwall within the year.

When we visited, the ice rink was in its final week before closing for the season. We booked ahead for a Family Skate session, which gives you access to the penguin skate aids for children as well as a slightly reduced price. The only downside is that you need to arrive shortly before 10am, which can mean an early start depending on where you’re staying.

The skating itself was great fun and a nice change from the usual Eden Project experience. The rink sits beneath the huge biomes which makes for a pretty unique setting. The penguin skating aids were very popular with younger kids and made it much easier for them to stay balanced while enjoying the ice.

After skating we spent some time exploring the rest of the site. Even if you’ve been before, the biomes are always impressive, especially the Rainforest Biome which instantly feels like stepping into another climate. The warm, humid air is a welcome change after a cold February morning outside.

The Eden Project is one of those places where you can easily spend most of the day wandering around. Between the indoor biomes, outdoor gardens, and various exhibitions there’s plenty to keep both adults and children entertained.

If you’re visiting Cornwall with kids, it’s definitely worth including the Eden Project on your itinerary — particularly during colder months when the warm biomes provide a break from the winter weather.

Watch the video of day 4 featuring our visit to the Eden Project on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ECmo18HF_T8

Day 5 – Boscastle in the Wind & Rain

Our final day in Cornwall was also our journey home, but we decided to squeeze in one last stop along the way. Boscastle is a place we’ve visited before and always enjoy returning to, so it felt like a fitting place to end the trip.

The weather, however, had other ideas.

By the time we arrived the wind had really picked up and the rain was coming in sideways. Cornwall in February doesn’t always deliver sunshine, but dramatic weather can make coastal villages like Boscastle feel even more atmospheric.

Boscastle is a small harbour village tucked into a steep valley on the north coast of Cornwall. The walk down towards the harbour is beautiful, with stone cottages, narrow roads and the sound of the sea echoing up through the valley.

On calmer days you can walk all the way out along the harbour wall and coastal path, but on this visit the wind was strong enough that we decided not to venture too far. Even so, it was still worth the stop just to stretch our legs and take in the scenery.

At one point the wind caught me completely off guard and I ended up slipping over on the path — a moment that unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) made it into the video.

Despite the wild weather, Boscastle still felt like a great final stop before heading home. There’s something about Cornwall’s coastal villages that feels just as interesting in rough weather as it does in the sunshine.

With that, it was time to start the drive home and bring our short February Cornwall trip to an end.

Watch the video of day 5 featuring our short visit to Boscastle on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jFz_80fWlsw

Quick Summary of Our 5 Days in Cornwall

Day 1: Castle Drogo & arrival at White Acres
Day 2: Lost Gardens of Heligan exploration
Day 3: White Acres facilities & Lusty Glaze beach
Day 4: Eden Project & ice skating
Day 5: Windy walk around Boscastle before heading home

Discover more from TomBale.me

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.