y where you can see baby lobsters and even adopt one. There are countless workshops, exhibitions, and displays throughout the year so check the website to see what’s on during your stay.
Tickets cost £7.50 for adults and £4.00 for children. The hatchery and visitor center is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm seven days a week. There’s no need to book in advance so you can just show up.
The pedestrian Padstow to Rock ferry (the Black Tor) sails between Padstow and the village of rock across the Camel Estuary. The boat leaves every 20 minutes or so from behind the harbor wall and the journey time is a short 10 minutes. Tickets cost £3.00 for an adult single and £1.50 for kids.
I’ve done this crossing many times when walking from nearby Polzeath to Padstow and the views from the boat out over the estuary are fantastic. There are a couple of great beaches nearby, namely Rock Beach and Daymer Bay.
You can also take a quick detour to St Enedoc church in Trebetherick where one of my favorite poets, Sir John Betjeman, is buried (he wrote many wonderful poems about Cornwall).
For lovers of craft beer, visiting the Padstow Brewing Company is one of the best things to do in Padstow. There are two locations within the town; Duke Street and Broad Street (both within walking distance of each other).
Sample a collection of craft beers or local wines and spirits served with small plates of food in the heart of the town. The brewery’s tasting flights allow you to sample a whole range of local brews over the course of an afternoon or evening and visiting is one of the best things to do in Padstow in the rain.
Brewery tours cost £25.00 per person (unsuitable for children) or you can book a table at either of the venues for the tastings. Visit the website for more information and to book online.
The Elizabethan Prideaux Place is a Grade I listed country house and gardens and has been home to the Prideaux family for over 400 years. The house was built in 1592 and overlooks Padstow with sweeping views of the Camel Estuary and Atlantic ocean.
Visitors can explore the house, gardens, and deer park, which is home to one of the oldest deer herds in the country. Just like the crows at the Tower of London, legend has it that if the deers die out, so will the Prideaux family.
Entrance to the house is by guided tour only and these run from 1:30 pm until 4:00 pm Sunday to Thursday. Tickets cost £15.00 for adults and £5.00 for children. The cafe and gardens are open from Sunday to Thursday between 10:30 am and 5:00 pm.
The small but interesting Padstow Museum is home to an eclectic mix of displays charting the town’s history and connection with the sea. This is one of the best places to go in Padstow if you want to learn more about the town and its inhabitants.
The museum, which first opened its doors in 1971, is run by a group of dedicated volunteers and is free to enter (though consider leaving a donation to help with the upkeep). Opening times are from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Constantine Bay beach is one of the best places to visit near Padstow and is just over 4 miles west of the town. This large expanse of sandy beach is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. It’s also one of Cornwall’s top surfing beaches.
The beach is a great place for the whole family as there are lots of rock pools to explore, it’s great for paddling, and there are lifeguards posted from May to September. Constantine Bay is a 13-minute drive or 90-minute walk from Padstow. In the summer there are infrequent buses.
Constantine beach is one of the best places to go near Padstow for a day beside the sea as it’s so close to the town.
Hop on the ferry over to Rock (see No 5 above) and join this fabulous shellfish experience on Porthilly beach where you’ll get to forage for your own oysters, learn how to prepare them, and indulge in this taste of the sea in stunning surroundings.
Cornwall’s Porthilly oysters are sold to top restaurants around the country and you’ll get to try them raw or cooked over a BBQ with views across the estuary to Padstow. The cooking class is run by the “Oyster Lady” who has been featured on the BBC and in many magazines.
Cornwall has garnered an excellent reputation for winemaking in recent years thanks to its mild climate. Camel Valley is the best known of these and it’s possible to visit the vineyard to sip wine by the glass on their sun deck overlooking the valley or take a tour of the winery.
Guided tours of the vineyard take place at 10:30 am Monday to Friday and cost £18.00. You’ll learn all about the wine-making process, local grape varieties and much more, and finish up with a tasting session. Tours must be booked online in advance.
Stepper Point is a headland that’s easily reachable via the southwest coast path. Hiking this stunning section of clifftop trail to Stepper Point is one of the best things to do around Padstow and is a great way to get a bit of exercise.
The hike is 5.8 miles and is suitable for anyone with a moderate level of fitness. Bring a picnic and drink in the magnificent views of this stunning stretch of coastline. The route starts at Padstow harbor and takes in ancient, holy wells, a Napoleonic gun emplacement, caves, coves, and tranquil countryside.
Hiking this section of the coastal path is one of the top things to do in Padstow with dogs as there are miles of open pasture.
Rick Stein is one of Padstow’s best-loved personalities and he now owns an impressive total of four restaurants and cafes around the town (which has jokingly been given the moniker “Padstein”). His first (and best in my opinion) restaurant is the Seafood Restaurant on the riverside which opened back in 1975.
Inside, you’ll find a seafood bar where you can indulge in locally caught fish, crab, lobster, and oysters. Eating here doesn’t come cheap, but the quality and surroundings are well worth the money. Expect to pay around £150.00 for two people.
The Seafood Restaurant is open daily from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm (9:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays) and is closed in the afternoon between 2:30 pm and 5:15 pm.
If you’re looking for things to do near Padstow in the rain, then head to the charming village of Boscastle and discover the myths and legends of Cornwall in the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. The museum is open every day from 10:00 am until 4:30 pm and tickets can be booked online.
If it’s still raining once you’re finished with witchcraft then head to nearby Tintagel a few miles down the road and check out King Arthur’s Great Halls, and if the sun makes an appearance, discover Tintagel castle on the cliffs.
It takes under an hour to reach Boscastle and Tintagel by car, or a couple of hours on bus No 95. I’ve visited both villages from Padstow on many occasions and they make a great day trip from the town.
You can’t come to Cornwall and not have a go at surfing, and with Newquay’s famous Fistral beach just a 40-minute drive from Padstow (or two hours by bus No 56), it’s the perfect opportunity to catch some waves.
This great beginner’s surf experience is perfect for newbies or those looking to brush up on their board skills. You’ll learn all about the best techniques, surf safety and by the end of the session, you should be standing up and riding your first waves.
The lesson lasts for 2.5 hours and costs start at £45.00 per person. You’ll head to either Fistral or Towan beach, both within easy reach of the surf school headquarters in central Newquay.
Below you’ll find some itineraries lining out the best things to do in and around Padstow. Whether you’ve got just the day to explore or plan on staying longer, these itineraries include all the highlights the town and surrounding areas have to offer.
Padstow is a small town so all the major Padstow attractions can be seen in one day. Explore the beautiful harbor and then follow the estuary down to Padstow Museum and the National Lobster Hatchery.
Walk back to the harbor and enjoy fish and chips on the sea wall or grab a bite to eat at the Shipwrights. After lunch take a walk up to Prideaux Place and explore the beautiful house and gardens.
In the evening head to Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant and finish off in one of the many pubs on the harbor.
Follow the itinerary for day 1 and on day 2 take the ferry over to rock. You can try the shellfish cooking class, explore the village, or walk along beautiful Daymer Bay.
On your third day, hire