Learn to surf in Newquay

Newquay is Britain’s unofficial surf capital and hosts the annual NationalSurfing Championships, which is no surprise with its wide North Cornwall sandy beaches and great waves all year round.

Never surfed before? No problem. Private lessons from a professional coach are available for the whole family (mum, dad and two kids) from £159 with surf board, wetsuits and all other equipment provided. Beginners and those a bit more experienced can book with the Escape Surf School. They’ll even send you home with pictures of your adventure.

Discover Cornish history at Tintagel Castle

Go on a legendary adventure at Tintagel, a castle with links to the stories of King Arthur. Take in unforgettable views of the coastline and explore the history-rich headland. Walk among the castle ruins that still cling to the cliffs and meet Gallos, the life-size bronze statue of an ancient king who keeps watch over the wild seas below.

Head down to sea level to stroll along the sandy beach and venture into Merlin’s Cave. Uncover Arthurian tales at the exhibition in the visitor centre and enjoy a locally-sourced lunch at the Beach Café.

Tintagel Castle has fired the imaginations of writers, royals, artists and poets for hundreds of years. Now it’s your turn to be inspired.

Dream the myths and legends of St Michael’s Mount

St Michael's Mount, one of the most spectacular of Cornwall's landmarks, is steeped in legend and folklore.  It has panoramic views across Mounts Bay to Lands End and The Lizard, and boasts a picturesque harbour and a castle dating back to the 14^th century.

Now in the care of the National Trust, the Mount's castle and gardens are open to the public during weekdays from April to October, and most weekends. Access is on foot across the causeway at low tide, or by short ferry crossing at high tide.

Walk across the causeway or take a ferry boat to the island where you can discover a castle full of myths and legends, fabulous sub-tropical gardens and a real working island community.

See live open air performances at The Minack Theatre

Cornwall's famous open-air theatre is carved into the granite cliff and set in glorious gardens overlooking the panorama of Porthcurno Bay.

From above it looks as though some wandering Greeks, 2000 years ago, dug out an auditorium from the stone, but it was only 80 years ago that there was nothing there except a sloping gully of gorse and heather and below, the Atlantic Ocean.

The summer theatre season runs from May to September presenting drama, musicals and opera in this most dramatic of settings, and the Rowena Cade Visitor Centre tells the remarkable story of how a remarkable Victorian girl built this amazing theatre.

Mousehole village – the prettiest in Cornwall

There are many claimants for the title of the prettiest fishing village in Cornwall, but Mousehole is at the front of the queue.

Enjoy afternoon tea at the Tremayne Tea Room or sit down for an evening meal at 2 Fore Street, a bistro-style restaurant on Mousehole harbour front. Finish off your evening with a pint of local ale at the Ship Inn, one of the famous St Austell Brewery pubs.

Mousehole is renowned for its rich smuggling history. Smuggling reached its peak in the 18th Century, and Cornwall was at the heart of it. With a constant demand for cheap goods, such as brandy, gin, tobacco and tea, ‘free-traders’ made a living from smuggling and fisherman often looked to the smuggling trade to supplement their income.

Explore the Lost Gardens of Heligan

Thirty years ago, Heligan’s historic gardens were unknown and unseen; buried in the undergrowth since the outbreak of WW1. It was only the chance discovery of a door in the ruins that led to the restoration of this once great estate. Now The Lost Gardens have been put back where they belong - in pride of place among the finest gardens in England.

Explore the Victorian Productive Gardens and Pleasure Grounds laid out over two centuries ago, travel across the forgotten world beneath the historic rhododendron boughs of Sikkim, beside Maori-carved tree ferns in New Zealand, explore the Italian Garden and Alpine inspired Ravine or live the jungle experience of exotic plantings crossing the rope bridge which extends across it all.

Kids will love the Giant’s Head, Mud Maid and Grey Lady which all wait to be discovered along the Woodland Walk emerging from the undergrowth in a beautiful natural landscape.

The Eden Project – an Eco wonder of the world

More than just a huge, tropical garden, Eden is a gateway into the relationships between plants and people, and a fascinating insight into the story of mankind's dependence on plant life. Not only a mind-blowing visitor attraction, Eden is also fast becoming a unique resource for education and knowledge towards a sustainable future.

Experience the sights, smells and scale of the rainforests in the Rainforest Biome, the world's largest greenhouse, and discover the tropical plants that are used to produce everyday products. Travel to South Africa and California, as you amble amongst the orange and lemon trees, olive groves and gnarled vines of the Mediterranean Biome, and in the 30-acre Outdoor Garden see hemp, sunflowers and other plants that could change your future, flourishing under the Cornish sun.

A fascinating location, but, more importantly, Eden is a fun and family-friendly day out. Curious kids can find out where tea, rubber and sugar come from, and travel the world to the simulated environments of tropical destinations.

Cornwall – a culinary delight

Eating out in Cornwall is a culinary delight. Whether you're looking for a beach cafe for an alfresco lunch or a fine dining experience, there is much to choose from. Cornish cuisine is some of the tastiest in the British Isles, and favourites such as Cornish pasties are popular all over the country. Cornwall is a peninsula, and with the sea on three sides, fish is the main ingredient in many dishes. Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant in Padstow is rightly famous, but there are many many more.

Wonderful Cornwall - fly directly to Cornwall Newquay Airport with Loganair from Manchester, Newcastle, Teesside, Aberdeen & Edinburgh